[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 29, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16065-16066]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7677]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
48 CFR Part 2801
[Justice Acquisition Circular 95-1]
Amendment to the Justice Acquisition Regulations (JAR) Regarding
Career Development, Contracting Authority, and Responsibilities
AGENCY: Office of the Procurement Executive, Justice Management
Division, Justice.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This final rule amends the JAR by revising policies and
procedures for redelegation of authority for contractual actions of
goods and services; revising regulations to set forth the Department of
Justice system for selection, appointment, and termination of
appointment of contracting officers; and incorporating the agency's
policies and procedures regarding the Procurement Career Management
Program.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 29, 1995.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Janis Sposato, Procurement Executive, Justice Management Division (202)
514-3103.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The determination is hereby made that this
amendment must be issued as a final rule. This amendment was not
published for public comment because it does not have an effect beyond
the internal operating procedures of the agency. The Director, Office
of Management and Budget, by memorandum dated December 14, 1984,
exempted agency procurement regulations from review under Executive
Order 12291, except for selected areas. The exception applies to this
rule. The Department of Justice certifies that this rule will not have
a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities
under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) because the
amendment sets forth, wholly, internal departmental procedures. No
additional time or cost burden will be placed on contractors by the
promulgation of this regulation.
List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 2801
Government procurement.
Dated: March 21, 1995.
Stephen R. Colgate,
Assistant Attorney General for Administration.
PART 2801--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACQUISITION REGULATION SYSTEM
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Part 2801 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 28 U.S.C. 510; 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 28 CFR 0.75(j) and
28 CFR 0.76(j).
2. The heading of subpart 2801.6 is revised to read as follows:
Subpart 2801.6--Career Development, Contracting Authority, and
Responsibilities
3. Section 2801.601 is amended by revising paragraph (d) to read as
follows:
2801.601 General.
* * * * *
(d) The redelegation of contracting authority directly to specific
persons without regard for intermediate organizational levels only
establishes authority to represent the Government in its commercial
business dealings. It is not intended to affect the organizational
[[Page 16066]] relationship between the contracting officers and higher
administrative and supervisory levels in the performance of their
duties.
* * * * *
4. Section 2801.603 is revised to read as follows:
2801.603 Selection, appointment and termination of appointment.
2801.603-2 Selection.
Selection of contracting officers shall be in accordance with
criteria and procedures established by each Bureau Procurement Chief in
his or her component.
5. Section 2801.670 is added to read as follows:
2801.670 Department of Justice Procurement Career Management Program.
(a) Each Bureau Procurement Chief shall develop a procurement
career management program for contracting personnel in his or her
component.
(b) The program shall cover all contracting personnel with less
than seven year experience in the categories described below:
(1) Occupational series 1102;
(2) Contracting officers with contracting authority above the
simplified acquisition threshold;
(3) Occupational series 1105, other individuals performing
purchasing duties and individuals with contracting authority at or
under the simplified acquisition threshold.
(c)(1) The program shall include:
(i) An individual assessment by a supervisor of each covered
employee's state of competence to perform the full range of potential
duties of his or his job; and
(ii) An individual development plan to schedule classroom, on-the-
job training, or other training to develop the employee's skill level
to an appropriate level in each area of competence necessary to perform
his or her job.
(2) Individual assessments and development plans should be designed
to fit the needs of the component, but they should build upon the units
of competence and instruction prepared by the Federal Acquisition
Institute wherever feasible. Individual development plans should
attempt to bring the employee to an appropriate level of skill in all
necessary competencies by the time the employee has obtained seven
years of experience in the field of procurement. In general, a
proficiency skill level of 3, as defined in Attachment 1 to OFPP Policy
Letter 92-3, shall be attained for any contracting duty that is
actually required to be performed on the job.
(3) Employees who perform only purchasing duties, regardless of
occupational series, shall be required to obtain the requisite level of
skill only in competencies involving small purchases. If the employee's
duties are expanded to include contracting duties, then skill in
procurement competencies must be assessed and developed.
(4) Individual assessments of covered employee skills shall be
completed by June 27, 1995, or within 90 days of the employee's entry
on duty.
[FR Doc. 95-7677 Filed 3-28-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-01-M