§ 1.305-2 General. (a) The time of delivery or performance is an essential element for inclusion in a contract and must be clearly set forth in invitations for bids and requests for proposals. Delivery and performance schedules shall be designed to meet the requirements of the particular procurement, with due regard to all relevant factors, and must be realistic. Delivery and performance schedules which are unreasonably tight or difficult of attainment are inimical to full competition, inconsistent with small business policies (see § 1.702(b)(6), and may result in higher contract prices. Therefore, prior to issuing an invitation for bids or request for proposals, the contracting officer shall question any delivery requirement which appears unrealistic, and, if necessary, initiate action to make appropriate adjustments, with due attention to relevant factors such as applicable transportation factors (see part 19 of this chapter) and those listed below: (1) Urgency of need for the supplies or services; (2) Production time (quantity, complexity of design, etc.); (3) Market conditions; (6) Capabilities of small business concerns; (7) Time for obtaining and evaluating bids or offers, and awarding contracts; (8) Time for contractors to comply with any conditions precedent to contract performance; and (9) Time for Government to perform its obligations under the contract (e.g., furnishing Government property to the contractor, approval of preproduction samples, and inspection). (b) Where timely delivery or performance is unusually important to the Government, liquidated damages provisions may be used as provided in § 1.310. (c) Invitations for bids and requests for proposals shall, except where clearly unnecessary, inform bidders or offerors of the basis on which their bids or proposals will be evaluated with respect to time of delivery or performance. [25 F.R. 14083, Dec. 31, 1960, as amended at 33 F.R. 15380, Oct. 17, 1968] § 1.305-3 Terms. (a) Delivery schedules may be expressed in terms of— (1) Specific calendar dates (e.g., on or before, July 1, 1968); (2) Specified periods from date of contract (i.e., date of award or acceptance by the Government, or date shown on contract document as effective date of contract); or (3) Specified periods from date of receipt by contractor of notice of award or acceptance by the Government (including notice by receipt of contract document executed by the Government). The full period which the Government holds out as being available for contract performance should not be curtailed to the prejudice of the contractor by delay in giving notice of award. Accordingly, one of the provisions in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section shall be used in advertised procurements and may be suitably modified and used in appropriate negotiated procurements (other than small purchases). (b) Where the delivery schedule is in terms of specific calendar dates, invitations for bids will include one of the following provisions: (1) The foregoing delivery requirements are based on the assumption that the Government will make award by [purchasing activity, insert calendar date]. Each delivery date in the delivery schedule set forth herein will be extended by the number of calendar days after the above date that the contract is in fact awarded. Attention is directed to paragraph 10(d) of the Solicitation Instructions and Conditions, which provides that a written award mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful bidder results in a binding contract. Therefore, in computing the available time for performance, the bidder should take into consideration the time required for notice of award to arrive through the ordinary mails. (August 1967) (1) The foregoing delivery requirements are based on the assumption that the successful bidder will receive the notice of award by [purchasing activity, inserting calendar date]. The Government will extend each delivery date in the delivery schedule set forth herein by the number of calendar days after the above date that the contractor receives notice of award: Provided, That the contractor promptly acknowledges such receipt. (April 1959) (c) Where the delivery schedule is based on the date of contract (see paragraph (a) (2) of this section), the invitations for bids will include the following provision: Attention is directed to paragraph 10(d) of the Solicitation Instructions and Conditions, which provides that a written award mailed or otherwise furnished to the suc cessful bidder results in a binding contract. Any award hereunder, or a preliminary notice thereof, will be mailed or otherwise furnished to the bidder the day the award is dated. Therefore, in computing the time available for performance, the bidder should take into consideration the time required for the notice of award to arrive through the ordinary mails. However, a bid offering delivery based on date of receipt by the contractor of the contract or notice of award (rather than the contract date) will be evaluated by adding the maximum number of days normally required for delivery of the award through the ordinary mails. If, as so computed, the delivery date offered is later than the delivery date required in the invitation, the bid will be considered nonresponsive and rejected. (August 1967) (d) Where the delivery schedule is based on the date of the contract (see paragraphs (a) (2) and (c) of this section), the contract, notice of award, acceptance of proposal, or other contract document executed by the Government shall be mailed or otherwise furnished the contractor on the day it is dated. (e) Where the delivery schedule is based on date of receipt by the contractor of notice of award (see paragraph (a)(3) of this section), or where it is expressed in terms of specific calendar dates on the assumption that notice of award will be received by a specified date (see paragraph (b) (2) of this section), the notice of award, acceptance of proposal, or other contract document executed by the Government shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or shall be accompanied by a date of receipt acknowledgment card in accordance with Departmental procedures. (f) When the required delivery schedule in the invitation for bids is based on the date of the contract (see paragraph (a) (2) of this section), a bid offering delivery based on date of receipt by the contractor of the contract or notice of award (see paragraph (a) (3) of this section): (1) Shall be evaluated by adding the maximum number of days normally required for delivery of the award through the ordinary mails; and (2) If the delivery date offered by the bid (computed in accordance with subparagraph (1) of this paragraph) is later than the delivery date required in the invitation for bids, the bid shall be considered nonresponsive and rejected; but (3) If award is made under subparagraph (1) of this paragraph, under the terms of the contract the delivery date will be the number of days, after actual receipt by the contractor of the notice of award, which were specified in the bid. [25 F.R. 14083, Dec. 31, 1960, as amended at 32 F.R. 16398, Nov. 30, 1967; 35 F.R. 6806, Apr. 30, 1970] § 1.305-4 Time of delivery clauses. (a) Examples of time of delivery clauses for invitations for bids are set forth below. They may be modified or other clauses may be used to state particular delivery requirements or any special procedures to be used in the evaluation, rejection or award process as regards time of delivery. These clauses also may be suitably modified for use in negotiated procurements where appropriate. (b) The following clause may be used where delivery by a particular time is necessary to meet the Government's requirements: Bids offering delivery of each quantity within the applicable delivery period specified above will be evaluated equally as regards time of delivery. Bids offering delivery of a quantity under such terms or conditions that delivery will not clearly fall within the applicable delivery period specified above will be considered nonresponsive and will be rejected. Where a bidder offers an earlier delivery schedule than that called for above, the Government reserves the right to award either in accordance with the REQUIRED schedule or in accordance with the schedule offered by the bidder. If the bidder offers no other delivery schedule, the delivery schedule stated above shall apply. BIDDER'S PROPOSED DELIVERY SCHEDULE Item No. § 1.305-5 Research, exploratory devel opment and advanced development. Solicitations shall generally indicate either a desired term of performance or a completion date. In cases where development of a tangible item by a given date is urgent, solicitations shall indicate such urgency. Generally, solicitations to conduct research and exploratory development work will specify a level of effort for a term of performance. However, solicitations calling for a specific item in the category of such exploratory or advanced development will specify a completion date. A contractor may propose an alternate term of performance or completion date without disqualification of his proposal. [32 F.R. 10157, July 11, 1967] § 1.306 Approval signatures. Approval signatures on contracts or purchase authorizations shall be minimized to the greatest practical extent and, in the event that multiple approval signatures are required, they shall, where possible, be obtained concurrently. [25 F.R. 14084, Dec. 31, 1960] § 1.307 Priorities, allocations and allot ments. [25 F.R. 14084, Dec. 31, 1960] § 1.307-1 General. In the interest of maintaining a minimum priorities and allocations system as a mobilization preparedness measure, it is national policy to require contractors to use rating and allotment authority to support military procurement, to the extent required by the Business and Defense Services Administration. (a) DOD Priorities and Allocations Manual. Department of Defense implementation of all rules and regulations published by the Business and Defense Services Administration, with respect to which the Department of Defense is delegated administrative responsibility, will be published in the Priorities and Allocations Manual promulgated by Department of Defense Instruction 4410.1. Authorized deviations to the priorities and allocations rules and regulations will likewise be published in the Manual. (b) Operating responsibility. In accordance with § 1.403, the Military Departments shall comply with the priorities and allocations program, including the Defense Materials System, as set forth in the Priorities and Allocations Manual and in the rules and regulations published by the Business and Defense Services Administration. [25 F.R. 14084, Dec. 31, 1960, as amended at 31 F.R. 13326, Oct. 14, 1966] in § 1.307-2 Required use of priorities, allocations, and allotments clause. The contract clause set forth § 7.104-18 of this chapter shall be inserted in or attached to all rateable contracts, except that no such clause need be attached to purchase orders of less than $500 which are not rated. Rateable contracts are those contracts for supplies which are required to be supported with rating and allotment authority (see Priorities and Allocations Manual, section 2-1). [26 F.R. 2599, Mar. 28, 1961] § 1.307-3 Inadequate response to solici tations. (a) In accordance with the policies and procedures of the Priorities and Allocations System rated contracts and purchase orders or Authorized Controlled Material Orders may be placed on selected suppliers when adequate response to a solicitation is not received. Therefore, when there are no bids or proposals received as a result of a solicitation or if the bids or proposals received do not cover the entire requirement, normal procurement procedures shall be followed in attempting to locate sources, to the extent exigencies of the procurement will permit. If such efforts are unsuccessful, and it is determined at this point in time that the procurement must be accomplished, then rated orders in the form of rated contracts, rated purchase orders or an Authorized Controlled Material Order shall be presented, to one or more (as appropriate) selected suppliers or manufacturers qualified to produce the item or material. This will be accomplished by a cover letter signed by the contracting officer, citing the requirements of the Defense Production Act and BDSA Regulation 2, and requesting timely acceptance thereof by the contractor. The letter shall also request that any reasons for rejection be promptly furnished in writing, as required by the BDSA Regulations. Rated orders will be placed pursuant to appropriate negotiation authority. Contracts and purchase orders shall contain, as a minimum, the following information in addition to normal contractual requirements to be a valid rated order: (1) DO or DX rating on contracts or purchase orders as appropriate. (2) DMS allotment number on Authorized Controlled Material Orders. (3) Certification "Certified for National Defense Use Under DMS Regulation 1 or BDSA Regulation 2 (as appropriate)." (4) Delivery schedule. (5) Signature. (b) Rated orders or Authorized Controlled Material Orders which are rejected by suppliers shall be forwarded to BDSA, through established Departmental priorities assistance channels, for such action as BDSA considers appropriate. [31 F.R. 13326, Oct. 14, 1966] § 1.308 Documentation of procurement actions; maintenance and disposition of contract files. (a) Each office performing purchasing, contract administration, or contract paying functions shall maintain official records of all actions with respect to solicitations and contracts in accordance with the provisions of this section, except that the application of these provisions to small purchases and other simplified procurements covered by Subpart F Part 3 of this chapter, is optional. The head of each such office shall be responsible for the establishment, currency, completeness, and review of this documentation, and for its final disposition, in accordance with Supplement 2 entitled "Contract File Maintenance, Closeout, and Disposition." (b) The combination of official contract files listed in S2-101 shall contain documentation of all actions taken with respect to the contract, including final disposition, sufficient to constitute a full history of the transaction and permit ready reconstruction of all stages of the transaction, for the purpose of (1) providing a complete background to assure informed decisions at each step in the procurement, (2) supporting actions taken by personnel in the procurement cycle, (3) providing information for reviews and investigations conducted by the Department concerned, the Department of Defense, the General Accounting Office, or others, and (4) furnishing essential facts in the event of litigation or Congressional inquiries. [32 F.R. 10157, July 11, 1967] $ 1.309 Solicitations for informational or planning purposes. It is the general policy of the Department of Defense to solicit bids, proposals or quotations only where there is a definite intention to award a contract or purchase order. However, in some cases solicitation for informational or planning purposes may be justified. Invitations for bids and requests for proposals will not be used for this purpose. Requests for quotations may be issued for informational or planning purposes only with prior approval of an individual at a level higher than the contracting offcer. In such cases, the request for quotation shall clearly state its purpose and, in addition, the following statement in capital letters shall be placed on the face of the request: THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEND TO AWARD A CONTRACT ON THE BASIS OF THIS REQUEST FOR QUOTATION, OR OTHERWISE PAY FOR THE INFORMATION SOLICITED. The foregoing does not prohibit the allowance, in accordance with 15.205-3 of this chapter, of the cost of preparing such quotations. [26 F.R. 2599, Mar. 28, 1961] § 1.310 Liquidated damages. (a) This section applies to procurement by formal advertising and procurement by negotiation. Liquidated damages provisions may be used when both (1) the time of delivery or performance is such an important factor that the Government may reasonably expect to suffer damages if the delivery or performance is delinquent, and (2) the extent or amount of such damages would be difficult or impossible of ascertainment or proof. When a liquidated damages provision is to be used in a supply or service contract, insert the provision in § 7.105-5 of this chapter in accordance with the instructions thereof. Liquidated damage provisions for construction contracts are covered by §§ 18.113, 7.603-39, and 8.709 of this chapter. (b) When a liquidated damages clause is used, the contract shall set forth the amount which is to be assessed against the contractor for each calendar day of delay. The rate of assessment of liquidated damages must be reasonably considered in the light of procurement requirements on a case-by-case basis, since liquidated damages fixed without reference to probable actual damages may be held to be a penalty and therefore unenforceable. If appropriate to reflect the probable damages, considering that the Government can terminate for default or take other appropriate action, the rate of assessment of liquidated damages may be in two or more increments which provide a declining rate of assessment as the delinquency continues. The contract may also include an overall maximum dollar amount or period of time, or both, during which liquidated damages may be assessed, to assure that the result is not an unreasonable assessment of liquidated damages. (c) The law imposes the duty upon a party injured by another to mitigate the damages which result from such wrongful action. Therefore, where a liquidated damages provision is included in a contract and a basis for termination for default exists, appropriate action should be taken expeditiously by the Government to obtain performance by the contractor or to terminate the contract. If delivery or performance is desired after termination for default, efforts must be made to obtain either delivery or performance elsewhere within a reasonable time. For these reasons, particularly close administration over contracts containing liquidated damages provisions is imperative. (d) Whenever any contract includes a provision for liquidated damages for delay, the Comptroller General on the recommendation of the Secretary concerned is authorized and empowered to remit the whole or any part of such damages as in his discretion may be just and equitable. Accordingly, recommendations concerning such remissions may be transmitted to the Secretary concerned in accordance with Departmental procedures. [25 F.R. 14085, Dec. 31, 1960, as amended at 34 F.R. 13830, Aug. 29, 1969] § 1.311 "Buying in". (a) "Buying in" refers to the practice of attempting to obtain a contract award by knowingly offering a price or cost estimate less than anticipated costs with the expectation of either (1) increasing the contract price or estimated cost during the period of performance through change orders or other means, or (2) receiving future "follow-on" contracts at prices high enough to recover any losses on the original "buy-in" contract. Such a practice is not favored by the Department of Defense since its long-term effects may diminish competition and it may result in poor contract performance |