42.602 Assignment and location
Source: FAR 42.602 on acquisition.gov
Assigning a CACO is a structured process based on contractor structure and agency coordination, ensuring effective oversight of multi-location contractors.
Overview
FAR 42.602 outlines the criteria and procedures for assigning a Corporate Administrative Contracting Officer (CACO) to a contractor. A CACO may be assigned when a contractor has at least two locations with resident Administrative Contracting Officers (ACOs), or if the agency head approves the need. The section details how to determine the CACO's location, considering factors such as the location of corporate records, offices, major plants, government auditors, and cost effectiveness. It also provides guidance on when to initiate or discontinue a CACO assignment, emphasizing the benefits of corporate-level coordination, volume of government sales, and the influence of corporate policies. The responsible agency for assigning a CACO is determined based on whether contract administration is handled by a single agency or multiple agencies, with the latter requiring inter-agency agreement. The directory referenced in FAR 42.203 lists all CACOs and their assigned contractors.
(a) A CACO may be assigned only when (1) the contractor has at least two locations with resident ACO’s or (2) the need for a CACO is approved by the agency head or designee (for this purpose, a nonresident ACO will be considered as resident if at least 75 percent of the ACO’s effort is devoted to a single contractor). One of the resident ACO’s may be designated to perform the CACO functions, or a full-time CACO may be assigned. In determining the location of the CACO, the responsible agency shall take into account such factors as the location(s) of the corporate records, corporate office, major plant, cognizant government auditor, and overall cost effectiveness.
(b) A decision to initiate or discontinue a CACO assignment should be based on such factors as the-
(1) Benefits of coordination and liaison at the corporate level;
(2) Volume of Government sales;
(3) Degree of control exercised by the contractor’s corporate office over Government-oriented lower-tier operating elements; and
(4) Impact of corporate policies and procedures on those elements.
(c) Responsibility for assigning a CACO shall be determined as follows:
(1) When all locations of a corporate entity are under the contract administration cognizance of a single agency, that agency is responsible.
(2) When the locations are under the contract administration cognizance of more than one agency, the agencies concerned shall agree on the responsible agency (normally on the basis of the agency with the largest dollar balance, including options, of affected contracts). In such cases, agencies may also consider geographic location.
(d) The directory of contract administration services components referenced in 42.203 includes a listing of CACO’s and the contractors for which they are assigned responsibility.