Goal
The goal of the Army's Competitive Sourcing (CS) Program is to use competition to obtain the most cost effective commercial services the Army needs to accomplish its mission.
Purpose
Army Regulation (AR) 5-20 provides policy for determining whether recurring commercial activities should be operated in-house using Army facilities and personnel or under contracts or agreements with either commercial entities or other government agencies. AR 5-20 implements Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76, revised 29 May 2003, and the DoD A-76 Costing Manual. Deviations from this regulation require prior written approval from Headquarters, Department of the Army (HQDA) Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM). Types of A-76 initiatives include streamlined and standard competitions.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Environment (ASA(I&E)) is the Army’s Component Competitive Sourcing Official (CCSO) as designated by the Secretary of Defense Competitive Sourcing Official (CSO) (Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment). The CCSO may delegate the Inventory Process responsibility, outlined in OMB Circular A-76, to another Army level Secretariat Official.
2. The CCSO will, in writing, appoint the ACSIM as the Delegated Competitive Sourcing Official (DCSO) who can re-delegate DCSO responsibilities 8-12 to each Major Command (MACOM), Direct Report Unit (DRU), Field Operating Agency (FOA), and Headquarters Staff Support Agency (HSSA) that will be conducting commercial activities A-76 competitions. The DCSO is responsible for appointing, in writing, Competition Officials and holding these officials accountable for the timely and proper conduct of streamlined or standard competitions through the use of annual performance evaluations.
3. The Competition Officials (all inherently governmental) are the Agency Tender Official (ATO), Contracting Officer (CO), Performance Work Statement (PWS) Team Leader, Human Resource Advisor (HRA), and Source Selection Authority (SSA).
4. The ASA(I&E) provides oversight and guidance for CS Program policies and will designate an agency official as the point of contact for resolving CS Program related issues.
GENERAL POLICY
1. Until 30 September 2008, Section 336 of Public Law 108-136 allows the use of best value source selection procedures to conduct A-76 competition for the performance of information technology services. Otherwise, the procurement of supplies and/or services from the private sector must be based upon a cost that is lower than the cost at which in-house personnel can provide the same supplies and/or services.
2. Obtain Army Component Competitive Sourcing Official (CCSO) approval before converting any activity to or from contract or Agency tender performance.
3. Complete streamlined competitions within 90 days of public announcement. Prior to public announcement, the CCSO can request an additional 45 days from the OSD Competitive Sourcing Official (CSO) with rationale for the extension.
4. Complete standard competitions within 12 months of public announcement. If the CCSO believes the standard competition may be difficult or requiring more time, a request for an additional six months, with justification, must be received from the OSD CSO prior to public announcement.
5. Proposed Commercial Activities (CA) studies will not be modified, reorganized, divided, or in any way changed for the purpose of circumventing the requirements of AR 5-20. Construction solicitations or contracts will not be used for competitive sourcing.
6. CA competitions that have been announced to the Congress will not be canceled without prior written approval from the CSO.
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