Acquisition Plan Outline
The Acquisition Plan outlines the background and objectives to include, but not limited to the following -
- Statement of Need. Introduce the plan with a brief statement of need. Summarize the technical and contractual history of the acquisition. Discuss feasible acquisition alternatives, prior acquisitions, and any related in-house effort.
- Applicable Conditions. State all significant conditions affecting the acquisition, such as requirements for compatibility with existing or future systems or programs; and any known cost, schedule, and capability or performance constraints.
- Cost. Set forth the Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), established acquisition cost goals and the rationale supporting them.
- Capability or Performance. Specify the required capabilities or performance characteristics of the supplies or the performance standards of the services being acquired and state how they are related to the need.
- Delivery or Performance-Period Requirements. Describe the basis for establishing delivery or performance-period requirements. Explain and provide reasons for any urgency or justification for not providing for full and open competition.
- Trade-offs. Discuss the expected consequences of trade-offs among the various cost, capability or performance, and schedule goals.
- Risks. Discuss technical, cost, and schedule risks and describe what efforts are planned to reduce risk and the consequences of failure to achieve goals.
The Acquisition Plan also outlines the plan of action to include, but not limited to the following-
- Potential Sources. Indicate the prospective sources of supplies or services that can meet the need. Address the extent and results of the market research and indicate their impact on the various elements of the plan. Describe how competition will be sought and, if full and open competition is not contemplated, cite the authority in FAR 6.302, the basis for the application of that authority; identify the source(s), and discuss why full and open competition cannot be obtained.
- Source-Selection Procedures. Discuss the source-selection procedures including:
- evaluation procedures
- evaluation factors
- Technical Proposal Evaluation Committee (TPEC)
- the timing for submission of proposals
- the timing for evaluation of proposals, and
- the relationship of evaluation factors to the attainment of the acquisition objectives.
- Acquisition Considerations. Discuss contract type selection; use of options, or other special contracting methods; any special clauses, or special solicitation provisions; whether sealed bidding or negotiation will be used and why.
- Budgeting and Funding. Include budget estimates, explain how they were derived, and discuss the schedule for obtaining adequate funds at the time they are required.
- Contractor Versus Government Performance. Address the consideration given to competitive sourcing and OMB Circular No. A-76 (see FAR Subpart 7.3).
- Inherently Governmental Functions. Address whether or not any of the functions are inherently governmental and the consideration given to FAR Subpart 7.5.
- Product or Service Descriptions. Explain the choice of product or service description types:
- Products, Supplies or Equipment: The description should cover as wide a range of commercially available and proven products as possible and should avoid requirements for special manufacture, or requirements which may unnecessarily restrict competition. In this way, a broad competitive base will help keep prices to a minimum, and promote good relations with offerors. Decide whether to use precise specifications or performance specifications.
- Services: Service contracts should incorporate performance-based acquisition methods to encourage contractor innovation and efficiency, and to help ensure contractors provide timely, cost effective, and quality contract performance.
- Management Information Requirements. Discuss, as appropriate, what management system will be used by the Government to monitor the contractor's effort.
- Test and Evaluation. To the extent applicable, describe the test program of the contractor and the Government.
- Logistics Considerations. Describe the assumptions and determination regarding contractor or agency support, both initially and over the life of the acquisition, including consideration of contractor or agency maintenance and servicing.
- Reliability, Maintainability, and Quality Assurance. Describe the requirements for reliability, maintainability, and quality assurance, including any planned use of warranties (see FAR Part 46).
- Contractor Data and Data Rights. Describe the requirements for contractor data (including repurchase data) and data rights, their estimated cost, and the use to be made of the data (see FAR Part 27).
- Government-Furnished Property. Indicate any property to be furnished to contractors, including material and facilities, and discuss any associated considerations, such as its availability or the schedule for its acquisition (see FAR Part 45).
- Government-Furnished Information. Discuss any Government information, such as manuals, drawings, and test data, to be provided to prospective offerors/contractors. Indicate which information requires additional controls to monitor access and distribution (e.g., technical specifications, maps, building designs, schedules, etc.).
- Environmental and Energy Considerations. Discuss the applicability of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement (see 40 CFR 1502), the proposed resolution of environmental issues, and any environmentally-related requirements to be included. Identify applicable environmental and energy conservation objectives associated with the acquisition (see FAR Part 23).
- Security and Information Technology Considerations. For acquisitions dealing with classified matters, discuss how adequate security will be established, maintained, and monitored. For information technology acquisitions, discuss how agency information security requirements will be met.
- Contractor Access to Federal Facilities. For acquisitions requiring contractor physical access to a federally-controlled facility or access to a Federal information system, discuss how agency requirements for personal identity verification of contractors will be met.
- Contract Administration. Describe how the contract will be administered. In contracts for services, include how inspection and acceptance corresponding to the work statement's performance criteria will be enforced.
- Milestones for the Acquisition Cycle. Address the following steps and any others as appropriate:
- Acquisition plan approval.
- Statement of work.
- Specifications.
- Data requirements.
- Completion of acquisition-package preparation.
- Purchase request.
- Justification and approval for other than full and open competition where applicable and/or any required Determination & Finding (D&F) approval.
- Issuance of synopsis.
- Issuance of solicitation.
- Evaluation of proposals, audits, and field reports.
- Beginning and completion of negotiations.
- Contract preparation, review, and clearance.
- Contract award.