NASA FAR Supplement: Proposal Adequacy Checklist
Federal Register, Volume 78 Issue 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)
Federal Register Volume 78, Number 209 (Tuesday, October 29, 2013)
Proposed Rules
Pages 64442-64446
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office www.gpo.gov
FR Doc No: 2013-25287
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
48 CFR Parts 1815 and 1852
RIN 2700-AE13
NASA FAR Supplement: Proposal Adequacy Checklist
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: NASA is proposing to amend the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) to incorporate a proposal adequacy checklist for proposals in response to solicitations that require the submission of certified cost or pricing data.
DATES: Interested parties should submit comments to NASA at the address below on or before December 30, 2013 to be considered in formulation of the final rule.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit comments, identified by RIN number 2700-AE13 via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments may also be submitted to William Roets via email at william.roets-1@NASA.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Roets, NASA, Office of Procurement, email: william.roets-1@NASA.gov, or phone: 202-358-4483.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Background
This proposed rule supports the NASA Assistant Administrator for Procurement's ``Reducing Transaction Costs in NASA Procurements'' initiative by incorporating the requirement for a proposal adequacy checklist into the NFS at 1815.408-70(c), and associated solicitation provision at NFS 1852.215-85, to ensure offerors take responsibility for submitting thorough, accurate, and complete proposals. The provision will be included in solicitations that require the submission of certified cost or pricing data.
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Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O. 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. This proposed rule is not a significant regulatory action under section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866. This proposed rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.
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Regulatory Flexibility Act
NASA does not expect this proposed rule to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. However, an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis has been performed and is summarized as follows:
This proposed rule amends the NFS to add a checklist for NASA contractors to complete under solicitations that require the submission of certified cost or pricing data. This rule supports the NASA Assistant Administrator for Procurement's ``Reducing Transaction Costs in NASA Procurements'' initiative by increasing uniformity across NASA and minimizing local variations in this area which will decrease proposal preparation costs.
The objective of this proposed rule is to ensure that offerors submit thorough, accurate, and complete proposals. By completing the checklist, offerors will be able to self-validate the adequacy of their proposals which will improve the quality of their initial proposal submissions. This will reduce the need for contractors to rework their initial proposal submissions which will save the Government time and resources in performing the evaluation of the proposal.
The rule will apply to actions where certified cost or pricing data is required. Based on data collected in FPDS-NG for FY2010-2012, there are on average 1162
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actions per year that met the criteria where the proposal adequacy checklist is to be utilized. On average, 462 of those actions were with small business concerns.
This proposed rule imposes no new reporting requirements. The rule does not duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any other Federal rules. No alternatives were identified that would meet the objectives of the rule. Excluding the small number of small business concerns that may be subject to the rule would not be in the best interest of the small business concerns or the Government because the proposal adequacy checklist was created directly from requirements already in the Federal Acquisition Regulation. While the checklist does not add burden, it provides a useful tool for ensuring proposal adequacy.
NASA invites comments from small business concerns and other interested parties on the expected impact of this proposed rule on small entities. NASA will also consider comments from small entities concerning the existing regulations in subparts affected by this proposed rule in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 610. Interested parties must submit such comments separately and should cite 5 U.S.C. 610 and RIN number 2700-AE13 in correspondence.
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Paperwork Reduction Act
This proposed rule contains information collection requirements that require the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). However, these changes to the NFS do not impose additional information collection requirements to the paperwork burden previously approved under OMB Control Number 9000-0013, entitled ``Cost or Pricing Data Exemption Information.''
List of Subjects in 48 CFR 1815 and 1852
Government procurement.
William P. McNally,
Assistant Administrator for Procurement.
Accordingly, 48 CFR parts 1815 and 1852 are proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 1815--CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION ACQUISITION
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The authority citation for part 1815 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(1).
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In section 1815.408-70, paragraph (c) is added to read as follows:
1815.408-70 NASA solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
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(c) When the solicitation requires the submission of certified cost or pricing data, the contracting officer shall include 1815.215-85, Proposal Adequacy Checklist, in the solicitation to facilitate submission of a thorough, accurate, and complete proposal.
PART 1852--SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES
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The authority citation for part 1852 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(1).
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Clause 1852.215-85 is added to read as follows:
1852.215-85 Proposal Adequacy Checklist.
As prescribed in 1815.408-70(c), use the following provision:
PROPOSAL ADEQUACY CHECKLIST
(XX/XX)
The offeror shall complete and submit as part of their proposal the following checklist, providing location of requested information, or an explanation of why the requested information is not provided. In preparation of the offeror's checklist, offerors may elect to have their prospective subcontractors use the same or similar checklist as appropriate.
Proposal Adequacy Checklist
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If not provided
explain (may use
References Submission item Proposal page No. continuation pages
traceable to this
checklist)
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General Instructions
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Is there a properly completed ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph A. first page of the proposal per
FAR 15.408 Table 15-2 I.A or as
specified in the solicitation?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal identify the ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph A(7). need for Government-furnished
material/tooling/test equipment?
Include the accountable contract
number and contracting officer
contact information if known.
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, If your organization is subject to ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph A(8). Cost Accounting Standards (CAS),
does the proposal identify the
current status of your CAS
Disclosure Statement? Does the
proposal identify and explain
notifications of noncompliance
with Cost Accounting Standards
Board or Cost Accounting
Standards (CAS); any proposal
inconsistencies with your
disclosed practices or applicable
CAS; and inconsistencies with
your established estimating and
accounting principles and
procedures?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal disclose any ..................... .....................
Section I, Paragraph C(1), other known activity that could
FAR 2.101, ``Cost or pricing materially impact the costs?
data''. This may include, but is not
limited to, such factors as--
(1) Vendor quotations;
(2) Nonrecurring costs; ..................... .....................
(3) Information on changes in ..................... .....................
production methods and in
production or purchasing
volume;
(4) Data supporting projections ..................... .....................
of business prospects and
objectives and related
operations costs;
(5) Unit-cost trends such as ..................... .....................
those associated with labor
efficiency;
(6) Make-or-buy decisions; ..................... .....................
(7) Estimated resources to ..................... .....................
attain business goals; and
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(8) Information on management ..................... .....................
decisions that could have a
significant bearing on costs.
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Is an Index of all certified cost ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph B. or pricing data and information
accompanying or identified in the
proposal provided and
appropriately referenced?
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FAR 15.403-1(b)............ Are there any exceptions to ..................... .....................
submission of certified cost or
pricing data pursuant to FAR
15.403-1(b)? If so, is supporting
documentation included in the
proposal? (Note questions 18-20.)
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal disclose the ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph C(2)(i). judgmental factors applied and
the mathematical or other methods
used in the estimate, including
those used in projecting from
known data?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal disclose the ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph C(2)(ii). nature and amount of any
contingencies included in the
proposed price?
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FAR 15.408 Table 15-2, Does the proposal explain the ..................... .....................
Section II, Paragraph A or B. basis of all cost estimating
relationships (labor hours or
material) proposed on other than
a discrete basis?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Is there a summary of total cost ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraphs D and E. by element of cost and are the
elements of cost cross-referenced
to the supporting cost or pricing
data? (Breakdowns for each cost
element must be consistent with
your cost accounting system,
including breakdown by year.)
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, If more than one Contract Line ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraphs D and E. Item Number (CLIN) or sub
Contract Line Item Number (sub-
CLIN) is proposed as required by
the RFP, are there summary total
amounts covering all line items
for each element of cost and is
it cross-referenced to the
supporting cost or pricing data?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal identify any ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph F. incurred costs for work performed
before the submission of the
proposal?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Is there a Government forward ..................... .....................
Section I Paragraph G. pricing rate agreement (FPRA)? If
so, the offeror shall identify
the official submittal of such
rate and factor data. If not,
does the proposal include all
rates and factors by year that
are utilized in the development
of the proposal and the basis for
those rates and factors?
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Cost Elements
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Materials and Services
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal include a ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph A. consolidated summary of
individual material and services,
frequently referred to as a
Consolidated Bill of Material
(CBOM), to include the basis for
pricing? The offeror's
consolidated summary shall
include raw materials, parts,
components, assemblies,
subcontracts and services to be
produced or performed by others,
identifying as a minimum the
item, source, quantity, and
price.
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Subcontracts (Purchased materials or services)
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FAR 15.404-3(c), FAR Per the thresholds of FAR 15.404- ..................... .....................
52.244-2. 3(c), Subcontract Pricing
Considerations, does the proposal
include a copy of the applicable
subcontractor's certified cost or
pricing data?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Is there a price/cost analysis ..................... .....................
Note 1; Section II Paragraph establishing the reasonableness
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of each of the proposed
subcontracts included with the
proposal?
If the offeror's price/cost ..................... .....................
analyses are not provided with
the proposal, does the proposal
include a matrix identifying
dates for receipt of
subcontractor proposal,
completion of fact finding for
purposes of price/cost analysis,
and submission of the price/cost
analysis?
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Exceptions to Certified Cost or Pricing Data
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FAR 52.215-20, FAR 2.101, Has the offeror submitted an ..................... .....................
``commercial item''. exception to the submission of
certified cost or pricing data
for commercial items proposed
either at the prime or
subcontractor level, in
accordance with provision 52.215-
20?
a. Has the offeror specifically ..................... .....................
identified the type of
commercial item claim (FAR
2.101 commercial item
definition, paragraphs (1)
through (8)), and the basis on
which the item meets the
definition?
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b. For modified commercial ..................... .....................
items (FAR 2.101 commercial
item definition paragraph
(3)); did the offeror classify
the modification(s) as either--
i. A modification of a type ..................... .....................
customarily available in the
commercial marketplace
(paragraph (3)(i)); or
ii. A minor modification ..................... .....................
(paragraph (3)(ii)) of a
type not customarily
available in the commercial
marketplace made to meet
Federal Government
requirements not exceeding
the thresholds in FAR 15.403-
1(c)(3)(iii)(B)?
c. For proposed commercial ..................... .....................
items ``of a type'', or
``evolved'' or modified (FAR
2.101 commercial item
definition paragraphs (1)
through (3)), did the
contractor provide a technical
description of the differences
between the proposed item and
the comparison item(s)?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal support the ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph A(1). degree of competition and the
basis for establishing the source
and reasonableness of price for
each subcontract or purchase
order priced on a competitive
basis exceeding the threshold for
certified cost or pricing data?
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Interorganizational Transfers
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, For inter-organizational transfers ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph A.(2). proposed at cost, does the
proposal include a complete cost
proposal in compliance with Table
15-2?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, For inter-organizational transfers ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph A(1). proposed at price in accordance
with FAR 31.205-26(e), does the
proposal provide an analysis by
the prime that supports the
exception from certified cost or
pricing data in accordance with
FAR 15.403-1?
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Direct Labor
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal include a time ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph B. phased (i.e.; monthly, quarterly)
breakdown of labor hours, rates
and costs by category or skill
level? If labor is the allocation
base for indirect costs, the
labor cost must be summarized in
order that the applicable
overhead rate can be applied.
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, For labor Basis of Estimates ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph B. (BOEs), does the proposal include
labor categories, labor hours,
and task descriptions, (e.g.;
Statement of Work reference,
applicable CLIN, Work Breakdown
Structure, rationale for
estimate, applicable history, and
time-phasing)?
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FAR subpart 22.10......... If covered by the Service Contract ..................... .....................
Labor Standards statute (41
U.S.C. chapter 67), are the rates
in the proposal in compliance
with the minimum rates specified
in the statute?
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Indirect Costs
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal indicate the ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph C. basis of estimate for proposed
indirect costs and how they are
applied? (Support for the
indirect rates could consist of
cost breakdowns, trends, and
budgetary data.)
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Other Costs
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Does the proposal include other ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph D. direct costs and the basis for
pricing? If travel is included
does the proposal include number
of trips, number of people,
number of days per trip,
locations, and rates (e.g.
airfare, per diem, hotel, car
rental, etc.)?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, If royalties exceed $1,500 does ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph E. the proposal provide the
information/data identified by
Table 15-2?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, When facilities capital cost of ..................... .....................
Section II Paragraph F. money is proposed, does the
proposal include submission of
Form CASB-CMF or reference to an
FPRA/FPRP and show the
calculation of the proposed
amount?
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Formats for Submission of Line Item Summaries
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, Are all cost element breakdowns ..................... .....................
Section III. provided using the applicable
format prescribed in FAR 15.408,
Table 15-2 III? (or alternative
format if specified in the
request for proposal)
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, If the proposal is for a ..................... .....................
Section III Paragraph B. modification or change order,
have cost of work deleted
(credits) and cost of work added
(debits) been provided in the
format described in FAR 15.408,
Table 15-2.III.B?
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FAR 15.408, Table 15-2, For price revisions/ ..................... .....................
Section III Paragraph C. redeterminations, does the
proposal follow the format in FAR
15.408, Table 15-2.III.C?
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Other
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FAR 16.4.................. If an incentive contract type, ..................... .....................
does the proposal include offeror
proposed target cost, target
profit or fee, share ratio, and,
when applicable, minimum/maximum
fee, ceiling price?
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FAR 16.203-4 and FAR If Economic Price Adjustments are ..................... .....................
15.408 Table 15-2, Section being proposed, does the proposal
II, Paragraphs A, B, C, and D. show the rationale and
application for the economic
price adjustment?
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FAR 52.232-28............. If the offeror is proposing ..................... .....................
Performance-Based Payments did
the offeror comply with FAR
52.232-28?
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FAR 15.408(n), FAR 52.215- Excessive Pass-through Charges- ..................... .....................
22, FAR 52.215-23. Identification of Subcontract
Effort: If the offeror intends to
subcontract more than 70% of the
total cost of work to be
performed, does the proposal
identify: (i) the amount of the
offeror's indirect costs and
profit applicable to the work to
be performed by the proposed
subcontractor(s); and (ii) a
description of the added value
provided by the offeror as
related to the work to be
performed by the proposed
subcontractor(s)?
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(End of provision)
FR Doc. 2013-25287 Filed 10-28-13; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 7510-01-P
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