34.003
Responsibilities
Agencies must establish and document clear procedures, decision points, and responsible officials for major system acquisitions to ensure effective oversight and compliance with A-109.
Overview
FAR 34.003 outlines the responsibilities of federal agencies in managing major system acquisitions. It requires agency heads or their designees to establish written procedures in accordance with OMB Circular A-109, ensuring a structured approach to major system procurement. These procedures must clearly identify key decision points and designate the officials responsible for making critical acquisition decisions. The section also defines what constitutes a major system acquisition—programs that are essential to agency missions, require significant resources, and demand special management attention. Agencies may set additional criteria for major acquisitions as guided by A-109.
Key Rules
- Written Procedures Requirement
- Agencies must develop and document procedures for implementing A-109 in major system acquisitions.
- Identification of Decision Points and Officials
- Procedures must specify key decision milestones and the agency officials responsible for each decision.
- Criteria for Major System Acquisition
- Major acquisitions are those critical to agency missions, resource-intensive, and requiring special management oversight. Agencies can add further criteria per A-109.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Ensure compliance with agency procedures for major system acquisitions.
- Contractors: Understand agency-specific processes and decision points for major acquisitions.
- Agencies: Develop, document, and implement procedures; identify decision points and responsible officials; define criteria for major acquisitions.
Practical Implications
- This section ensures that major system acquisitions are managed with clear oversight and accountability.
- It impacts how agencies structure their acquisition processes and how contractors interact with those processes.
- Common pitfalls include lack of clear procedures, undefined decision points, or failure to designate responsible officials, which can delay or jeopardize major acquisitions.