Table of Contents | Appendix C-5 | Appendix C-7
The Acquisition Plan is a document that shows how all government human resources, hardware, software, and telecommunications capabilities, along with contractor support services, are acquired during the life of the project. The Acquisition Plan helps ensure that needed resources can be obtained and are available at the time they are needed. The plan includes a milestone schedule that lists activities for completion and deliverables to be produced with appropriate estimated completion dates. Follow the applicable elements of the outline to complete the Acquisition Plan. The information in the plan is as follows:
• Provides management
with adequate information for making decisions concerning
procurement of government
human resources and services, contractor services
procurement, including
ensuring the availability of funding
• Provides technical
evaluation personnel with adequate information for analyzing and
evaluating vendor proposals
• Ensures that vendors will have adequate information for preparing bids
• Provides the source
selection official with adequate information on which to base a
selection
The following should be considered when submitting a request for hardware, software, and/or related services:
• Resources are consistent
with applicable laws, regulations, policy/procedural guidance
from central management
agencies, Congress, and senior department management.
• Acquisitions are
consistent with departmental objectives and initiatives as defined in the
DOJ plans.
• Resources are obtained
only in direct support of the DOJ missions and programs of the
acquiring office/organization.
• Acquisitions are
not redundant or duplicative efforts resulting in wasted money, time, and
resources.
• Resources represent
the most efficient and cost-effective means of providing automated
support.
The Acquisition Plan typically has its own mini-life cycle of pre-solicitation, solicitation and award, and post award. The life-cycle model varies according to the system development effort; this means that the activities in each differ significantly. The model Acquisition Plan includes a milestone schedule, with estimated completion dates, for the following activities:
• Requirements Analysis
• Analysis of Alternatives
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Procurement of government human resources and services
• Procurement plan
• Acquisition of contractor services
• Legal opinion on statement of work
• Solicitation of services
• Technical evaluation report
• Source selection recommendation
• Contract award
• Adjustment of funds
• Contract performance
For completion of these activities, refer to guidelines for acquiring Federal information processing resources and DOJ acquisition procurement regulations which can be found at http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/pe/acquisitionguides.htm.
The Acquisition Plan becomes critical after the functional requirements document has been approved. Several acquisitions may be needed to procure an entire system and will be a continuous part of the cycle. The Acquisition Plan is continuously updated, and the involvement of users work closely with the Project Manager. The Acquisition personnel becomes increasingly important as the project progresses.
The Project Manager works directly with the Acquisition personnel to ensure the timely award of the needed resources. The Acquisition Plan is developed as required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 7.103 using the following format.
1.0 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
1.1 Statement of Need
This section introduces the plan with a brief statement of need. This section should discuss feasible acquisition alternatives and any related in-house efforts.
1.2 Applicable Conditions
This section states all the significant conditions affecting the acquisition, including requirements for compatibility with existing or future systems or programs and any known cost, schedule, and capability or performance constraints.
1.3 Cost
This section sets forth the established cost goals for the acquisition and the rationale supporting them, and discusses related cost concepts to be employed, as indicated in the subsequent sections. In each subsection, discuss the type of funding that will be required.
1.3.1 Life-Cycle Cost
This section discusses how the life-cycle cost will be considered. If life-cycle cost is not used, this section explains why. This section also discusses, if appropriate, the cost model used to develop the life-cycle cost estimates. Life-cycle cost is the total cost to the Government of acquiring, operating, supporting, and disposing of the items being acquired.
1.3.2 Design-to-Cost
This section discusses the design-to-cost objectives and the underlying assumptions, including the rationale for quantity, learning curve, and economic adjustment factors. It describes how objectives are to be applied, tracked, and enforced, and indicates the specific related solicitation and contractual requirements to be imposed. Design-to-cost is a concept that establishes cost elements as management goals to achieve the best balance between life-cycle cost, acceptable performance, and schedule. Under this concept, cost is a design constraint during the design and development phases, and a management discipline throughout the acquisition and operation of the system or equipment.
1.3.3 Application of Should-Cost
This section discusses the application of should-cost analysis to the acquisition, as per FAR 15.810.
1.4 Capability or Performance
This section specifies the required capabilities or performance characteristics of the products being acquired, and states how they are related to the need.
1.5 Delivery or Performance-Period Requirements
This section describes the basis for establishing delivery or performance-period requirements, and explains and provides reasons for any urgency resulting in concurrency of development or justifying other than full and open competition.
1.6 Trade-Offs
This section discusses the expected consequences of trade-offs among the various cost, capability, performance, and schedule goals.
1.7 Risks
This section discusses the technical, cost, and schedule risks and describes what efforts are planned or underway to reduce the risk and the consequences of failure to achieve goals. The effects on cost and schedule risks imposed by concurrency of development and production should also be discussed, if applicable.
1.8 Acquisition Streamlining
This section is included if the acquisition has been designated as part of a program subject to acquisition streamlining. It discusses plans and procedures to encourage industry participation via draft solicitations, pre-solicitation conferences, and other means of stimulating industry involvement during design and development. It also discusses plans and procedures for selecting and tailoring only the necessary and cost-effective requirements, and it states the time frame for identifying which specifications and standards, that had originally been provided for guidance only, are scheduled to become mandatory.
2.0 PLAN OF ACTION
2.1 Sources
This section indicates the prospective sources of products than can meet the need. It considers the required sources, including consideration of small businesses, small disadvantages businesses, and women-owned small business concerns. It addresses the results of market research and analysis and indicates their effect on the various elements of the plan.
2.2 Competition
This section describes how competition will be sought, promoted, and sustained throughout the course of the acquisition. If the acquisition will be other than a full and open competition, this section cites the authority for the deviation, discusses the basis for the application of the authority, identifies the sources, and discusses why full and open competition cannot be obtained. This section also identifies the major components of the subsystems, and describes how competition will be sought, promoted, and sustained for these components. This section also discusses how competition will be sought, promoted, and sustained for spares and repair parts. This includes an identification of the key logistic milestones, such as technical data delivery schedules and acquisition method coding conferences, which affect competition. Finally, if subcontract competition is feasible and desirable, this section describes how such subcontract competition will e sought, promoted, and sustained throughout the course of the acquisition, and how any known barriers to subcontract competition will be overcome.
2.3 Source Selection Procedures
This section discusses the source selection procedures for the acquisition, including the timing for submission and evaluation of proposals, and the relationship of evaluation factors to the attainment of the acquisition objectives.
2.4 Contracting Considerations
This section discusses, for each contract contemplated, the contract type selection; the use of multi-year contracting; options; or other special contracting methods; any special clauses, special solicitation provisions, FAR deviations required; if sealed bidding or negotiation will be used, and why; if equipment will be acquired by lease or purchase, and why; and any other contracting considerations.
2.5 Budgeting and Funding
This section describes how budget estimates were derived, and discusses the schedule for obtaining adequate funds at the time they are required.
2.6 Product Descriptions
This section explains, in accordance with FAR Part 11, the choice of product description types to be used in the acquisition.
2.7 Priorities, Allocations, and Allotments
This section specifies the method for obtaining and using priorities, allocations, and allotments, and the reasons for them, in cases where the urgency of the requirement dictates a short delivery or performance schedule.
2.8 Contractor Versus Government Performance
This section addresses the consideration given to OMB Circular A-76. Circular A-76 indicates that it is the policy of the Government to rely generally on private commercial sources for supplies and services, when certain criteria are met, while recognizing that some functions are inherently governmental and must be performed by Government personnel. It also gives consideration to relative cost when deciding between Government performance and performance under contract.
2.9 Inherently Governmental Functions
This section addresses the considerations given to Office of Federal Procurement Policy Letter 92-1. Inherently governmental functions are those functions that, as a matter of policy, are so intimately related to the public interest as to mandate performance by Government employees.
2.10 Management Information Requirements
This section discusses the management systems that will be used by the Government to monitor the contractor's effort.
2.11 Make or Buy
This section discusses considerations given to make-or-buy programs, as per FAR 15.7.
2.12 Test and Evaluation
This section describes the test program of the contractor and the Government. It describes the test program for each major phase of a major system acquisition. If concurrent development/deployment is planned, this section discusses the extent of testing to be accomplished before production release.
2.13 Logistics Considerations
This section describes the assumptions determining contractor or agency support, initially and over the life of the acquisition, including contractor or agency maintenance and servicing and distribution of commercial items. It also describes the reliability, maintainability, and quality assurance requirements, including any planned use of warranties. It also describes the requirements for contractor data and data rights, their estimated cost, and the use to be made of the data. And, it describes standardization, including the necessity to designate technical equipment as "standard" so that future purchases of the equipment can be made from the same manufacturing source.
2.14 Government-Furnished Property
This section indicates the property to be furnished to contractors, including material and facilities, and discusses associated considerations, such as availability, or the schedule for its acquisition.
2.15 Government-Furnished Information
This section discusses any Government information, such as manuals, drawings, and test data, to be provided to prospective offerors and contractors.
2.16 Environmental and Energy Conservation Objectives
This section discusses all applicable environmental and energy conservation issues associated with the acquisition, the applicability of an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement, the proposed resolution of environmental issues, any environmentally related requirements to be included in solicitations and contracts.
2.17 Security Considerations
This section discusses, for acquisitions dealing with security-related matters, how adequate security will be established, maintained, and monitored.
2.18 Other Considerations
This section discusses, as applicable, other considerations, such as standardization concepts, the industrial readiness program, the Defense Production Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, foreign sales implications, and any other matters germane to the plan and not covered elsewhere.
2.19 Milestones for the Acquisition Cycle
This section addresses the following steps, and any others as appropriate: Acquisition Plan approval; SOW's; specifications; data requirements; completion of acquisition package preparation; purchase requests; justification and approval for other than full and open competition; issuance of synopsis; issuance of solicitation; evaluation of proposals, audits, and field reports; beginning and completion of negotiations; contract preparation, review, and clearance; and contract award.
2.20 Acquisition Plan Contacts
This section lists the individuals who participated in preparing the Acquisition Plan, and provides contact information for each.
Acquisition Plan Outline
Cover Page
Table of Contents
1.0 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
1.1 Statement
of Need
1.1.1 Acquisition
History
1.1.2 Feasible
Acquisition Alternatives
1.2 Applicable
Conditions
1.3 Cost(s)
1.3.1 Life
Cycle Cost(s)
1.3.2 Design-to-Cost
1.3.3 Application
of Should-Cost
1.4 Capability
or Performance
1.5 Delivery
or Performance-Period Requirements
1.6 Trade-Offs
1.7 Risks
1.8 Acquisition
Streamlining
2.0 Plan of Action
2.1 Sources
2.2 Competition
2.3 Source-Selection
Process
2.4 Contracting
Considerations
2.5 Budgeting
and Funding
2.6 Product
Descriptions
2.7 Priorities,
Allocations and Allowances
2.8 Contractor
vs Government Performance
2.9 Inherently
Governmental Functions
2.10 Management
Information Requirements
2.11 Make
or Buy
2.12 Test
and Evaluation
2.13 Logistics
Considerations
2.14 Government
Furnished Property
2.15 Government
Furnished Information
2.16 Environmental
and Energy Conservation Objectives
2.17 Security
Considerations
2.18 Other
Considerations
2.19 Milestones
for the Acquisition Cycle
2.20 Acquisition
Plan Contacts