[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 151 (Monday, August 7, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 40108-40111]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-19042]



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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

48 CFR Parts 2801, 2802, 2804, 2805, 2807, 2808, 2809, 2810, 2812, 
2813, 2814, 2815, 1816, 2817, 2828, 2829, 2830, 2832, 2833, 2835, 
2845, 2852 and 2870

[Justice Acquisition Circular 95-2]


Amendments to the Justice Acquisition Regulations (JAR) 
Regarding: Department of Justice (DOJ) Acquisition Regulation System, 
Administrative Matters, Publicizing Contract Actions, Contract Delivery 
or Performance, Contracting by Negotiation and Types of Contracts

AGENCY: Justice Management Division, Justice.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule amends the JAR by revising policies and 
procedures regarding: the Department's acquisition regulation system; 
administrative matters; publicizing contract actions; contract 
deliveries and performance; contracting by negotiation; and, types of 
contracts in response to a review of existing procurement regulations 
by the DOJ's Procurement Employee Innovation Team.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 7, 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 Parts 2801, 2802, 2804, 2805, 2807, 2808, 
2809, 2810, 2812, 2813, 2814, 2815, 2816, 2817, 2828, 2829, 2830, 2832, 
2833, 2835, 2845, 2852 and 2870

    Government procurement.

    Dated: July 19, 1995.
Stephen R. Colgate,
Assistant Attorney General for Administration.

    1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Parts 2801, 2802, 2804, 2805, 
2807, 2808, 2809, 2810, 2812, 2813, 2814, 2815, 2816, 2817, 2828, 2829, 
2830, 2832, 2833, 2835, 2845, 2852 and 2870 continues to read as 
follows:

PART 2801--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ACQUISITION REGULATION SYSTEM

    Authority: 28 U.S.C. 510; 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 28 CFR 0.75(j) and 
28 CFR 0.76(j).


2801.000  [Removed]

    2. Section 2801.000 is removed.

Subpart 2801.2--Administration


2801.270-2  [Removed]

    3. Section 2801.270-2 is removed.
    4. Section 2801.270-4 is revised to read as follows:


2801.270-4  Numbering.

    Justice Acquisition Circulars will be consecutively numbered 
beginning with the number 1, after each rewrite and publication of the 
Justice Acquisition Regulations.

Subpart 2801.3--Agency Acquisition Regulations

    5. Section 2801.304 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


2801.304  Agency control and compliance procedures.

* * * * *
    (b) The Procurement Executive will review all bureau unpublished 
internal acquisition policies and provide comments prior to their 
implementation.

Subpart 2801.4--Deviations From the Federal Acquisition Regulation 
and the Justice Acquisition Regulations

    6. Section 2801.403 is revised as follows:


2801.403  Individual deviations.

    Individual deviations from the FAR or the JAR shall be approved by 
the head of the contracting activity (HCA). A 

[[Page 40109]]
copy of the deviation shall be included in the contract file. Copies of 
all deviations will be provided to the Procurement Executive.
    7-8. Section 2801.470 is revised as follows:


2801.470  Requests for class deviations.

    Requests for approval of class deviations to the FAR of the JAR 
shall be forwarded to the Procurement Executive. Such requests will be 
signed by the bureau procurement chief. Requests for class deviations 
shall be submitted as far in advance as the exigencies of the situation 
permit and shall contain sufficient written justification to evaluate 
the request.

Subpart 2801.6--Contracting Authority and Responsibilities

    9. Section 2801.602-3 is revised as follows:


2801.602-3  Ratification of unauthorized commitments.

    The HCA may delegate the authority to ratify unauthorized 
commitments to the chief of the contracting office, except for those 
actions effected by his or her office. Dollar thresholds for 
delegations made under this section will be determined by the HCA. 
Copies of all ratifications are to be provided to the Procurement 
Executive.


Sec. 2801.602-70  [Amended]

    10. Section 2801.602-70 is amended by removing paragraph (f).

Subpart 2801.7--Contracting Officer's Technical Representative 
(COTR's)

    11. Section 2801.7001-702 is amended by revising paragraphs (d)(1) 
and (g) as follows:


2801.7001-702  Selection, appointment, limitation of authority.

* * * * *
    (d) Certification and appointment. (1) In accordance with bureau 
procedures, the individual must provide the contracting activity with 
evidence of completion of the COTR course, procurement ethics training, 
and with the certification required by the Procurement Integrity Act. 
Upon determination that the required standards have been met, the chief 
of the contracting office will issue a one-time Certificate of COTR 
Appointment.
* * * * *
    (g) Implementation schedule and waivers. No individual may serve as 
a COTR on any contract without the requisite training and signed COTR 
certificate for the file. In the rare event that there is an urgent 
requirement for a specific individual to serve as a COTR and the 
individual has not successfully completed the required training, the 
bureau procurement chief may waive the training requirements and 
authorize the individual to perform the COTR duties, for a period of 
time not to exceed 120 days. The waiver may be granted in accordance 
with bureau procedures.

PART 2802--DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND TERMS


2802.000  [Removed]

    12. Section 2802.000 is removed.

Subpart 2802.1--Definitions

    13. Section 2802.102 is amended by redesignating paragraphs (f) 
through (m) as paragraphs (g) through (n), adding a new paragraph (f) 
and revising the redesignated paragraph (g), as follows:


2802.102  Definitions

* * * * *
    (f) Bureau procurement chief means that supervisory official who is 
directly responsible for supervising, managing and directing all 
contracting offices of the bureau.
    (g) Chief of the contracting office means that supervisory official 
who is directly responsible for supervising, managing and directing the 
contracting office.
* * * * *

PART 2804--ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS


2804.000  [Removed]

    14. Section 2804.000 is removed.

Subpart 2804.8--Contract Files [Removed]

    15. Subpart 2804.8 is removed.

Subpart 2804.9--Information Reporting to the Internal Revenue 
Service


2804.900  [Removed]

    16. Section 2804.900 is removed.

Subpart 2804.70--Procurement Requisitions [Removed]

    17. Subpart 2804.70 is removed.

PART 2805--PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS

Subpart 2805.1--Dissemination of Information [Removed]

    18. Subpart 2805.1 is removed.
Subpart 2805.5--Paid Advertisements

    19. Section 2805.502 is amended by revising paragraph (a) as 
follows:


2805.502  Authority.

    (a) Authorization for paid advertising is required for newspapers 
only. Pursuant to 28 CFR 0.140, the authority to approve publication of 
paid advertisements in newspapers has been delegated to the officials 
listed in 2801.601(a). This authority may be redelegated as 
appropriate.
* * * * *
PART 2807--ACQUISITION PLANNING
Subpart 2807.70--End-of-Year Procurements
2807.700  [Removed]

    20. Section 2807.700 is removed.
PART 2808--REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES
2808.000  [Removed]

    21. Section 2808.000 is removed.
Subpart 2808.1--Excess Personal Property [Removed]
    22. Subpart 2808.1 is removed.
PART 2809--CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS
Subpart 2809.4--Debarment, Suspension and Ineligibility


2809.400  [Removed]

    23. Section 2809.400 is removed.


2809.403  [Removed]

    24. Section 2809.403 is removed.


2809.405-2  [Removed]

    25. Section 2809.405-2 is removed.


2809.471  [Removed]

    26. Section 2809.471 is removed.
PART 2810--SPECIFICATIONS, STANDARDS, AND OTHER PURCHASE 
DESCRIPTIONS
2810.000  [Removed]

    27. Section 2810.000 is removed.
PART 2812--CONTRACT DELIVERY OR PERFORMANCE
2812.000  [Removed]

    28. Section 2812.000 is removed.
Subpart 2812.1--Extension of Delivery or Performance Schedules
    29. Section 2812.170 is revised as follows:


2812.170  Policy.

    It is the policy of DOJ to ensure that contract delivery schedules 
are reasonable, realistic and meet the requirements of the acquisition. 
However, in some instances when the contractor fails to deliver in a 
timely manner, it may be necessary for the 

[[Page 40110]]
Government to allow the contractor to continue performance. Under these 
circumstances, if the delay is caused by conditions which would not be 
considered ``excusable delays'' (as defined in FAR clause 52.249-14, 
Excusable Delays) the contracting officer should secure consideration 
for the Government's forbearance in extending the delivery schedule.

PART 2813--SMALL PURCHASE AND OTHER SIMPLIFIED PURCHASE PROCEDURES

Subpart 2813.5--Purchase Orders


2813.570  [Removed]

    30. Section 2813.570 is removed.

Subpart 2813.70--Certified Invoice Procedure

    31. Section 2813.7002 is amended by revising paragraph (c) as 
follows:


2813.7002  Procedure.

* * * * *
    (c) The Chief of the Contracting Office, as defined in (JAR) 48 CFR 
2802.102(g), shall delegate the authority to the use the certified 
invoice procedure. Each delegation must specify any limitation placed 
on the individual's use of these procedures, such as limits on the 
amount of each purchase, or limits on the commodities, or services 
which can be procured.
* * * * *

PART 2814--SEALED BIDDING


2814.000  [Removed]

    32. Section 2814.000 is removed.

Subpart 2814.4--Opening of Bids and Award of Contract


2814.401  [Removed]

    33. Section 2814.401 is removed.


2814.402  [Removed]

    34. Section 2814.402 is removed.
PART 2815--CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION

Subpart 2815.4--Solicitation and Receipt of Proposals and 
Quotations

    35. Section 2815.405 is revised as follows:


2815.405  Solicitations for informational and planning purposes.

    When a solicitation for informational or planning purposes is to be 
issued, the contracting officer shall make a written determination that 
such solicitation is justified. This determination shall be approved at 
one level above the contracting officer.

Subpart 2815.8--Price Negotiation

    36. Section 2815.804-370 is revised as follows:


2815.804-370  Waiver of submission of certified cost or pricing data.

    In exceptional cases, the requirement for submission of certified 
cost or pricing data may be waived. The authorization to waive the 
requirement shall be in writing and shall set forth the relevant 
circumstances, including the reasons for granting the waiver and the 
contracting officer's recommendation. The waiver shall be approved by 
the appropriate bureau official listed in 2801.601(a) or his/her 
designee in accordance with bureau procedures.

PART 2816--TYPES OF CONTRACTS


2816.000  [Removed]

    37. Section 2816.000 is removed.

Subpart 2816.6--Time-and-Materials, Labor-Hour, and Letter 
Contracts

    38. Section 2816.601 is added to read as follows:


2816.601  Time-and-materials contracts.

    A time-and-materials type contract may be used only after the 
contracting officer receives written approval from the chief of the 
contracting office. When the contracting officer is also the chief of 
the contracting office, the approval to use a time-and-materials type 
contract will be made at a level above the contracting officer.
    39. Section 2816.602 is added to read as follows:


2816.602  Labor-hour contracts.

    A labor-hour type contract may be used only after the contracting 
officer receives written approval from the chief of the contracting 
office. When the contracting officer is also the chief of the 
contracting office, the approval to use a labor-hour type contract will 
be made at a level above the contracting officer.
    40. Section 2816.603-370 is added to read as follows:


2816.603-370  Limitations.

    Copies of all approved determinations authorizing the use of letter 
contracts shall be provided to the Procurement Executive.

PART 2817--SPECIAL CONTRACTING METHODS

Subpart 2817.2--Options [Removed]

    41. Subpart 2817.2 is removed.

PART 2828--BONDS AND INSURANCE

Subpart 2828.1--Bonds


2828.105  [Removed]

    42. Section 2828.105 is removed.

PART 2829--TAXES


2829.000  [Removed]

    43. Section 2829.000 is removed.

PART 2830--COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

Subpart 2830.2--CAS Program Requirements

    44. Section 2830.201-270 is revised as follows:


2830.201-270  Impracticality of submission.

    When the contracting officer has determined that it is impractical 
to secure a Disclosure Statement, as required by FAR 30.202, he/she 
will document the reasons and rationale for such impracticality and 
forward the determination, and an explanatory cover letter which sets 
forth the pertinent circumstances and details the solicitation 
contracting officer's attempts to secure the Disclosure Statement, to 
the Procurement Executive for review of the documentation prior to 
forwarding it to the AAG/A for approval.

PART 2832--CONTRACT FINANCING


2832.000  [Removed]

    45. Section 2832.000 is removed.

Subpart 2832.4--Advance Payments


2832.400  [Removed]

    46. Section 2832.400 is removed.

Subpart 2832.70--Prompt Payment


2832.7000  [Removed]

    47. Section 2832.7000 is removed.

PART 2833--PROTESTS, DISPUTES AND APPEALS


2833.000  [Removed]

    48. Section 2833.000 is removed.

PART 2835--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING


2835.000  [Removed]

    49. Section 2835.000 is removed.

PART 2845--GOVERNMENT PROPERTY


2845.000  [Removed]

    50. Section 2845.000 is removed.

[[Page 40111]]


PART 2852--SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES


2852.000  [Removed]

    51. Section 2852.000 is removed.

Subpart 2852.1--Instructions for Using Provisions and Clauses


2852.100  [Removed]

    52. Section 2852.100 is removed.

Subpart 2852.2--Texts and Provisions of Clauses


2852.200  [Removed]

    53. Section 2852.200 is removed.

PART 2870--ACQUISITION OF LEASEHOLD INTERESTS IN REAL PROPERTY


2870.000  [Removed]

    54. Section 2870.000 is removed.

[FR Doc. 95-19042 Filed 8-4-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-01-M