Subpart 242.72 - CONTRACTOR MATERIAL MANAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTING SYSTEM

(a) This subpart provides policies, procedures, and standards for use in the evaluation of a contractor's material management and accounting system (MMAS).

(b) The policies, procedures, and standards in this subpart—

(1) Apply only when the contractor has contracts exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold that are not for the acquisition of commercial products or commercial services and are either—

(i) Cost-reimbursement contracts; or

(ii) Fixed-price contracts with progress payments made on the basis of costs incurred by the contractor as work progresses under the contract; and

(2) Do not apply to small businesses, educational institutions, or nonprofit organizations.

“Acceptable material management and accounting system,” “material management and accounting system,” and “valid time-phased requirements” are defined in the clause at 252.242-7004 , Material Management and Accounting System.

“Significant deficiency” is defined in the clause at 252.242.7004, Material Management and Accounting System.

(a) DoD policy is for its contractors to have an MMAS that conforms to the standards in paragraph (d) of the clause at 252.242-7004 , Material Management and Accounting System, so that the system—

(1) Reasonably forecasts material requirements;

(2) Ensures the costs of purchased and fabricated material charged or allocated to a contract are based on valid time-phased requirements; and

(3) Maintains a consistent, equitable, and unbiased logic for costing of material transactions.

(b) The cognizant contracting officer, in consultation with the auditor and functional specialist, if appropriate, shall—

(1) Determine the acceptability of the contractor’s MMAS and approve or disapprove the system; and

(2) Pursue correction of any deficiencies.

(c) In evaluating the acceptability of the contractor’s MMAS, the contracting officer, in consultation with the auditor and functional specialist, if appropriate, shall determine whether the contractor’s MMAS complies with the system criteria for an acceptable MMAS as prescribed in the clause at 252.242-7004 , Material Management and Accounting System.

(a) Criteria for conducting reviews.Conduct an MMAS review when—

(1) A contractor has $40 million of qualifying sales to the Government during the contractor's preceding fiscal year; and

(2) The administrative contracting officer (ACO), with advice from the auditor, determines an MMAS review is needed based on a risk assessment of the contractor's past experience and current vulnerability.

(b) Qualifying sales. Qualifying sales are sales for which certified cost or pricing data were required under 10 U.S.C. 3702, as implemented in FAR 15.403, or that are contracts priced on other than a firm-fixed-price or fixed-price with economic price adjustment basis. Sales include prime contracts, subcontracts, and modifications to such contracts and subcontracts.

(c) Disposition of findings—

(1) Reporting of findings. The auditor or functional specialist shall document findings and recommendations in a report to the contracting officer. If the auditor or functional specialist identifies any significant MMAS deficiencies, the report shall describe the deficiencies in sufficient detail to allow the contracting officer to understand the deficiencies.

(2) Initial determination. (i) The contracting officer shall review findings and recommendations and, if there are no significant deficiencies, shall promptly notify the contractor, in writing, that the contractor's MMAS is acceptable and approved; or

(ii) If the contracting officer finds that there are one or more significant deficiencies (as defined in the clause at 252.242-7004 , Material Management and Accounting System) due to the contractor’s failure to meet one or more of the MMAS system criteria in the clause at 252.242-7004 , Material Management and Accounting System, the contracting officer shall—

(A) Promptly make an initial written determination on any significant deficiencies and notify the contractor, in writing, providing a description of each significant deficiency in sufficient detail to allow the contractor to understand the deficiency;

(B) Request the contractor to respond, in writing, to the initial determination within 30 days; and

(C) Promptly evaluate the contractor's response to the initial determination in consultation with the auditor or functional specialist, and make a final determination.

(3) Final determination. (i) The ACO shall make a final determination and notify the contractor that—

(A) The contractor's MMAS is acceptable and approved, and no deficiencies remain, or

(B) Significant deficiencies remain. The notice shall identify any remaining significant deficiencies, and indicate the adequacy of any proposed or completed corrective action. The contracting officer shall—

(1) Request that the contractor, within 45 days of receipt of the final determination, either correct the deficiencies or submit an acceptable corrective action plan showing milestones and actions to eliminate the deficiencies;

(2) Disapprove the system in accordance with the clause at 252.242-7004 , Material Management and Accounting System; and

(3) Withhold payments in accordance with the clause at 252.242-7005 , Contractor Business Systems, if the clause is included in the contract.

(ii) Follow the procedures relating to monitoring a contractor's corrective action and the correction of significant deficiencies in PGI 242.7203 .

(d) System approval. The contracting officer shall promptly approve a previously disapproved MMAS and notify the contractor when the contracting officer determines that there are no remaining significant deficiencies.

(e) Contracting officer notifications. The cognizant contracting officer shall promptly distribute copies of a determination to approve a system, disapprove a system and withhold payments, or approve a previously disapproved system and release withheld payments to the auditor; payment office; affected contracting officers at the buying activities; and cognizant contracting officers in contract administration activities.

Use the clause at 252.242-7004 , Material Management and Accounting System, in all solicitations and contracts exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold that are not for the acquisition of commercial products or commercial services and—

(a) Are not awarded to small businesses, educational institutions, or nonprofit organizations; and

(b) Are either—

(1) Cost-reimbursement contracts; or

(2) Fixed-price contracts with progress payments made on the basis of costs incurred by the contractor as work progresses under the contract.