Confused1102

Very disappointed in the HTRO section. I suppose it only says 'may be used' for award of IDIQ's, but it doesn't say 'may not' for other competitions. It also doesn't go into defining the process (shockingly - sarcasm) - very high level. 

At least the guide doesn't apply to FAR Part 16 competitions and HTRO can still be used for orders under IDIQ's. 

However, I can't help but feel somewhat defeated (not surprisingly) by the new procedures.  Just another case of innovation taking a nose dive due to policy heads in the pentagon not having the intellect, drive, and wherewithal to cause true acquisition change. 

Based on my conversations with KO's at other Navy SYSCOMs, I'm saying Navy SYSCOMs have interpreted it as review = approval; my interpretation means very little when local policy formalizes it. This has caused required legal reviews of things as minor as incremental funding modifications on cost reimbursement CLINs when appropriation type was set at award. It has literally made the KO into a clerk, or revert to a specialist type role. Pretty detrimental to the fulfillment/esteem of being the KO.

I'm a KO on an ACAT-1 Navy program, 19 years of experience within DoD as an 1102. Unfortunately, on Oct 1 2018 Elliot Branch, as DASN(P), turned all Navy 1102's into the category of:

On 3/25/2022 at 5:48 AM, Vern Edwards said:

On the other hand, if in your shop all COs do is prepare documents, assemble files, ask their boss what to do next and how to do it, go to the lawyer to ask what is okay and what is not, and ask questions at Wifcon, well maybe two to three "years" experience is enough for an unlimited warrant. Why not, since COs in your shop don't do professional work. They're clerks, and the only reason they have a warrant is so they can sign things after someone else does the professional work, if anybody does it at all.

The Navy issued the Memorandum For Distribution, Subject: Legal reviews for Department of the Navy Acquisitions, on Oct 1 2018, which listed out nearly all actions need legal review, which has been interpreted as review=approval. 

Thanks so much Bob! I really appreciate it! And I'm sure I'm not the only one!

Does anyone know if Wifcon will be doing it's analysis of the NDAA 2021 as it has done in years past? Like this one for 2020 http://www.wifcon.com/dodauth_20.htm

It's always been such a useful, valuable, tool!

I was more focused on Joel's response. 

I actually found the responses on this thread pretty funny - old school perception. Bill Gates said in an interview a few months, the number one benefit an employer could provide is flexibility.

Telework is awesome. If you can't be effective while telelworking I think it is more a personal limitation than a systematic telework issue.

Accountability should be based on results, not the presence in a chair - the attitude that a person has to be in a chair in the office so you know they're working vice reviewing their documents, talking to them on the phone regularly about current actions, etc. that is wrong with the Government and why it's hard to keep high performers in this field. A supervisor's effectiveness isn't based on if they're in the office or not. It's if they can lead their team to accomplish results. 

Do people abuse telework? Probably. Do people abuse 'smoke breaks?' Probably.

We are generally supposed to be writing contracts in results based fashion - non-prescriptive in the how, as long as i get the result I need. Telework is the epitome of results based performance. If you can't figure out how to be effective with telework then don't do it. But don't think that because you are unable to be effective with telework means everyone is unable to be effective with it. 

I telework twice a week right now. I have had clients send numerous complementary emails to my supervisor about issues I have resolved, actions I have issued, and business advice I have given, all while I was teleworking. They had no idea I wasn't in my cube doing my job - none! If you can't manage with telework, maybe it says something about your capabilities, not the employees'.

Telework saves me my commute, having to get ready to go to work, allows me to get online earlier, cuts down on traffic congestion, etc.

Thank you all for your inputs. I thought the topic would bring up some good discussion and I appreciate the perspectives shared.

Thats not what it says, it says, 'such as' which imply it's an example of a specific source.

You are correct, I am looking for opinions and I think you characterized our different perceptions of the text correctly. Obviously, we both think 'my [our] interpretation better meets the reasonable and prudent person standard.' 

I appreciate your opinion. I look forward to hearing/seeing what others think as well.

C Culham; I read the sentence as 1) through another Government agency or 2) from a specific source. So it doesn't change my thinking.

ji20874; who says an EDWOSB isn't a specific source? Do you have a definition for the term?

Scenario: You're doing an EDWOSB Sole Source award via 10 United States Code 2304(c)(5), as implemented by FAR 6.302-5: Authorized or Required by Statute using EDWOSB Program,15 U.S.C. 637(m), as implemented by FAR 19.1506(a). Assume all requirements of 19.1506(a) are satisfied.

Are you required to post a synopsis required by FAR 5.201(b)?

Excpetion at FAR 5.202(a) "The proposed contract action is expressly authorized or required by a statute to be made through another Government agency, including acquisitions from the Small Business Administration (SBA) using the authority of section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (but see 5.205(f)), or from a specific source such as a workshop for the blind under the rules of the Committee for the Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely Disabled;"

My thought is No, you don't need to post the synopsis because you are making an award authorized by statute from a specific source (an EDWOSB). But I feel the wording of 5.202(a)(4) isn't exactly clearly. Wanted to see what others thought of this sitaution. If my interpertation is accurate, then this would apply to EDWOSB, WOSB, SDVOSB, and HUBZone.