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Office of Acquisition and Logistics (OAL)

 

Additional Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Competition Advocate – Who is the agency Advocate for Competition?
  2. Congressional Notification of contract award – Should I send my Congressional notification of contract award to VA Procurement Policy?
  3. Contractor Question – How can I do business with VA?
  4. Electronic Contract Management System (eCMS) – How do I get help with an eCMS problem?
  5. Interagency Acquisitions – Do all interagency acquisitions require a determination & findings?
  6. Interagency Acquisitions – Do all interagency acquisitions require an Interagency Agreement?
  7. IT Procurement – Where is the current VA-wide procurement policy regarding contract award for Information Technology?
  8. Market Research – Is there VA-wide guidance on Market Research other than what's in VAAR 810?
  9. Outdated Procurement Policy – How do I get copy of VA Procurement Policy that's been cancelled or superseded?
  10. Service Contract Reporting – How does a company make a report?
  11. Subcontracts – Monitoring Subcontracts - How does a VA contracting officer access the services described in 852.219-74 (using a support contractor to assist in assessing the contractor's compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or the percentage of work performance requirements)?
  12. VHA Procurement Manual – What if I have a question about the VHA Procurement Manual?
  13. FedDataCheck – Are contracting officers officially supposed to be using the FedDataCheck system for their responsibility determinations?
  14. Acq Policy Flash 20-05, Acquiring Utility Services – In laymen terms does this mean that there will not be any drawn contracts for utility services?

1.  Competition Advocate – Who is the agency Advocate for Competition?

The Agency Advocate for competition is the Deputy Senior Procurement Executive (DSPE)   D. Edward Keller, Jr. Mr. Keller is VA’s Associate Executive Director for Procurement Policy, Systems and Oversight (PPSO, 003A2). To find out the Competition Advocate for your procuring activity, please contact your Supervisor or the Contracting Activity staff.

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2.  Congressional Notification of contract award – Should I send my Congressional notification of contract award to VA Procurement Policy?

No; see VA Acquisition Manual M805.70 for routing and other information related to Congressional notification of certain contract actions.

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3.  Contractor Question – How can I do business with VA?

Please review OSDBU’s “Doing Business with VA” page.

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4.  eCMS – How do I get help with an eCMS problem?

Contact the eCMS Help Desk by emailing VA.Acquisition.Systems@va.gov or calling 1-877-634-3739.

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5.  Interagency Acquisitions – Do all interagency acquisitions require a determination & findings?

No; only interagency acquisitions that cite the Economy Act as the authority for the action require a determination & findings. Please review VAAM M817.502.

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6.  Interagency Acquisitions – Do all interagency acquisitions require an Interagency Agreement?

No; only those that are “assisted” acquisitions, where the servicing agency will place and administer the order. See FAR 17.502-1(a)(2).

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7.  IT Procurement – Where is the current VA-wide procurement policy regarding contract award for Information Technology?

We don’t currently have VA-wide procurement policy regarding contract awards for Information Technology. You may find helpful information at the Technology Acquisition Center (TAC) website, TAC Business Partner Library (vaww.va.gov/opal/tac/customer.asp), OIT Acquisition Guides, also see VA Handbook 6500.6.

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8.  Market Research – Is there VA-wide guidance on Market Research other than what’s in VAAR 810?

Acquisition Policy Flash 18-13 announced the publication of the VA Market Research Guide for Acquisition Teams.

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9.  Outdated Procurement Policy – How do I get copy of VA Procurement Policy that’s been cancelled or superseded?

As noted in Acquisition Policy Flash 19-20, if access to rescinded/inactive procurement policy is required for VA business or research purposes, please contact your organization’s points of contact listed in Acquisition Policy Flash 19-20. Rescinded/inactive acquisition/procurement policy documents accessed in the course of doing business or research shall not be redistributed or recirculated.

10. Service Contract Reporting – How does a company make a report?

This applies to companies with VA contracts that include clause 52.204-14 or 52.204-15. As indicated in the clauses, reporting for a particular fiscal year (which ends September 30th) is due in the System for Award Management (SAM) by October 31st of that year. However, SAM is usually open for reporting until January 31st of the following year; after that it permanently closes for reporting on the prior FY. See the Quick Start Guide for Service Contract Reporting.

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11. Subcontracts – Monitoring Subcontracts – How does a VA contracting officer access the services described in 852.219-74 (using a support contractor to assist in assessing the contractor’s compliance with the limitations on subcontracting or the percentage of work performance requirements)?

Contact the Risk Management & Compliance Service (003A2C) by email to VA Subcontracting Compliance.

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12. VHA Procurement Manual – What if I have a question about the VHA Procurement Manual?

For questions about the VHA Procurement Manual or VHA-specific procurement procedures, please email VHA Procurement Policy.

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13. FedDataCheck - Are contracting officers officially supposed to be using the FedDataCheck system for their responsibility determinations?

All questions pertaining to FedDataCheck should be addressed to Acquisition Lifecycle Framework (ALF) Office. Currently the use of FedDataCheck is not mandatory.

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14. Acq Policy Flash 20-05, Acquiring Utility Services - In laymen terms does this mean that there will not be any drawn contracts for utility services?

The class deviation applies to all requirements for utility services that exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, when delegated authority by the General Services Administration (GSA) to enter into utility service contracts (see FAR 41.103(b) and (c)). The deviation details exemptions and requirements for utilities.

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