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Washington, D.C.
| Feb 1-12 |
Essential Elements in Assistance
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| Mar 14-18 |
Personal Services Contracting (PSC) |
| May 16-20 |
SOW Essentials in Acquisition (SEA) |
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Dear Colleagues,
As we gear up for the holidays, and the close of FY16's First Quarter, I would like to highlight some important information about GLAAS Milestone Reporting for FY2016.
I want to remind you of the mandatory milestone reporting of
actual dates in GLAAS in accordance with ADS 300. This information needs to be properly documented in GLAAS as it will help avoid future data calls to M/OAA Operations staff and Mission COs/AOs. Procurement Action Lead Time (PALT) -- also referred to as Milestone Plans, has been one of the highest priorities within M/OAA and the Agency for several years now, but we still have a lot of room for improvement.
Please discuss this priority with your staff if you are a manager.
Below are key points to highlight for all staff to understand:
- Buyers are required to select the appropriate Milestone Plan Template in GLAAS and record actual dates in the GLAAS Milestone Plan, which is the official repository of milestone data. You must still record milestones in GLAAS even if you are managing a separate spreadsheet with milestone data. The CO/AO is required to verify that the procurement's GLAAS Milestone Plan has been completed with actual dates before signing/executing the award.
- Milestone data recording is a mandatory and a critical AEF performance standard.
- The CRB will continue to check that PALT data is being updated with actual dates given the importance of tracking PALT. Ensure you are recording PALT for actions below $25 million as well.
- Only major milestone steps are now reflected in GLAAS for IDIQ (indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity), Competitive Contracts, and Competitive Assistance. This reduction in milestones steps to record does not mean that the original steps are not being taken -- just reducing the CO's/AO's reporting burden.
- Select the correct Milestone Plan template, especially for full and open competitive actions which are: CON (Competitive Contracts), AST (Competitive Assistance), and IDIQ. Data from these three Milestone Plan templates are pulled into a high level management report which is used to calculate PALT announced in a notice here.
- Please click here for a notice on selecting the correct template for further guidance. Some users are not selecting a Milestone Template when they create their Milestone plans. In some cases, users are creating a new Milestone Plan and are adding just one step. This does not satisfy the Agency's requirement for tracking PALT. If only one step is added, there is no way to know how long the action took to process.
- A buyer must link the Milestone Plan to the Requisition once it is assigned to them. Once a buyer links the Milestone Plan to the Requisition, the next step is to baseline the milestone plan so planned dates can be calculated -- this step is not tied to the CO Accepting a Request. There is a separate step in the Milestone Plan to track when the CO accepts the request. PALT is calculated by subtracting the CO Accepts Request Date from the Award Release Date. A buyer cannot begin entering Actual Dates until the Milestone Plan is baselined.
- All managers must actively track PALT leading up to award to help staff deal with any roadblocks; especially for all full and open competitive actions.
Thank you all for your compliance with this long established Agency policy of recording PALT Milestones in GLAAS. Over the past year we have streamlined the specific Milestone items related to Competitive Contracts, CompetitiveAssistance, and IDIQs, and we can run GLAAS Milestone reports to use as a management tool for PALT. If you have any questions about how to complete Milestone Plans in GLAAS, please contact:
[email protected].
This will be our last M/OAA at a Glance newsletter until the new calendar year. I wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year!
All the very best,
Mark Walther
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Agency Business Forecast Updated Due Monday, Dec 28 (Qtr 2)
Please ensure you update the Agency Business Forecast by December 28th
for Quarter 2. Our goal is to release the forecast in January 2016. Contracting/Agreement Officers, please ensure your data is current and you indicate "YES" for any actions you want published in the business forecast. Please follow instructions found in the
business forecast guidance page
.
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Verification of COR/AOR Designations in GLAAS
During 2015, extensive efforts by our Agency's Acquisition Workforce (AWF) have helped to bring USAID into compliance with federal mandates regarding FAITAS usage and formal FAC-C and FAC-COR certifications. As a result, USAID has greatly improved its ability to track AWF certifications throughout the Agency. To maintain transparency, M/OAA/PDT provides essential monthly reporting regarding the status of all Agency certifications and hosts those reports on its
website
for easy access by all Agency staff.
While we are very pleased with the recent progress made towards obtaining and maintaining FAC-C and FAC-COR certifications in FAITAS, the improved ability to track certification status has shed light on the fact that we currently have COR/AORs designated in GLAAS who are not fully compliant with Agency policy regarding FAC-COR certification. Accordingly, M/OAA will need to undertake a data clean-up exercise, with the assistance of designated technical offices, to correct the COR/AOR designations on those active awards for which a non-compliant COR/AOR is currently listed. More information regarding this task, including specific identification of which awards and COR/AORs are effected, will be forthcoming.
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GAO Case: Celta Services, Inc., vs. USDA
The CRB advises the M/OAA community to thoroughly review this case because it provides clear examples of the importance of adequately documented technical evaluations and source selection decisions.
The GAO sustained this case due to the following reasons:
- Lack of adequate documentation of the source selection decision:
- Inadequate documentation of the results of Discussions (i.e., why did/didn't the ratings change when weaknesses were resolved?)
- Lack of attention to details (i.e., Contract Specialist forgot to remove resolved weaknesses when drafting the Source Selection Decision document for the SSA.)
- Comparisons of points, scores or adjectival ratings cannot be used as a substitute for adequate documentation showing the basis for the evaluation conclusions reached. The assignment of the underlying scores/ratings must be on intelligible, reasonable, equal and consistent basis for all offerors.
- Lack of a comparative analysis between offerors (i.e., tradeoff analysis) as required by FAR 15.308.
- Insufficient documentation of the past performance evaluation to allow the GAO to conclude the evaluation was reasonable. Where, due to lack of documentation, the GAO is unable to understand the agency's evaluation conclusions, they will sustain a protest challenging an Agency's evaluation.
In addition, note from the case that the GAO will not be easily persuaded by arguments presented by the agency in response to a protest, when those arguments are not supported by the contemporaneous record.
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Thank You to All of Our Training Participants & Instructors
We want to thank all of our training course participants and instructors last week in our Price and Cost Evaluation course in Washington, DC.
Thank you to Ruth Casesar-Hne, Bernetta Ellis, Atif Haider, Charity Igweta, Clarice Johnson, Wacu Kiragu, Stephan Malinowski, Jayne Olando, Edel Perez-Campos, Guadalupe Ramirez, Ryan Shelby, Nadeem Wali, Nancy Whitney, and Craig Riegler!
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OAA FSN Email Listserv
The New OAA FSN Listserv:
In order to increase communication with and among OAA FSNs in our missions worldwide, M/OAA/OD has created an OAA FSN Listserv:
"USAID OAA FSN Network Mail List (USAID)" <[email protected]>
This
listserve
will be used by all OAA FSNs to share information, lessons learned, and
resources across missions, and also to receive notices, policies and templates from the M Bureau.
OAA FSNS must apply to join the listserv. Please see the step-by-step instructions below.
Instructions to Join the Listserv:
(1.) Go the Google Group page and search for the Groups name "USAIDOAAFSNNETWORK" and then click on the Group name.
(2.) Apply for Membership:
You will have the option to send request to join the group:
(3.) After you send the request, M/OAA/OD will approve the request from the Member section of the Google Group's Manage settings:
To submit a question about joining the listserv, please email Amy McQuade at [email protected].
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AIDAR Clause Templates Have Been Updated
In accordance with AIDAR 752.102 and FAR 52.102, the GLAAS Team has updated the AIDAR Clause Templates in GLAAS to allow most AIDAR clauses to be Incorporated By Reference. The following four clauses must still be incorporated by Full Text:
- 752.225-9 - Buy American Act - Trade Agreements
- 752.232-70 - Letter if Credit Advance Payment
- 752.245-70 - Government Property - USAID Reporting Requirements
- 752.7003 - Documentation for Payment
Please do not hesitate to contact the Solution Center at [email protected] for technical or functional GLAAS inquiries, including password reset. For general comments, please email the GLAAS Mailbox at [email protected].
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Small Business Program Training Session -- JAN 7, 2016
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) is sponsoring a highly informative training session on Small Business Programs on Thursday, January 7, 2016, at SA-44, Conference Room 840. This training is mandatory if you are a Contracting Office, Contract Specialist or Contracting Officer Representative based in Washington. Program and technical officials are encouraged to attend. Participants will receive six (6) Continuous Learning Points (CLPs) for completing the class.
Useful procurement information and tools will be provided to help participants gain a better understanding of USAID's Small Business Programs. Topics such as regulatory guidance, Agency goals, market research, subcontracting, GSA schedules, contract bundling, and others will be covered.
Please register through USAID University at: https://university.usaid.gov. Log-on to the Learning Management System (LMS) and enter "Small Business Programs" in the search box. Please note that LMS registration requires applicants' supervisors to electronically approve registration requests for classroom courses.
Thank you in advance for your participation in this very important training. Any questions concerning this notice may be directed to Teneshia Alston, OSDBU, (202) 567-4743, [email protected].
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USAID/Bangladesh: USAID/Bangladesh invites procurement professionals to join our exciting mission for a 3-6 month TDY. We have openings for two dynamic procurement team players dedicated to international development and promoting the overall USAID mission. This is an excellent opportunity for C3s, DC-based A&A Specialists, FSOs, or FSNs to engage in all stages of the procurement process in a Mission Acquisition & Assistance Office dedicated to creative and forward-thinking procurement mechanisms with a diverse OAA portfolio.
TDY support will help cover major A&A office functions (pre-award and post-award).
Candidates encouraged to send in expressions of interest include:
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Senior A&A FSN Specialist with minimum 5 years of USAID experience,
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C3 BS 93s- no warrant needed, but at least level one warrant preferred
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DC-based A&A Specialist with minimum of 3 years USAID experience.
Escape the cold winter and join USAID/Bangladesh by January 2016. 3-6 months expected.
Send expressions of interest to: Stanley Canton
[email protected]
and
Sunil Xavier at
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USAID/El Salvador:
USAID/El Salvador invites procurement professionals to join our exciting mission for a 2-3 month TDY. We have openings for two dynamic procurement team players dedicated to international development and promoting the overall USAID mission. This is an excellent opportunity for a warranted CO and DC-based A&A Specialists, FSOs, or Mission FSNs to engage in all stages of the procurement process in a Mission Regional Acquisition & Assistance Office dedicated to creative and forward-thinking procurement mechanisms with a diverse OAA portfolio.
TDY support will help cover major A&A office functions (pre-award and post-award).
Candidates encouraged to send in expressions of interest include:
- Field based Senior A&A FSN Specialist with minimum 5 years of USAID experience,
- DC-based A&A Specialist with minimum of 3 years USAID experience.
- Warranted CO - at least $10 mil warrant needed
Escape the cold winter and join us in Central America by January/February 2016. Four weeks needed for the warranted CO, 2-3 months needed for the senior A&A Specialists.
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USAID/Kosovo: USAID/Kosovo's Regional Contracting Office is seeking energetic CO/AOs to provide TDY coverage between
January and July 2016. TDYs can be from 3-6 months in length. Interested candidates must have a warrant of at least $1 million and be willing to work in a fast-paced environment with a focus on local solutions and streamlining processes. Official travel within the region may be required as USAID/Kosovo provides regional support to Albania, Macedonia, and Serbia. Pristina is an amazing city, people are super friendly, and personal travel around the Balkans region is safe and easy. Please send expressions of interest to Sunil Xavier at
[email protected] and Michael Capobianco at
[email protected].
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USAID/
Peru:
Contracting Officer needed for January-April, 2016.
A warrant is required and this person is needed as soon as possible
.
The Mission has a demanding bilateral and regional portfolio. The individual will support the Brazil and Paraguay Missions as well as the Regional Environment and Sustainable Growth office to make new awards and administer existing awards.
If interested, please provide date(s) of availability, your warrant level, and your resume to Sunil Xavier (
[email protected]
), Deputy Director of Foreign Operations and Andrea Capellán (
[email protected]
), Regional Contracting Officer. Along with the submission, include your supervisor's concurrence for you to participate in the TDY.
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USAID/Southern Africa:
Do not miss an opportunity to provide critical support to President Obama's Power Africa initiative! This game-changing model of development has a singular and enduring mission: to ensure a brighter future across the African continent.
The Regional Office of Acquisition and Assistance in the Southern Africa Mission seeks expressions of interest from creative and energetic Contracting Officers and Senior Acquisition and Assistance Specialists (minimum of five years of experience) for a period covering three to six months (February 2016 through August 2016). You must be diligent, hardworking, and a team player. In short, you will be an all-star contributor.
The Mission will consider splitting TDY coverage to accommodate schedules, as practical.
Do something cool that matters to real people. Do Power Africa.
If interested, please email the letter of interest, resume, and supervisor's concurrence, to
Justin DiVenanzo at
[email protected]
, Regional Contracting Officer, and CC Sunil Xavier at [email protected] by November 15, 2015.
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Wayne Cohee joins M/OAA/P
Wayne Cohee joins the M/OAA Policy as a Senior Procurement Analyst. Prior to joining USAID, he served as a Procurement Analyst at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters. He has also worked as a Contracting Officer and Lead Contract Specialist for the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and Defense Information Systems Agency during his fourteen years in federal acquisition. Prior to joining the civilian ranks, he served on active duty for six years as a U.S. Marine Corps officer.
Wayne earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Delaware in 1993. He received his Master of Acquisition Management degree from American Graduate University in 2009. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling and exploring with his two sons.
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Paul Burford on detail to M/OAA/C
Paul Bu
rford is joining the M/OAA Compliance team for a 120 day detail where he will be working on Suspension, Debarment, and Appeals. While he is out, Reba Dyer will be acting as Branch Chief of M/OAA/FS/CMS until
February 12, 2016
.
Kelly Fink will be acting for Paul as Branch Chief from
February 15 through April 8, 2016
.
Paul is very excited to be a temporary member of the Compliance team!
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