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Electronic Transmittal (ET) No. 08-08
Enhancing Competition

Expires: Until cancelled, revised, or superseded

September 29 , 2008

To:

Director, Management Services Office
   Attention: 84-27810 (Eckelberg)
Regional Director, PN, MP, LC, UC, GP
   Attention: PN-3700 (Ford), MP-3800 (Bell), LC-3100 (Nelson), UC-800 (Ward),
                     GP-3800 (Worley)
From: Karla J. Smiley /s/
Manager, Acquisition and Assistance Management Division
Subject:

Electronic Transmittal (ET) No. 08-08, Enhancing Competition

  1. Purpose: To transmit Department of the Interior Acquisition Policy Release (DIAPR) 2008-10, Enhancing Competition.
  2. Effective Date: This guidance is effective immediately upon issuance.
  3. Expiration Date: Until cancelled, revised, or superseded.
  4. Background:
    1. Electronic Transmittal (ET) No. 08-05, “Approval of Justification For Other Than Full And Open Competition”, designated new approval requirements for other than full and open competition actions by amending Reclamation Acquisition Regulation clauses WBR 1406.304(a) and 1413.501(a)(2). ET 08-05 remains unchanged by this ET.
    2. Office of Federal Procurement Policy memo dated July 18, 2008, “Effective Practices for Enhancing Competition” calls on all departments to promote tools and practices to improve and increase competition.
    3. DIAPR 2008-10, “Enhancing Competition” (Attachment), implements new approval and internal control review requirements intended to reduce the number of non-competitive awards within the department.
  5. Action Required: In accordance with DIAPR 2008-10, “Enhancing Competition”, attached, the following actions are required:
    1. Modifications --
      1. Modifications to exercise options – Competition Advocate concurrence is required prior to issuing a modification to exercise an option if the basic contract was awarded without competition;
      2. Modifications to add work – Competition Advocate concurrence is required prior to issuing any modification (other than option modifications) that adds work to any contract;
    2. Awards --
      1. Award of non-competitive enterprise contracts -- Department-wide contracts awarded without competition require approval by the Department Senior Procurement Executive;
      2. Award of contracts over $25,000 -- All non-competitive awards valued at more than $25,000, whether justified in accordance with FAR 6.304 or FAR 8.405-6, require Chief of the Contracting Office (CCO) concurrence and/or approval as follows. If the proposed transaction is expected to:
        1. exceed $25,000 (or at a lower amount if so specified by the CCO), but not exceed $550,000, shall be approved by the CCO;
        2. exceed $550,000 but not exceed $11,500,000 shall be signed by the contracting officer, with concurrence of the CCO and approved by the Reclamation competition advocate;
        3. exceed $11,500,000 but not exceed $57,000,000 shall be processed through the Reclamation competition advocate for approval by the Head of the Contracting Activity.
    3. Internal Controls - All reviews related to the internal control of the acquisition function at any level of Reclamation shall address competition. For example, reviews will consider obstacles to competition, efforts taken to increase competition, and reporting accuracy of competition information to the Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation (FPDS-NG).
    4. Distribute this ET to all acquisition personnel and ensure that the revised approval and internal control policies are adhered to.
  6. Point of Contact: Steve Schmidt at 303-445-2477 or by email at sschmidt@do.usbr.gov.

    Attachment
     
    cc:

    84-27820 (Cook, Feirtag, Moulton, Schmidt, Terrell), 84-27810 (McMillen, Cody), PN-3702 (Fraser), MP-3800 (Keith, Steele), LC-3110 (Colwell), GP-3800 (Woegens)