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required, (2) delivery or performance will be unduly delayed

by failure to make award promptly or, (3) a prompt award would be otherwise advantageous to the Government.

In such an instance

the contracting officer will give written notice to the protestor and, as appropriate, to others of his decision to proceed with the award of the contract.

A party interested in protesting to the Comptroller General of the United States must do so in accordance with the General Accounting Office Regulations, 4 CFR 20 (EXHIBIT 30 - part 30, Bid Protest Procedures.) These regulations require that the protest be in writing; that it be sent to the General Counsel, General Accounting Office, Washington, D.C. 20548; that it be filed not later than 10 days after the basis for protest is known or should have been known, whichever is earlier; and that it include the following information: (1) identity of the contracting activity and the number of solicitation and/or contract; (2) a statement of the grounds of protest; (3) a specific request for a ruling by the Comptroller General; and (4) a statement that a copy of the protest has been forwarded to the contracting officer, as required.

SCOPE AND NATURE OF CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

Information in this section applies specifically to construction

contracts awarded and administered by the Public Buildings Service of the General Services Administration.

Construction contract administration includes all activity by

both the Government and the contractor from the date the contract is awarded until the contract work has been completed and accepted, and payment has been received.

Construction, as defined here, means new construction, and alteration, repair or improvement of existing buildings, structures, or other real property. In the context of this brochure, construction does not include exploratory drilling and other investigative work performed for the purpose of obtaining data to be used in engineering studies, which is not a part of a continuing construction contract.

The primary purpose of contract administration is to ensure that the Government obtains, at the time they are needed, the goods and services for which it contracts. Successful contract administration requires that the Government and the contractor work in a spirit of cooperation.

Contract administration must adapt to changing circumstances. This may require changing contract specifications, changing contract completion time or even terminating the contract.

It is true that a considerable amount of time is also spent on contract enforcement. From your point of view this requires you to comply with what seems like a maze of clauses and to complete and submit what seems like an endless number of reports and forms.

In addition, Government officials who administer contracts are charged with the responsibility of protecting the public interest, by requiring you as a contractor to perform as you have promised. Thus, both contractor and Government personnel associated with contract administration will spend a considerable amount of

time making certain that the Government receives what it pays

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no more and no less - and pays for what it receives.

Furthermore, the Government implements certain social and economic measures through its procurement process. It does this, for example, by requiring in Government contracts that contractors

maintain fair employment practices, provide safe and healthful

working conditions, pay fair wages, refrain from polluting the

air and water, give preference to American products in purchases, and promote the employment of veterans and the severely

handicapped. An important part of contract administration activity

is to ensure that these provisions are carried out.

RESPONSIBILITY

Within PBS, the administration of new construction and alteration contracts is carried out by our regional offices, unless a contract is specifically designated to be administered by the Central Office in Washington, D.C. What this means is that, in most instances, you will be dealing directly with local personnel rather than with personnel in Washington, D.C.

PERSONNEL

GSA strives to limit the number of individuals who may officially speak for the Government with regard to contractual matters.

DIRECTOR, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT DIVISION (CMD)

The Director is responsible for administering the regional programs for new construction and alteration of Federal buildings. This includes the solicitation of offers or competitive bids, the award of the contract, the inspection and acceptance of all work performed under the contract, and the administrative handling of all contractual matters that may arise during the life of the contract.

The Director or a member of his staff is normally the contracting

officer for contracts assigned to his region. The contracting officer may delegate some of his authority to subordinates located at the regional office and to the construction engineer who may be located either in the regional office or at the job site. This delegation is at the discretion of each Regional Administrator, so there may be some variations from region to region. For your own protection, you should obtain, at the outset, the names of the people in authority with whom you will be working.

CONTRACTING OFFICER

The contracting officer is the person who executes the contract

on behalf of the Government.

He alone has the power to bind the Government and to exercise the rights, responsibilities, authorities and functions vested in him by the contract documents. The contracting officer, at his discretion, may designate an authorized representative to act for him. If he does, he will advise the contractor in writing of this designation. Contractors will be given the name, the title and a precise statement of the scope of authority of the designated representative.

You must perform the contract work in accordance with any written order issued by the contracting officer; or by his authorized representative, if that order is within the representatives's

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