Contracting Overview

Requirements Generation

The contracting process is a partnership between the requirements generation office and the contracting office. Requirements generation is a cohesive effort between USAMRAA's Contracting Branches and technical subject matter experts. The requirements phase includes the development of the requirement via a Performance Work Statement, Statement of Objectives, or Statement of Work. The development of documentation is necessary to support the requirement specifications (i.e. market research, an independent government cost estimate) and comply with contract regulations (i.e. service contract approvals).

Solicitation

The process by which the contracting agency requests offers or quotations from the public to meet Government needs. Solicitations under sealed bid procedures are called "invitations for bids." Solicitations under negotiated procedures are called "requests for proposals." Solicitations under simplified acquisition procedures may require submission of either a quotation or an offer. Many of USAMRAA's contracting requirements are solicited via System for Award Management (SAM) and Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE).

Source Selection

The process of evaluating a competitive bid or proposal to enter into a Government contract. This process may be formal or informal, depending on dollar value. The process begins with the establishment of an evaluation plan for a proposed acquisition and ends when the Source Selection Authority selects a contractor to receive a contract award. Agencies can obtain best value in negotiated acquisitions by using any one or a combination of source selection approaches, including a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) approach or a trade-off process under which the relative importance of cost or price may vary against the weight of other evaluation factors.

Pre-Award/Award

The contract is awarded upon completion of final evaluations and approval of any required clearance documentation. The Contracting Officer will notify the successful offeror by furnishing the executed contract. Based on the procurement/contract type, the award should occur via one of the following forms:

• Standard Form (SF) 26 Award/Contract
• Solicitation, Offer and Award
• SF 1449 Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items
• DD 1155 Order for Supplies or Services

When applicable, the Contracting Officer publishes the notice of contract award, which is posted to SAM.gov. Unsuccessful offerors are also notified of the contractor that received the award, number of offerors solicited, number of responses received, and the reason their offer was not accepted.

Contract Admin

Contract Administration involves those activities performed by Government officials after a contract has been awarded to determine how well the contractor performed to meet the requirements of the contract. In contract administration, the focus is on obtaining supplies and services, of requisite quality, on time, and within budget. It encompasses all dealings between the Government and the contractor from the time the contract is awarded until the work has been completed and accepted or the contract terminated, payment has been made, and disputes have been resolved. As such, contract administration constitutes that primary part of the procurement process that assures the Government receives the goods and services as prescribed in the contract. Contract changes are carried out in this phase via contract modification.

Administration may be conducted by the awarding agency; In some instances, the Contracting Officer may delegate contract administration functions to the Defense Contract Management Agency.

Contract Closeout

The process by which the awarding agency determines that the contact's period of performance has expired; the work required under the contract is complete with all supplies and deliverables accepted by the Government; all invoices have been submitted and paid; and all necessary administrative actions required to close the contract have been completed by the contractor and the awarding agency.