FAR 13.5 Acquisition Streamlining: Observations and Recommendations for the Defense Logistics Agency

摘要

This study leveraged the published work of Cory E. Yoder, CDR, U.S. Navy, Ret., 'Getting the Most from Acquisition Reforms: FAR 13.5 Test Provision for Simplified Acquisition Procedures, Commercial-item Acquisition' (December 2006) for the purposes of making observations and recommendations for the Defense Logistics Agency. This study evaluated the foundational intent of acquisition reform compared to the Defense Logistics Agency's (DLA) performance in utilizing the streamlined procedures afforded under FAR 13.5 in current years, namely 2009 and 2010. Reading FAR 13.5 from a 'plain language' perspective results in the understanding that FAR 13.5 allowed contracting officers to utilize simplified request for quote procedures and other simplified acquisition templates already in existence without the need for time- consuming tailoring. Basically, in its simplest form, this research methodology had to answer the question of whether exempting a portion of federal buys previously subject to complex practices, through the use of the streamlining initiative, could achieve substantial benefits for DLA -- and, if so, whether DLA took advantage of those opportunities. The following methodology was utilized to develop a clearer picture of DLA's performance: (1) Acquisition Policy Reviews to determine Policy and Practice at separate buying activities; (2) Expert Interviews to determine perceived positives and negatives of implementing FAR 13.5; and (3) Contracting Data Analyses of the Federal Procurement Data System and a comparison between Requests for Quotes and Requests for Proposal. Hypothesis: DLA underutilized the simplified procedures afforded under FAR 13.5, which resulted in longer procurement lead times than could have been achieved otherwise.