7.103
Agency-head responsibilities
Agency heads must establish and enforce comprehensive acquisition planning procedures to ensure compliance, competition, and alignment with federal priorities in every procurement.
Overview
FAR 7.103 outlines the responsibilities of agency heads (or their designees) in establishing and overseeing acquisition planning procedures. The section mandates that agencies create internal procedures to ensure compliance with FAR requirements, promote competition, encourage commercial solutions, and address sustainability, accessibility, and small business participation. It also covers requirements for acquisition documentation, plan approvals, use of the metric system, environmental compliance, and disaster response planning. The regulation ensures that acquisition planning is thorough, compliant, and aligned with federal policies and best practices.
Key Rules
- Promote Competition
- Agencies must establish procedures to maximize competition in acquisitions, per FAR Part 6.
- Encourage Commercial and Nondevelopmental Items
- Solicitations should favor commercial products/services or nondevelopmental items when suitable.
- Acquisition Planning Documentation
- Agencies must require documentation supporting contract type selection and acquisition plans, especially for high-risk contracts.
- Performance and Cost Alignment
- Statements of work must align with performance outcomes and cost estimates.
- Sustainability and Accessibility
- Planners must address sustainable procurement, environmental compliance, and ICT accessibility standards.
- Small Business Participation
- Agencies must structure requirements to facilitate small business competition and avoid unjustified bundling.
- Disaster Response and IT Compliance
- Planners must consult the Disaster Response Registry and comply with IT security and capital planning requirements.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Review acquisition history, ensure compliance with planning and documentation, consult registries for disaster response, and avoid inherently governmental functions.
- Contractors: Comply with environmental, sustainability, and accessibility requirements; participate in competitive processes; and provide required documentation.
- Agencies: Establish, document, and enforce acquisition planning procedures; designate planners; approve plans; and ensure compliance with FAR and federal policies.
Practical Implications
- This section ensures that agencies have robust acquisition planning processes that comply with federal law and policy, promote competition, and address key priorities like sustainability and small business participation. Failure to follow these procedures can result in non-compliance, procurement delays, or missed opportunities for competition and innovation.