4.604 Responsibilities
Source: FAR 4.604 on acquisition.gov
Timely and accurate reporting of contract actions to FPDS is a critical responsibility for contracting officers and agencies, with strict deadlines and annual certification requirements.
Overview
FAR 4.604 outlines the responsibilities for ensuring timely and accurate reporting of contract actions to the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). It assigns specific duties to the Senior Procurement Executive, contracting officers, and chief acquisition officers to maintain data integrity and compliance with federal reporting requirements. The section details the process for completing and updating Contract Action Reports (CARs), including deadlines for standard and emergency awards, and procedures for updating contractor size status and responding to SBA size determination protests. It also requires annual agency certification of CAR data accuracy and completeness to the General Services Administration (GSA).
Key Rules
- Senior Procurement Executive Oversight
- Must develop and monitor processes for timely and accurate FPDS reporting.
- Contracting Officer Responsibilities
- Responsible for the accuracy and completion of CARs; must confirm and complete CARs in FPDS within three business days of award (or 30 days for certain emergency actions).
- Must update FPDS within 30 days of contractor size status changes or SBA size determination decisions.
- Annual Agency Certification
- Chief acquisition officers must certify the completeness and accuracy of agency CAR data to GSA within 120 days after the fiscal year ends.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Ensure CARs are accurate, confirmed, and timely entered/updated in FPDS; update size status as required.
- Senior Procurement Executives: Establish and monitor reporting processes.
- Chief Acquisition Officers: Submit annual certification of CAR data to GSA.
- Contractors: Notify contracting officers of size status changes as required.
Practical Implications
- Ensures transparency and accountability in federal procurement reporting.
- Delays or inaccuracies in FPDS reporting can result in compliance issues and impact agency reporting metrics.
- Contracting officers must be diligent in monitoring deadlines and updating FPDS for size status changes and SBA decisions.
(a) The Senior Procurement Executive in coordination with the head of the contracting activity is responsible for developing and monitoring a process to ensure timely and accurate reporting of contractual actions to FPDS.
(b)
(1) The responsibility for the completion and accuracy of the individual contract action report (CAR) resides with the contracting officer who awarded the contract action. CARs in a draft or error status in FPDS are not considered complete.
(2) The CAR must be confirmed for accuracy by the contracting officer prior to release of the contract award. The CAR must then be completed in FPDS within three business days after contract award.
(3) For any action awarded in accordance with FAR 6.302-2 or pursuant to any of the authorities listed at subpart 18.2, the CAR must be completed in FPDS within 30 days after contract award.
(4) When the contracting officer receives written notification that a contractor has changed its size status in accordance with the clause at 52.219-28, Postaward Small Business Program Rerepresentation, the contracting officer shall update the size status in FPDS within 30 days after receipt of contractor’s notification of rerepresentation.
(5) If after award of a contract, the contracting officer receives written notification of SBA’s final decision on a protest concerning a size determination, the contracting officer shall update FPDS to reflect the final decision.
(c) The chief acquisition officer of each agency required to report its contract actions must submit to the General Services Administration (GSA), in accordance with FPDS guidance, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, an annual certification of whether, and to what degree, agency CAR data for the preceding fiscal year is complete and accurate.