Contracting Officer Podcast Slides Knowledge Insights From Contracting

Contracting Officer Podcast Slides Knowledge & Insights From Contracting Officers 1

Episode 041 What is the Uniform Contract Format? Original Air Date: August 23, 2015 Hosts: Kevin Jans & Paul Schauer 2

Formatting notes • Hyperlinks: Blue font indicates hyperlinks – presentation must be in ‘Slide Show’ mode to activate the link • Red bold font indicates a point of emphasis • Green bold font indicates CO’s personal comment or perspective 3

Introduction • Purpose of this podcast: To define the Uniform Contract Format, or UCF • Uniform Contract Format: • The framework of government contracts • If you don’t understand this framework, you risk losing money and wasting time. 4

When does the UCF happen? • Acquisition Time Zones (from Podcast Episode 003) • Execution Time Zones (from Podcast Episode 084) • Requirements Zone • Kick Off Zone • Market Research Zone • Performance Zone • RFP Zone (proposal zone) • Re-compete Zone • Source Selection Zone • Wrap-up Zone 5

Uniform Contract Format • Required for FAR Part 15 contracts (per FAR Part 15. 204) • The baseline for how contracts are constructed • Briefly in Episodes 10 & 11 where we talked about Sections L&M • Uniform is the key concept • There are LOTS of RFPs out there and their needs to be some consistency • This is not bureaucracy, this is efficiency • The other option is have the COs just make up their own format… 6

The RFP Under the UCF (per FAR Part 15. 204) A B C D E F G H I Solicitation/contract form Supplies or services and prices/costs (CLINs) Description/Specifications/Statement of Work Packaging and marking Inspection and acceptance Deliveries or performance Contract administration data Special contract requirements Contract clauses 7

The RFP Under the UCF (per FAR Part 15. 204) J K L M List of attachments Representations, certifications, and other statements of offerors Instructions, conditions, and notices to offerors or respondents Evaluation factors for award 8

The Uniform Contract Format • Required for FAR Part 15 contracts (per FAR 15. 204) • Used in the majority of RFPs and contracts • May be used in others too (FAR 13. 5 for example) • Not used in FAR Part 12 Commercial • See the UCF Webinar or the Sections L&M webinar 9

UCF is NOT required… • Construction contracts (Standard Form 1442) • Architect-engineer contracts (Standard Form 252) • Contracts requiring special contract formats (such as FAR Part 12 solicitations) • Letter RFPs to one company (FAR 15. 203(e)) • …although a UCF contract will result • When exempted by agency head 10

Fun Fact on Section K…. • Remember: Sections K, L and M do not become part of the resultant contract • Section K (Reps and Certs) is incorporated by reference in the contract using • FAR 52. 204 -19 Or • FAR 52. 212 -4(v) for commercial acquisitions under FAR Part 12 11

Why is the UCF important? • In pursuit of the Three Cs: • Consistency • It’s all the same • Correctness • We all know what the contract says • Competence on both sides • So we all know what we’re doing 12

UCF is mostly done with software • Standard Procurement System • Procurement Desktop – Defense (PD 2) • Con. Write • Several others 13

Why Should Government Care? • A previous podcast talked about why contract type is important • Contract type is the foundation of the contract • UCF is the framing on which the contract is built • Everyone doesn’t just get to make this up as they go • It describes the features of contract and where to find them • It’s how we communicate 14

Why Should Government Care? • Efficiency – it saves SO much time! • Everyone knows exactly where to look in the contract to find specific information. • Po. P? Section F • Funding? Section G • What contract type is that CLIN? Section B • It’s the system we have, to excel you need to understand it! 15

Why Should Industry Care? • It helps filter opportunities faster • You know where to look for key details to quickly decide to pursue or not • It would be a mess if we had to hunt for the info in each RFP • Understand what needs to be done • And how to get paid! • Efficiency – it saves so much time 16

Summary • This is not about bureaucracy – it’s about efficiency • It saves both sides time! • It’s the system we have… 17

Contact us • We are on Linked. In, Twitter and Facebook • We also started the Government Contracting Network Group on Facebook. Join us there! • Send your topics to paul@Contractingofficerpodcast. com • For Community support, contact Shelley Hall at shelley. hall@skywayacquisition. com 18