[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 109 (Friday, June 5, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 34528-34530]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11750]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Defense Acquisition Regulations System

48 CFR Parts 206 and 219

[Docket DARS-2020-0016]
RIN 0750-AK93


Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Justification 
and Approval Threshold for 8(a) Contracts (DFARS Case 2020-D006)

AGENCY: Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Department of Defense 
(DoD).

[[Page 34529]]


ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal 
Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement a section of the 
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.

DATES: Effective June 5, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kimberly R. Ziegler, telephone 
571-372-6095.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    DoD is amending the DFARS to implement section 823 of the National 
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 (Pub. L. 
116-92). Section 823 increases the threshold for requiring a 
justification and approval to award a sole source contract to a 
participant in the 8(a) program to actions exceeding $100 million. The 
current threshold is $22 million. Section 823 also designates the head 
of the procuring activity as the approval authority. To implmement 
section 823, the revised threshold is added in a new DFARS section 
206.303-1, Requirements, and the new approval authority is added in 
DFARS 206.304, Approval of the justification. Corresponding revisions 
to indicate the new threshold are also included at DFARS 206.303-2, 
Content, and 219.808-1, Sole source.

II. Applicability to Contracts at or Below the Simplified Acquisition 
Threshold and for Commercial Items, Including Commercially Available 
Off-the-Shelf Items

    This rule does not create or revise any solicitation provisions or 
contract clauses. This rule amends DFARS 206.303 to increase the 
threshold for requiring a sole source justification and approval for 
contracts to 8(a) program participants exceeding $100 million. The rule 
also designates the appropriate approval authority.

III. Publication of This Final Rule for Public Comment Is Not Required 
by Statute

    The statute that applies to the publication of the Federal 
Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is Office of Federal Procurement Policy 
statute (codified at title 41 of the United States Code). Specifically, 
41 U.S.C. 1707(a)(1) requires that a procurement policy, regulation, 
procedure, or form (including an amendment or modification thereof) 
must be published for public comment if it relates to the expenditure 
of appropriated funds, and has either a significant effect beyond the 
internal operating procedures of the agency issuing the policy, 
regulation, procedure, or form, or has a significant cost or 
administrative impact on contractors or offerors. This final rule is 
not required to be published for public comment, because it affects DoD 
internal operating procedures pertaining to sole source justifications 
for 8(a) procurements and the designated approval authority. The 
increased threshold and assignment of approval authority does not have 
a significant effect beyond the internal operating procedures of the 
agency issuing the policy. There is no additional cost or 
administrative impact on contractors or offerors.

IV. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders (E.O.) 12866 and E.O. 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 is not a significant regulatory action and, 
therefore, was not subject to review under section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, 
Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is 
not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

V. Executive Order 13771

    This rule is not subject to E.O. 13771, because this rule is not a 
significant regulatory action under E.O. 12866.

VI. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Because a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for 
public comment are not required to be given for this rule under 41 
U.S.C. 1707(a)(1) (see section III. of this preamble), the analytical 
requirement of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
are not applicable. Accordingly, no regulatory flexibility analysis is 
required, and none has been prepared.

VII. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The rule does not contain any 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).

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 206 and 219

    Government procurement.

Jennifer Lee Hawes,
Regulatory Control Officer, Defense Acquisition Regulations System.

    Therefore, 48 CFR parts 206 and 219 are amended as follows:

0
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR parts 206 and 219 continues to 
read as follows:

    Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1303 and 48 CFR chapter 1.

PART 206--COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS

0
2. Add section 206.303-1 to read as follows:


206.303-1  Requirements.

    (a) In accordance with section 823 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub. L. 116-92), no 
justification and approval is required for a sole-source contract under 
the 8(a) authority (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) for an amount not exceeding $100 
million.
    (b) In lieu of FAR 6.303-1(b), in accordance with section 823 of 
the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub. L. 
116-92), contracting officers shall not award a sole source contract 
under the 8(a) authority (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) for an amount exceeding 
$100 million unless--
    (1) The contracting officer justifies the use of a sole source 
contract in writing in accordance with FAR 6.303-2;
    (2) The justification is approved in accordance with 206.304(a)(S-
71); and
    (3) The justification and related information are made public after 
award in accordance with FAR 6.305.
    3. Amend section 206.303-2 by redesignating paragraph (b)(i) as 
(b)(ii) and adding a new paragraph (b)(i) and paragraph (d) to read as 
follows:


206.303-2  Content.

    (b)(i) In lieu of the threshold at FAR 6.303-2(b), each 
justification shall include the information at FAR 6.303-2(b), except 
for sole-source 8(a) contracts over $100 million (see paragraph (d) of 
this section).
* * * * *
    (d) In lieu of the threshold at FAR 6.303-2(d), each justification 
for a sole-source 8(a) contract over $100 million shall include the 
information at FAR 6.303-2(d).

0
4. Amend section 206.304 by adding paragraph (a)(S-71) to read as 
follows:


206.304  Approval of the justification.

    (a) * * *

[[Page 34530]]

    (S-71) In accordance with section 823 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub. L. 116-92), the head of 
the procuring activity is the approval authority for a proposed sole-
source 8(a) contract exceeding $100 million. This authority may only be 
delegated to an officer or employee who--
    (1) If a member of the armed forces, is serving in a rank above 
brigadier general or rear admiral (lower half); or
    (2) If a civilian, is serving in a position with a grade under the 
General Schedule (or any other schedule for civilian officers or 
employees) that is comparable to or higher than the grade of major 
general or rear admiral.

PART 219--SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS

0
5. Amend section 219.808-1 by adding paragraph (a) to read as follows:


219.808-1  Sole source.

* * * * *
    (a) In lieu of the threshold at FAR 19.808-1(a), the SBA may not 
accept for negotiation a DoD sole-source 8(a) contract exceeding $100 
million unless DoD has completed a justification in accordance with FAR 
6.303 and 206.303-1(b).

[FR Doc. 2020-11750 Filed 6-4-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 5001-06-P