Subpart 2401.6 - Career Development, Contracting Authority, and Responsibilities

Unless otherwise designated by the Secretary through a delegation of authority, the Chief Procurement Officer is the Department's Senior Procurement Executive and is responsible for all departmental procurement policy, regulations, and procedures, and oversight of all HUD procurement operations. The Senior Procurement Executive is also responsible for the development of HUD's procurement system standards, evaluation of the system in accordance with approved criteria, enhancement of career management of the procurement workforce, and certification to the Secretary that the Department's procurement system meets approved criteria.

(b)

(1) Requests for ratification of unauthorized commitments shall be submitted in writing through the contracting officer to the ratification approval officials identified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section. The Assistant Secretary or equivalent official for the office that created the unauthorized commitment shall sign the request for ratification.

(3) In accordance with FAR 1.602-3(b)(3), the Senior Procurement Executive may delegate the authority to approve ratifications of individual unauthorized commitments down to, but not below, the level of an Assistant Chief Procurement Officer.

(c)(5) Concurrence by legal counsel in the Contracting Officer's recommendation for payment of an unauthorized commitment (see FAR 1.602-3(c)(5)) shall not be required when the value of the payment is equal to, or less than, the simplified acquisition threshold.

(a) In selecting Contracting Officers, appointing authorities shall consider the experience, education, training, business acumen, judgment, character, reputation, and ethics of the individual to be appointed. Appointing authorities shall also consider the size and complexity of contracts the individual will be required to execute or administer, and any other limitations on the scope of the authority to be exercised.

(b) Individuals appointed to a position having Contracting Officer authority, and whose primary duties are performed as a Contracting Officer, other than contracting authority limited to simplified acquisition procedures, shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The education and specialized experience commensurate with the grade of the appointee as set forth in the qualification standards for the GS-1102 occupational series developed by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 433, and two years of experience performing contracting, procurement, or purchasing operations in a government or commercial procurement office. Alternately, where appointment of a Contracting Officer involves a specialized procurement field, experience in that field may be considered as a criterion for appointment.

(2) Successful completion of contracting-related training as prescribed by the Senior Procurement Executive.

(c) The Senior Procurement Executive may waive education and specialized experience requirements as provided for in the qualification standards developed by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy under the authority of 41 U.S.C. 433.

(a) Appointments to officials not expressly delegated procurement authority by a published departmental delegation of authority shall be made in writing by the Head of the Contracting Activity. The Certificate of Appointment (SF 1402) shall constitute the appointing official's determination that the appointee meets the selection requirements set forth at 2401.603-2.