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Preliminary Planning

 

 


Before the public announcement (start date) of a streamlined or standard competition, an agency shall complete, at a minimum, the following steps:

  1. Scope. Determine the activities and full time equivalent (FTE) positions to be competed.

  2. Grouping. Conduct preliminary research to determine the appropriate grouping of activities as business units (e.g., consistent with market and industry structures).

  3. Workload Data and Systems. Assess the availability of workload data, work units, quantifiable outputs of activities or processes, agency or industry performance standards, and other similar data. Establish data collection systems as necessary.

  4. Baseline Costs. Determine the activity’s baseline costs as performed by the incumbent service provider.

  5. Type of Competition. Determine the use of a streamlined or standard competition.

  6. Schedule. Develop preliminary competition and completion schedules. 

  7. Roles and Responsibilities of Participants. Determine roles and responsibilities of participants in the process and their availability for the duration of the streamlined or standard competition.

  8. Competition Officials. Appoint competition officials. The CSO shall appoint competition officials for each standard competition, and, as appropriate, may appoint competition officials for streamlined competitions. The CSO shall appoint all competition officials, in writing, and shall hold these competition officials accountable for the timely and proper conduct of streamlined or standard competitions through the use of annual performance evaluations. For more on the roles and responsibilities of competition officials, see the FAQ section below.

  9. Incumbent Service Providers. Inform any incumbent service providers of the date that the public announcement will be made.

How do I know what kind of competition to perform?

If the competed activity is performed by fewer than 65 FTE, a streamlined competition may be used. A standard competition may be used for any size activity.

An agency shall use a standard competition if, on the start date, a commercial activity is performed by the agency with an aggregate of more than 65 FTEs; or a private sector or public reimbursable source and the agency tender will include an aggregate of more than 65 FTEs.

What are the roles and responsibilities for the Competition Officials?

You must appoint five competition officials: the Agency Tender Official, the Contracting Officer, the Performance Work Statement Officer and a Human Resources Advisor and the Source Selection Authority. Note that re-competitions have been necessary in some instances because Competition Officials did meet specifications.

Use the following position descriptions to ensure that the Competition Officials you designate meet the criteria for performing for their functions.


  1. Agency Tender Official (ATO). The ATO shall:

    a. be an inherently governmental agency official with decision-making authority;

    b. comply with this circular;

    c. be independent of the contracting officer (CO), source selection authority (SSA), source selection evaluation board (SSEB), and performance work statement (PWS) team;

    d. develop, certify, and represent the agency tender;

    e. designate the most efficient organization (MEO) team after public announcement of the standard competition;

    f. provide the necessary resources and training to prepare a competitive agency tender; and

    g. be a directly interested party. An agency shall ensure that the ATO has access to available resources (e.g., skilled manpower, funding) necessary to develop a competitive agency tender.

  2. Contracting Officer (CO). The CO shall:

    a. be an inherently governmental agency official;

    b. comply with both the FAR and this circular;

    c. be independent of the ATO, human resource advisor (HRA), and MEO team; and

    d. be a member of the PWS team.

  3. PWS (Performance Work Statement) Team Leader. The PWS team leader shall:

    a. be an inherently governmental agency official;

    b. comply with both the FAR and this circular;

    c. be independent of the ATO, HRA and MEO team;

    d. develop the PWS and quality assurance surveillance plan;

    e. determine government-furnished property (GFP);

    f. assist the CO in developing the solicitation; and

    g. assist in implementing the performance decision.


  4. Human Resource Advisor (HRA). The HRA shall:

    a. be an inherently governmental agency official and a human resource expert;

    b. comply with this circular;

    c. be independent of the CO, SSA, PWS team, and SSEB;

    d. participate on the MEO team; and

    e. be responsible for the following:

    i. Employee and Labor-Relations Requirements. The HRA shall, at a minimum, perform the following:

    1. interface with directly affected employees (and their representatives) from the date of public announcement until full implementation of the performance decision;
    2. identify adversely affected employees; accomplish employee placement entitlements in accordance with 5 C.F.R. Part 351 (reduction-in-force procedures);
    3. provide post-employment restrictions to employees;
    4. determine agency priority considerations for vacant positions and establish a reemployment priority list(s) in accordance with 5 C.F.R. Part 330; and
    5. provide the CO with a list of the agency’s adversely affected employees, as required by this attachment and FAR 7.305(c) regarding the right of first refusal for a private sector performance decision.

    ii. MEO Team Requirements. The HRA shall assist the ATO and MEO team in developing the agency tender. During development of the agency tender, the HRA shall be responsible for:

    1. scheduling sufficient time in competition milestones to accomplish potential human resource actions in accordance with 5 C.F.R. Part 351;
    2. advising the ATO and MEO team on position classification restrictions;
    3. classifying position descriptions, including exemptions based on the Fair Labor Standards Act;
    4. performing labor market analysis to determine the availability of sufficient labor to staff the MEO and implement the phase-in plan; 5. assisting in the development of the agency cost estimate by providing annual salaries, wages, night differentials, and premium pay;
    6. assisting in the development of the timing for the phase-in plan based on MEO requirements; and
    7. developing an employee transition plan for the incumbent agency organization early in the standard competition process.

  5. Source Selection Authority (SSA). The SSA shall (1) be an inherently governmental agency official appointed in accordance with FAR Part 15.303; (2) comply with both the FAR and this circular when performing a streamlined and standard competition; and (3) be independent of the ATO, HRA, and MEO team. The SSA shall not appoint an SSEB until after public announcement.