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SOFARS PART 5601THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SYSTEM



SOFARS PART 5601 - FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
SUBPART 5601.1 - PURPOSE, AUTHORITY, ISSUANCE
5601.101 Purpose.
5601.103
Authority.
SUBPART 5601.2 - ADMINISTRATION
5601.201 Maintenance of the FAR.

5601.201-1
The Two Councils.
SUBPART 5601.3 - AGENCY ACQUISITION REGULATION
5601.301
Policy.
5601.304
Agency Control and Compliance Procedures.
SUBPART 5601.4 - DEVIATIONS FROM THE FAR
5601.402
Policy.
5601.403 Individual Deviations.
SUBPART 5601.6 - CAREER DEVELOPMENT, CONTRACTING AUTHORITY, AND RESPONSIBILITIES
5601.601 General.
5601.602
Contracting Officers.
5601.602-1
Authority.
5601.602-2 Responsibilities.
5601.602-2-70
Contract Clauses.
5601.602-2-90 Ordering Officers.
5601.602-3
Ratification of Unauthorized Commitments.
5601.602-3-90
Procedures.
5601.603 Selection, Appointment, and Termination of Appointment.

5601.603-3
Appointment.
5601.603-3-90
Appointment of Contingency Contracting Officers.
5601 ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 5601-1:
Review and Approval Authorities.
Attachment 5601-2: Determination and Findings for Unauthorized Commitment.

SOFARS PART 5601
THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SYSTEM

 

SUBPART 5601.1 - PURPOSE, AUTHORITY, ISSUANCE

5601.101 Purpose.
This United States Special Operations Command Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (SOFARS) provides minimum essential implementation of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and DOD FAR Supplement (DFARS).
5601.103 Authority.
The SOFARS applies to all USSOCOM contracting offices that receive contracting authority from USSOCOM, Director of Procurement (DOP).

SUBPART 5601.2 - ADMINISTRATION

5601.201 Maintenance of the FAR.


5601.201-1 The Two Councils.
(Revised April 2008)
(d)

SUBPART 5601.3 - AGENCY ACQUISITION REGULATION

5601.301 Policy.
(a)(2)
Each contracting office may establish and maintain local contracting publications that further explain procedures for subject matters unique to its location. Office publications shall be kept to a minimum and be made available in electronic media.
5601.304 Agency Control and Compliance Procedures.
(Revised November 2007)
(4)
(a) As used in this section, the term clause includes provisions and means a term or condition of the type set forth in FAR Part 52, DFARS Part 252 and 5652.
(b) One-time use clauses must be approved by the Chief, Contracting Office. Forward a copy of approved clauses to SOAL-KM.

(a) Local clauses used repetitively and are conducive to command-wide use may be proposed for inclusion in SOFARS and shall be submitted to SOAL-KM for approval in accordance with the format outline in DFARS 201.201-1(d)(i).
(b) SOAL-KM shall conduct an annual review of all SOFARS clauses in use. Reviews may recommend retention, deletion or modification of the existing clauses.
(c) USSOCOM Point of Contact (POC):

U.S. Special Operations Command
Director of Procurement
Procurement Management Division
7701 Tampa Point Blvd.
MacDill AFB, FL 33621-5323

Phone: (813) 826-6077 or DSN: 299-6077
Fax: (813) 826-7504

(6) Changes, revisions, and policy letters shall be distributed to contracting offices electronically and posted on the SOAL-K website with the full authority of the Director of Procurement. All actions issued affecting the SOFARS shall be incorporated into the SOFARS on the SOAL-K website and made available on a software medium on a periodic basis.

SUBPART 5601.4 - DEVIATIONS FROM THE FAR

5601.402 Policy.
(2)
(i) The Director of Procurement (DOP) is the approval authority within USSOCOM for FAR and DFARS individual deviations except for the individual or class deviations at DFARS 201.402(1).
(ii) SOAL-KM shall approve deviations to SOFARS
5601.403 Individual Deviations.
(1) See approval requirements in 5601.304(4).

SUBPART 5601.6 - CAREER DEVELOPMENT, CONTRACTING AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES

(Revised February 2007)
5601.601 General.
(1) Title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.), section 167(e)(4)(B), provides that the Commander, United States Special Operations Command, has the authority to exercise the functions of the Head Of Agency under Chapter 137 of Title 10, U.S.C., subject to the authority, direction and control of the Secretary of Defense. In addition, the Director of Defense Procurement has delegated to the Commander, USSOCOM, the authority to act as:
(i) Senior Procurement Executive (SPE) for USSOCOM, except for such actions that by terms of statute or any other delegation must be exercised by the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Technology); and,
(ii) Head of Agency (HOA) for those functions prescribed by FAR and DFARS that are in addition to those exercised under Chapter 137 of Title 10, U.S.C., pursuant to 10 U.S.C., Section 167(e)(4)(B).
(2) The Commander, USSOCOM, has delegated all delegable HOA and SPE authority to the Director, Special Operations Command Acquisition and Logistics Center (SOAE). SOAE establishes policies, directs, and supervises USSOCOM activities with respect to contracting, acquisition, and related matters. The USSOCOM Staff Judge Advocate is the legal advisor to the Commander, USSOCOM, and SOAE.

FAR 1.404
FAR 6.501

FAR 19.201

FAR 19.505

FAR 19.812

FAR 27.203-6

FAR 27.303

FAR 34.003

FAR 34.005-6

FAR 35.014(b)

FAR 35.017-7

DFARS 201.404
DFARS 203.570-3

FAR 32.006

FAR 23.506
FAR 27.306

DFARS 206.302-7

(3) Unless otherwise specified in SOFARS, the approval level for contracting actions shall be the Contracting Officer.
5601.602 Contracting Officers.
(Revised November 2007)
(a) Based upon the authority of the USSOCOM Head of Agency Contracting Authority, the Director of Procurement shall issue all contracting officer warrants for the command.
(b) The office of the contracting officer must be organizationally situated to minimize any potential for undue influence and protect contracting officers from intra-organizational pressure to perform improper acts.
(c) Personnel in the 1101 job classification series are prohibited from being appointed or serving as Contracting Officers. This requirement is not waivable on either an individual or class basis.”
(d) Commanders and others having administrative supervision over contracting officers must bear in mind that actions exceeding the authority of a contracting officer are not binding on the Government. Therefore, they shall not direct, or otherwise exert influence, upon a contracting officer(s) to take such actions.


5601.602-1 Authority.
(b) It is the function of the USSOCOM Directorate of Procurement (SOAL-K) to ensure that all the business decisions made in support of procurements are examined and the decisions are validated. Review and approvals will be conducted IAW Attachment 5601-1. Ensure all the documents required to sustain the contracting action are included when submitting the decision for review and approval. Contracting officers shall maximize the use of electronic transmission for all documents submitted for review and approval to the appropriate SOAL-K liaison officer.
(c) All documents and working papers will be marked and safeguarded in accordance with FAR 3.1.


5601.602-2 Responsibilities.
(Added July 2009)
(a) The requiring office for each service contract (i.e., each Center, Component, and/or Theater Special Operations Command (TSOC)), must assign one or more of the following to assist the contracting officer in implementing, monitoring, and complying with the reporting of the respective organization’s acquisition of services as well as evaluating contractor performance once a services contract is awarded.

(a) Each contracting officer shall be responsible for establishing COR Awareness Training. SOAL-KM shall provide overall guidance and assistance when requested. The Contracting Officer is responsible for ensuring the mandatory training (see DCG) is completed prior to PCOR or COR appointment, and prior to contract award. This training requirement cannot be waived.


5601.602-2-70 Contract Clauses.
(e) Contracting Officers shall insert 5652.201-9001, Technical Representative, in solicitations and contracts when the Contracting Officer determines there is a need to identify a technical interface for the contractor. This clause shall not be inserted when DFARS 252.201-7000, Contracting Officer's Representative, is included. The technical representative information should not be included in the solicitation.
(f) Contracting officers shall insert 5652.201-9002, Authorized Changes Only by Contracting Officer, in all solicitations and contracts.


5601.602-2-90 Ordering Officers. DCG
(Revised November 2007)
(a) The Contracting Officer is the appointing official for Ordering Officers. Ordering Officer authority is limited to the following:

(b) Contracting officers must develop and conduct advanced ordering officer training sufficient to prepare the ordering officer for the increased responsibilities when authorized to purchase single actions greater that $3,000. Training must include but is not limited to:

(c) Contracting officers must conduct one hundred percent (100%) surveillance on all transactions over $3,000. Perform surveillance within thirty (30) days of transaction when such action will not compromise the mission of the deployment, organization, or unit.


5601.602-3 Ratification of Unauthorized Commitments.
Per the requirements of FAR 1.602-3(b)(2) and (3), ratification authority for all actions shall be reviewed and approved per Attachment 5601-1.


5601.602-3-90 Procedures.
(Revised June 2008)
(c)

(i) A signed statement describing the circumstances, including A) why normal acquisition procedures were not followed, B) what bona fide Government need caused the commitment, C) whether any benefit was received and its value, and D) any other pertinent facts.
(ii) All other documents pertaining to the transaction, including but not limited to receipts, invoices, purchase requests, funding documents.

(i) Provide his/her own statement describing the measures taken to prevent a recurrence of unauthorized commitments.
(ii) Provide a complete purchase description and funding for ratifying the commitment.
(iii) Obtain a preliminary decision from the Contracting Officer that it appears a commitment by the Government would have been legal had the proper procedure been followed.
(iv) Provide a statement from the Comptroller that funds are available and the expenditure is proper.
(v) Take any disciplinary action deemed appropriate based on review of the transaction documentation. Disciplinary action can range from a letter of counseling to UCMJ action. At a minimum, the supervisor will counsel the individual in writing. The counseling letter will include the signature of the individual’s supervisor and signed acknowledgement of the individual. Documentation of the disciplinary action will be forwarded with the ratification file. No ratification shall be approved without proof of documented disciplinary action by the individual’s supervisor.
(vi) Supervisor’s may request HCA exception to the policy at paragraph (c)(2)(v) for specific ratification actions by addressing their rationale in writing to be followed by direct communication (e.g. meeting, telecom, etc.) with the HCA. Requests for exception will be processed solely by the supervisor of the individual responsible for the ratification and not by any USSOCOM contracting office.

(i) Review the documentation and verify that the supervisor's endorsement has been obtained.
(ii) Determine whether there is any doubt as to questions of fact.
(iii) Perform price analysis and determine if the price paid was fair and reasonable.
(iv) Make a recommendation to the ratifying official.
(v) Prepare the appropriate contractual documents.
(vi) Forward the completed document and all supporting documentation to the appropriate approval authority IAW Attachment 5601-1. Electronic transmittal is encouraged.

5601.603 Selection, Appointment, and Termination of Appointment.


5601.603-3 Appointment.
(Revised March 2009)
The Chief, Contracting Office, will forward nominations for Contracting Officer Appointment to SOAL-KA.


5601.603-3-90 Appointment of Contingency Contracting Officers.
(a) All Contingency Contracting Officer (CCO) warrants are subject to the limitations of USSOCOM business and contract clearance procedures. Contingency warrants are further limited to the duration of the contingency or deployment and are only valid while actually deployed in support of a contingency operation. Selection procedures shall comply with 5601.603-3.
(b) All CCOs shall attend the Defense Acquisition University (DAU) Contingency Contracting Course (CON 234) prior to deployment. A waiver may be requested from the DOP if this requirement cannot be met due to the urgency and immediacy of the mission.
(c) All contracting office chiefs shall notify SOAL-KA of the deployment and redeployment of contingency contracting officers to overseas locations when contracting authority is granted by a USSOCOM issued warrant.

Attachment 5601-1: USSOCOM REVIEW PROCESS AND APPROVAL LEVELS
Attachment 5601-2: DETERMINATION AND FINDINGS OF UNAUTHORIZED COMMITMENT

HQ, United States Special Operations Command

Special Operations Acquisition and Logistics Center (SOAL-K)
SOFARS 5601
February 2007

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