The responsibilities of a contracting officer are described in detail in Far Part 1.602-2 (48 CFR): “Contracting officers are responsible for ensuring the implementation of all measures necessary for efficient procurement, ensuring compliance with the terms of the contract, and protecting U.S. interests in their contractual relationship.” A contracting officer (CO, also KO) is a person who can bind the U.S. federal government to a contract whose value exceeds the federal micro-purchase threshold ($10,000). [1] This is limited to the extent of the powers conferred by the Head of the Agency on the contract staff. The abbreviation “KO” is often used [2] because the abbreviation “CO” is used in a military context for “commander”. [3] You are a person with a client-centric attitude towards contracting, you understand how to get everyone at the table to “yes” and the many paths that could be taken to get there. You have experience working with teams that have a variety of stakeholders (para. B example, government, university, industry, or a combination). They have worked with federal government clients to find contractual pathways and to negotiate and manage them successfully.
They have worked with non-traditional contractual methods (OTA, PIA, etc.), but are also familiar with traditional FAR-based contracts. Contract employees work for federal agencies, where they bind the government to contracts that exceed the micro-purchase threshold, which is typically $3,000 in 2014. They also perform a variety of contract tasks, from planning acquisitions to evaluating contractor performance. To become a contract agent, you must have at least a bachelor`s degree, preferably in business, public administration or finance, and have strong analytical and communication skills. They see the contracting process as an essential part of the product development lifecycle and have enough technical insight to act as a partner of technical experts to help them develop successful technical programs, even if the contractual paths are unclear. Your work ethic, business acumen, and ability to successfully solve complex problems are ultimately more important than your level of education, but a good understanding of the traditional and non-traditional practice of government contracts is crucial. If there is a dispute between an organization and a contractor, the contractor represents the government at resolution meetings and maintains its position. Contract staff also have a duty to recruit and supervise staff, . B such as technical representatives of contract agents, and to consult contract agents of other government bodies to exchange market information. A CCO optimizes all aspects of the contracting process.
If your company doesn`t have multiple projects and contractors, you don`t need a CCO yet. Are these responsibilities currently exercised in your company? If your answer is no, then now is a good time to hire a CCO. As an entrepreneur, you have much more to worry about than managing every aspect of every contract. The main task of contract staff is to oversee the contracting process. They help develop procurement policies, procedures and strategies. Evaluate purchase requisitions to ensure they comply with agency requirements. Announcement of upcoming acquisitions to inform the public and solicit bidders; and evaluate proposals to evaluate the contractor`s price and reliability. In addition, they carry out market studies, negotiate contractual terms with interested suppliers and award contracts to successful bidders. In addition, contractors must ensure that they comply with the regulations by regularly evaluating their performance and taking appropriate measures, for example. B by terminating contracts if the contractors repeatedly breach the general terms and conditions.
A contracting officer enters into, administers or terminates contracts and makes related findings and determinations and is appointed by (SF) 1402, Certificate of Appointment. 41 U.S.C. ยง 414(4) requires heads of agencies to establish and maintain a career management program for procurement and a system for selecting, appointing, and terminating the appointment of contract agents. Heads of agencies or their servants may select and appoint contract staff and terminate their duties. These selections and appointments must comply with the standards of the Office of Management and Budget/Federal Procurement Policy Office (OMB/OFPP) for competency-based training in the performance of procurement, contracting and procurement tasks published in RUPP Policy Letter No. 05-01, Procurement Workforce Development and Management, 15 April 2005. The Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3) is seeking a dynamic and innovative procurement expert to serve as IN3`s Director of Contracts. You are responsible for negotiating and managing contracts with IN3`s customers.
However, your daily tasks in research management may include actions throughout the project lifecycle: as a business consultant for awarding contracts in the business development phase, bid management, contract negotiation, contract management and closing. Education ranks second after experience, preferably in a supervisory role in a previous job the size of your organization. Candidates with this experience are able to provide effective advice and instruction to subordinates. .