34.005-6
Full production
Full production contracts for major systems require agency head reaffirmation of mission need and explicit approval before award.
Overview
FAR 34.005-6 outlines the requirements for awarding contracts for full production of major systems that have successfully completed the full-scale development phase. Before proceeding to full production, the agency head must reaffirm the mission need and program objectives, and formally approve the transition to production. This ensures that only systems meeting all development and testing criteria, and still aligned with agency goals, move into large-scale manufacturing and deployment.
Key Rules
- Reaffirmation of Mission Need and Objectives
- The agency head must confirm that the original mission need and program objectives remain valid before authorizing full production.
- Approval to Proceed
- The agency head must grant explicit approval to move from development to full production contracts for the major system.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Must ensure that the required agency head approvals are obtained before awarding full production contracts.
- Contractors: Must be aware that full production contracts cannot be awarded until agency head approval is secured.
- Agencies: Agency heads are responsible for reviewing and approving the transition to full production, confirming continued alignment with mission needs.
Practical Implications
- This regulation exists to prevent premature or misaligned investment in large-scale production of major systems.
- It impacts daily contracting by requiring a formal review and approval process before production contracts are awarded, which can affect timelines and planning.
- Common pitfalls include failing to obtain proper approvals or not adequately documenting the reaffirmation of mission need, which can delay or invalidate contract awards.