Department of the Interior Acquisition Policy Release (DIAPR) 2003-01

SUBJECT: Use of Past Performance Information From ppirs.gov by DOI Contracting Officers

1. Purpose:

This DIAPR establishes Departmental policy regarding the use of the centralized Government database of reports on contractor past performance known as PPIRS.GOV.

2. Effective Date:

Upon Signature.

3. Expiration Date:

This DIAPR remains in effect until canceled or superseded.

4. Background and Explanation:

The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) sponsored the creation of a single database containing the past performance reporting systems. OFPP's intention was (and is) to bring to the contracting professional's desktop as much information as possible to assist her/him in making the most intelligent decisions possible in the source selection process. This web-based database was announced by the Administrator, OFPP in July 2002 and is named the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS - pronounced 'peepers') and is located at PPIRS.GOV. As of mid-December 2002, PPIRS is fully operational, contains nearly 23,000 past performance reports from DOD's, NASA's and NIH's systems and is growing daily. Access to PPIRS data requires completion of an easy, two-step registration process on the website.

Contracting Officers are also encouraged to use past performance 'best practices' information sponsored by OFPP and which is available at http://www.acqnet.gov/Library/OFPP/BestPractices/pastpeformguide.htm This information coupled with reports from PPIRS, gives the contracting professional access to more information necessary to comply with FAR 15.304(c)(3)(ii), requiring that past performance shall be evaluated in source selections in all competitively negotiated acquisitions in excess of $100,000 in value. FAR 15.305(a)(2) also provides information on using past performance information in the source selection process.

5. Action Required:

In order to enable Contracting Officers to utilize PPIRS, each DOI BPC has or will designate an individual to act as their bureau’s PPIRS sub group owner, approving PPIRS access requests by their bureau’s Contracting Officers. Access is individually requested on the PPIRS website which automatically notifies the appropriate sub group owner that an approval request is in his/her queue on the website. Once action is taken to approve the request, the requestor is notified automatically that they have been granted access. DOI BPCs in bureaus, which presently do not have internet access, will designate a sub group owner once internet access is reinstated in their offices.

DOI Contracting Officers, with access to the internet shall use past performance information available from PPIRS.GOV in the source selection process on offerors competing for awards in excess of $100,000, unless they have documented an exemption from past performance consideration in accordance with FAR 15.304(c)(2)(iv). This applies to initial awards of new contracts as well as awards under existing contractual vehicles.

Potential offerors shall be notified in the solicitation that PPIRS.GOV will be used as a source of past performance information in the source selection process, in addition to any other past performance information required under the solicitation. The Contacting Officer shall assure that any available reports are used in the source selection process and/or shall provide the reports to the evaluation team for scoring of the offers in the source selection process. Reports used shall be retained in the record of the evaluation.

Please disseminate this guidance within your bureau. You may contact John Peterson of this office on (202) 208-7269 to designate your bureau’s sub group owner and/or if you have any questions regarding this policy issuance.

Debra E. Sonderman, Director Office of Acquisition and Property Management