Duties and responsibilities
Agency advocates for competition must actively promote commercial acquisitions and full competition, challenge unnecessary barriers, and report annually on progress and initiatives.
Overview
FAR 6.502 outlines the specific duties and responsibilities of agency and procuring activity advocates for competition. These advocates play a critical role in promoting the acquisition of commercial products and services, ensuring full and open competition, and challenging unnecessary barriers within the procurement process. The regulation requires advocates to review contracting operations, identify and report on opportunities for commercial acquisitions and competition, and challenge restrictive requirements or contract clauses. Additionally, agency advocates must prepare and submit annual reports detailing their activities, new initiatives, remaining barriers, and compliance with specific FAR sections for large task and delivery orders. They are also responsible for recommending goals, plans, and accountability systems to increase competition within their agencies.
Key Rules
- Promotion of Commercial Products and Services
- Advocates must actively promote the acquisition of commercial products and services and challenge barriers to such acquisitions.
- Promotion of Full and Open Competition
- Advocates are responsible for promoting competition and challenging unnecessarily restrictive requirements or contract clauses.
- Annual Reporting
- Agency advocates must submit an annual report to senior procurement officials, detailing activities, initiatives, barriers, and compliance with FAR 8.405 and 16.505 for orders over $1,000,000.
- Recommendations for Improvement
- Advocates must recommend goals, plans, and accountability systems to increase competition and recognize those who promote it.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Must cooperate with advocates and address challenges to restrictive requirements.
- Contractors: Should be aware that advocates may challenge unnecessarily restrictive requirements or barriers to competition.
- Agencies: Must support advocates, review reports, and implement recommended initiatives and accountability systems.
Practical Implications
- This section ensures agencies are proactive in removing barriers to competition and commercial acquisitions.
- It impacts daily contracting by requiring ongoing review and reporting, and by holding agencies accountable for promoting competition.
- Common pitfalls include failing to address unnecessarily restrictive requirements or not submitting required reports.