Subpart 42.11
Production Surveillance and Reporting
FAR Subpart 42.11 requires agencies and contractors to implement structured production surveillance and reporting to ensure timely and quality contract performance, especially for critical or complex items.
Overview
FAR Subpart 42.11, "Production Surveillance and Reporting," establishes the requirements and procedures for monitoring contractor production progress and reporting on contract performance. Its primary purpose is to ensure that government contracts, especially those involving critical or complex items, are delivered on time and meet quality standards. This subpart outlines when and how production surveillance should be conducted, the assignment of criticality designators to contracts, and the reporting obligations of contracting officers and contractors. It also prescribes the use of specific contract clauses to formalize these requirements.
Key Rules
- General and Applicability
- Defines the scope and applicability of production surveillance and reporting requirements, focusing on contracts where timely delivery is essential.
- Policy
- Establishes the government’s policy to monitor contractor progress and intervene when necessary to prevent delays or performance issues.
- Surveillance Requirements
- Details the level and type of surveillance required based on contract criticality and complexity.
- Assignment of Criticality Designator
- Requires contracts to be assigned a criticality designator (A, B, or C) to determine the intensity of surveillance.
- Reporting Requirements
- Specifies the types of reports required, their frequency, and the information to be included.
- Contract Clause
- Mandates inclusion of specific clauses in contracts to ensure compliance with surveillance and reporting requirements.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Assign criticality designators, determine surveillance needs, ensure reporting, and include required clauses.
- Contractors: Cooperate with surveillance activities, provide timely and accurate reports, and comply with contract clauses.
- Agencies: Oversee surveillance programs, analyze reports, and take corrective action as needed.
Practical Implications
- Ensures government visibility into contractor production and delivery schedules.
- Helps identify and mitigate risks of late delivery or performance failures.
- Common pitfalls include inadequate surveillance, failure to assign proper criticality, or incomplete reporting.