18 minutes ago, Vern Edwards said:

And who are the people working on this? What are they qualifications? How are they organized? What is their process? Who are their consultants?

I would pose that this is the same situation as the legislative process that created new and wonderous acquisition statute, the codification of any such legislation into the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the extended resulting policy of the multitude of agency's since 1984.

I saw online posts from a couple people who I guess are working on the overhaul. Both have solid backgrounds and are knowledgable. Polly Hall has also posted with a title indicating she’s the executive sponsor of at least part of the development. I know her and have the most upmost respect for her expertise and abilities. Regardless of who’s on the team, their work is subject to review by others including the FAR Council.

The overall task is monumental. Is the current strategy of just getting something out there quickly, using it immediately, and adjusting as experience is gained and public comment provided after initial implementation wrong? Or is it better to produce something by the very best subject experts over a long period and after receiving, analyzing, and incorporating comments better? I don’t know. But I do know things like this take on a much longer timespan than planned. The first scenario likely will take twice the six month period. The second scenario probably will take several years.

Also none of the overhaul will remain static. Changes are a given.

5 hours ago, formerfed said:

their work is subject to review by others including the FAR Council.

According to Acquisition.govL

The FAR Council membership consists of the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy, the Administrator of General Services, the Secretary of Defense, and the Administrator of National Aeronautics and Space.

@formerfed

The FAR Council isn't going to review anything, because, with the exception of the acting OFPP Administrator, they don't know enough about it to review it. At best some unknown(s) on their staffs are going to review it.

Maybe.

All the overhaulers are going to accomplish in the short term is to cast the system into chaos while people try to figure out how to do things under the stripped down (Oops! I meant streamlined) FAR. They're going to replace some parts with some used and ready to fail parts.

I've been around long enough to remember the chaos after previous "reforms". So have you, formerfed.

But this will be good for laughs.

13 hours ago, Vern Edwards said:

All the overhaulers are going to accomplish in the short term is to cast the system into chaos while people try to figure out how to do things under the stripped down (Oops! I meant streamlined) FAR. They're going to replace some parts with some used and ready to fail parts.

"Going to", have they not already via the deviation route?

It would appear at this point in time that some agencies have directed their workforce to adopt the deviations going forward. So if you work for GSA you now refer to the FAR, the multiple agency deviations that exist, the rewrite deviations, possibly some individual deviations, the GSAM and agency policy. It just seems the rush to change via the deviation route might just be starting the chaos as opposed to simply rewriting and issuing a "new" FAR at some future time.

And not that it is a big deal in the context of FAR definitions but I do find it interesting where the current FAR Part 1 has 21 "must"s and 69 "shall"s and the deviation has 41 "must"s and 2 "shall"s. One could conclude I guess that the imperative is now less but the shift to must over shall is of note. This shift seems to continue to the deviation for Parts 10 and 34 as well.

@Vern Edwards Eventually order happens as chaos diminishes. The reformed process leaves out detail which too many are accustomed to seeing and using as their cookbook. But with time, experience, and examples from the 1102 leaders at each agency actually conducting initial actions, others learn.

Yes, I remember the previous chaos. I think I’ve been around even longer than you. Perhaps retrofed is the old timer here and I might be second. I started as an intern with the Army Material Command in August 1970.

1 hour ago, formerfed said:

Eventually order happens as chaos diminishes.

Uh... I think you may have it backwards. Ever hear of the the concept of entropy? The second law of thermodynamics? Disorder, randomness, and uncertainty?

😀

1 hour ago, Vern Edwards said:

Uh... I think you may have it backwards. Ever hear of the the concept of entropy? The second law of thermodynamics? Disorder, randomness, and uncertainty?

😀

I was thinking of Nietzsche when he said “from chaos comes order.”

Whoa! Nietzsche! 😯

Anyone else completely underwhelmed at the "released," FAR changes?

It really does feel like instead of an opportunity for change/improvement we are literally getting "make it have less words!"

My cautious optimism is slowly being replaced with the feeling that nothing of substance is changing.

The Part 10 update includes a "Practitioner Album" the highlights the challenges. We have a great opportunity to not only see something built from the ground up but also understand the underpinning philosophy and logic. It is easy to be discouraged by some of the changes taking place. Yet, for the motivated contracting officer / specialist, this moment presents an opportunity for incredible knowledge gain and advancement.

1 hour ago, Josh Mx said:

The Part 10 update includes a "Practitioner Album" the highlights the challenges.

Glad to see the variety of methods in the Album, especially one-on-one sessions. This is an extremely powerful tool in understanding the marketplace and crafting a beneficial strategy.

In order to market research to achieve its potential, the acquisition workforce needs training and readjustment of its outlook. For a large share, market research is simply issuing an RFI to either support a proposed noncompetitive action or to locate small businesses at insistence of a small business specialist.

1 hour ago, Josh Mx said:

discouraged by some of the changes taking place.

In my part of the federal civilian government, our acquisition personnel have been cut by 50% to >90%% (depending on the office and how you measure it). For the foreseeable future, out acquisitions, including our market research, will strive to be legally sufficient. Making use of the FAR overhaul is going to have to wait.

Enough about that. To simplify only slightly, everything is commercial. Even this missile is (mostly) commercial. The FAR's emphasis on the commercial vs. non-commercial is obsolete, and I am glad to see it go from FAR 10.

11 minutes ago, formerfed said:

small business specialist.

Unless, like us, there is no small business specialist anymore.

As I understand the process, the FAR Councils roll out overhauled parts of the FAR. Agencies then can issue class deviations to the FAR and use the overhauled parts when issuing solicitations and contracts. My question is are agencies publishing the class deviations and if so where?

@Retreadfed here you go

https://www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/far-part-deviation-guide

Thanks. I see there is a variety in the number of deviations the agencies have issued. A rhetorical question, I wonder if agencies are in the process of issuing more deviations or whether they do not intend to use the new FAR sections but stick with the old?

The number is mostly dependent on the date revisions are issued. It takes time for agencies to review, decide, and act with publishing.