Department of the Interior Acquisition Policy Release (DIAPR) 2006-04

SUBJECT: Department of the Interior (DOI) Contracting Officers Warrant Manual-Class Deviation for DOI-wide IT Hardware Contracts

1. Purpose:

This policy release supersedes DIAPR 2003-03 and provides a class deviation to the Contracting Officers Warrant Manual (See DIAPR 1997-4) covering the appointment of non-procurement personnel to act as ordering officers (OOs) under the recently awarded DOI Schedule Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) for desktop computers (and peripherals), laptops, file servers, monitors, printers, and consumables. The award numbers for these BPAs are attached.

2. Effective Date:

Immediately.

3. Expiration Date:

Expiration or termination of DOI’s IT hardware contracts.

4. Background and Explanation:

The Department of the Interior selected the suppliers of the consolidated IT hardware contracts through a competition conducted by BLM’s Denver National Business Center Acquisition Office.

Under the previous Dell consolidated IT contracts, a class deviation was allowed so that DOI employees could construct orders and pass them to an authorized OO to formally approve and place orders using the purchase business line on their DOI SmartPay charge card.

Individuals were designated in writing as an OO by the Bureau Procurement Chief (BPC). Large orders with complex delivery or other requirements were placed by warranted Contracting Officers using DOI’s IDEAS contract writing system identifying the SmartPay program charge card as the preferred payment method.

The need for this class deviation under Interior's Warrant Manual is related to the language set forth under Section III, G. Ordering Officers, as follows: "Bureaus may establish procedures to delegate authority to non-warranted individuals to place orders against their own bureau indefinite delivery contracts where fixed terms and prices are established in the contract. Ordering Officers do not have authority to negotiate or determine price reasonableness." These awards were made by one bureau for the utilization by all bureaus and therefore a class deviation to the DOI Contracting Officer Warrant System Manual is necessary and is provided under paragraph 5 below.

It is expected that the bureau CIO (or delegated representative) will train a limited number of individuals from their offices on any internet specific ordering responsibilities involved with each of these contracts (e.g., internet address, user ID and password, any additional bureau specific requirements, etc.). The bureau CIO will then recommend the names of their selected ordering personnel to the BPC as candidates for delegation of authority as OOs, as defined in the Contracting Officer Warrant System Manual. The recommendation will be accompanied by a suggested maximum order threshold for each nominee. These individuals may not place orders until they have been authorized to do so, in writing, through Interior's warrant system by their BPC. Each nominee must be a Federal employee, in good standing, possess a good performance record associated with using the purchase business line under the SmartPay program (or, if not presently assigned purchase business line responsibilities, is considered to be honest, exhibits integrity, and completes the purchase business line training required by their bureau), and have had no severe/repetitive delinquency problems using the travel business line under the program.

When the BPC receives the list of nominees, he/she should request the bureau lead A/OPC under the SmartPay program to review the individual’s account history to confirm the recommended individuals have good track records in the use of the card and documenting their use of the card. The A/OPC will advise the BPC which of the nominees should be designated as an OO. Once an individual has been designated in writing as an OO, the bureau lead A/OPC will maintain the account to revise option sets and/or revise single purchase limits (and related dollar threshold limits, as applicable) to the level established by the BPC in the delegation.

All requirements and regulations concerning property management and Federal Procurement Data System reporting are still applicable to orders placed under these BPAs. BPCs shall ensure that all necessary steps have been taken to ensure compliance with these requirements.

5. Action Required:

Bureau Procurement Chiefs are hereby authorized to deviate from the Department of the Interior Contracting Officers Warrant Manual, Section III, G. Ordering Officers to appoint non-procurement personnel as ordering officers on the DOI consolidated IT hardware contractual agreements subject to the following limitations:

a. Where appropriate, orders will be placed through the contractor’s web based ‘store front’ (which includes standard DOI approved configurations by product line with limited peripheral and memory options, each with pre-negotiated pricing) using the DOI SmartPay charge card.

b. Orders may only be for items that are with the scope of these BPAs.

c. Ordering authority limitations are to be established through individual appointment letters from BPCs.

d. OOs must be counseled that exercise of their special single purchase limit will be monitored and abuse of their authority will not be tolerated. Any abuse of authority will result in the initiation of form disciplinary action and the ordering officer delegation being revoked.

The BPC will notify their bureau CIO of the appointment of OOs on this/these contract/contracts who will in turn assign an ID and password, if applicable, and notify the contractor(s) through procedures developed with the contractor(s) by the BPA’s CO. A sample OO appointment letter can be found as an attachment to DIAPR 1999-09 (see http://www.doi.gov/pam/diapr.html ). Once modified to meet the current contractual relationships, this appointment letter can be used as a template for bureau written delegations.

6. Additional Information:

If you have questions about this matter, please contact Kate Oliver at (202) 208-3345.