E: GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS/REQUIREMENTS
E.1 FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION
There are a myriad of regulations
in connection with government contracting. The prime regulation is the Federal
Acquisition Regulation, which applies to all government contracting and to many prime contracting
as well. In addition, most federal agencies also issue their own implementing
regulations as well, for example the DoD has the DFARS. There are too many
other applicable regulations to list here, as they are dependent on the specific
procurement situation.
E-2. NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
However there is one other requirement that is applicable
to all procurements, the North American Industry Classification System
(NAICS) code (NAICS codes replaced the SIC codes). NAICS, (pronounced
Nakes) was developed as the standard for use by Federal statistical agencies
in classifying business establishments for
the collection, analysis, and publication of statistical data related to
the business economy of the U.S. The significance to SBs is that all government
procurements will have a NAICS code, which determines SB size standards.
Different codes have different standards, so a firm can be a SB under one
code and Large Business under another. Below, are some sites that provide
additional information, which include a list of the codes, description of
the business, and size standard.
E-3. CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION
The Central Contract Registration (CCR) is
a central repository for vendor data. CCR is the primary database for the
Federal Government. Current and potential suppliers are required to register
in CCR in order to be eligible for contract awards and to receive payments
for goods and services.
E-4. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS
Two
methods for awarding contracts are sealed bidding and contracting by negotiation - Sealed bidding and contract by negotiation.
Sealed bidding is a method of contracting that employs competitive bids,
public opening of bids, and awards. Contracting by negotiation is a contract awarded using other than sealed
bidding procedures.
Part 16 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation describes the types of contracts
used in government contracting. TABLE 15 lists the primary contract types.
Click here to read the criteria for selecting the type of contract to use.
E-5. PURCHASE CARDS
Purchase Cards are a special streamlined
procurement method used for lower value purchases.
The government-wide commercial purchase card may be used to:
- Make micro-purchases
- Place a task or delivery order (if authorized in the basic contract,
basic ordering agreement, or blanket purchase agreement)
- Make payments, when the contractor agrees to accept payment by the card.
E-6. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION
Click here to read the policies and procedures for performing contract administration and
contract audit services.
Once you've been awarded a government contract, government and contractor
teams focus on completing the requirements of the contract. The government
team focuses on managing costs, quality, meeting the contract schedule, and
performance. The contractor team focuses on managing risk, performance, quality,
costs, and profit.
Many issues and problems surface quickly during the contract administration
phase. Both government and contractor personnel must understand their rights
and obligations under the contract and how to approach difficult situations
and resolve problems to the mutual benefit of both parties. Now that you've
been awarded a government contract, government and contractor teams focus
on completing the requirements of the contract. Some of the specific parts
of FAR Subpart G Contract Management that are of particular importance are
listed below in TABLE 16.
-
E-7. Glossary/Dictionary of Acronyms
- The dictionary that defines government procurement terms:
- A listing of government abbreviations and acronyms:
Next>> SECTION 2: BUSINESS RESOURCES
Business Resource Guide Home
|