We are a contractor and routinely send out our own "Certs and Reps" form for solicitants to complete and sign. Recently there has been some "push back" due to the fact that those certain suppliers have registered and filed online at orca.bpn.gov and, as such, "why do we want them to fill out another certification?"

Has anyone here experienced the same and, in any case, what is good/bad or better/worse between ORCA and our own "form"?

Buyerboy,

We often get that from potential subcontractors. Our responses:

1. we are required by our prime contracts to get these certs.

2. the sub is certifying to my company, not to the Government.

3. some of the certs may duplicate the certs to the Government, but they are not all the same.

This usually satisfies them.

Ed

Well, this has come up again. Our corporate types have said that ORCA is OK, and I'm fine with that determination.

But, otherwise, what specific "cluase", rule, etc., would say that the subcontractor must certify to me?

There is no simple answer to your question. Government contracts are very complicated and diverse. People often want a single, simple answer to a question for which there is no single or simple answer. You must look at what is in your contract and determine what certifications it requires you to obtain. That will be time consuming, I know, but there is no way out. Once you know what the contract requires you to obtain you can then ask if your customer will agree that reliance upon ORCA is sufficient to fulfill your obligation to them. If they say yes, make sure that you confirm that in writing. If they say no, make sure that you understand the basis for their answer.