Attachment_J1_CPARS.docx

ATTACHMENT J1

CONTRACTORS’ PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORTING SYSTEM (CPARS) RATINGS AND CONTRACTOR EVALUATION This assessment will be performed electronically at least annually or as required by www.cpars.gov.

1. Block 18a - Quality of Product or Service.

Assess the contractor's conformance to contract requirements, specifications and standards of good workmanship (e.g. commonly accepted technical, professional, environmental, or safety and health standards). MANDATORY.

· For example: Are reports/data accurate? Does the product or service provided meet the specifications of the contract? Does the contractor's work measure up to commonly accepted technical or professional standards? Assess the degree of Government technical direction required to solve problems that arise during performance.

· For Operations Support: Assess how successfully the contractor meets program quality objectives such as ability to produce, reliability, maintainability and ability to inspect. The Assessing Official must be flexible in how contractor success is measured (e.g. using data from field reliability and maintainability and failure reports, user comments and acceptance rates, and scrap and rework rates). These quantitative indicators may be useful later, for example, in source selection evaluations, in demonstrating continuous improvement, quality and reliability leadership that reflects progress in total quality management. Assess the contractor's control of the overall production process to include material control, shop planning and control, and status.

2. Block 18b - Schedule.

Assess the timeliness of the contractor against the completion of the contract, task orders, milestones, delivery schedules, and administrative requirements (e.g. efforts that contribute to or effect the schedule variance). MANDATORY.

· This assessment of the contractor's adherence to the required delivery schedule should include the contractor's efforts during the assessment period that contributes to or effect the schedule variance. This element applies to contract closeout activities as well as contract performance. Instances of adverse actions such as the assessment of liquidated damages, or issuance of Cure Notices, Show Cause Notices, and Delinquency Notices are indicators of problems which may have resulted in variance to the contract schedule and should therefore be noted in the evaluation.

3. Block 18c - Cost Control (Not required for Firm Fixed Price or Firm Fixed price with Economic Price Adjustment).

4. Block 18d - Business Relations.

Assess the integration and coordination of all activity needed to execute the contract, specifically the timeliness, completeness and quality of problem identification, corrective action plans, proposal submittals, the contractor's history of reasonable and cooperative behavior (to include timely identification of issues in controversy), customer satisfaction, timely award and management of subcontracts. MANDATORY Include, as applicable, information on the following:

· Is the contractor oriented toward the customer?

· Is interaction between the contractor and the Government satisfactory or does it need improvement?

· Include the adequacy of the contractor's accounting, billing, and estimating systems and the contractor's management of Government Property (GFP) if a substantial amount of GFP has been provided to the contractor under the contract.

· Address the timeliness of awards to subcontractors and management of subcontractors, including subcontract costs. Consider efforts taken to ensure early identification of subcontract problems and the timely application of corporate resources to preclude subcontract problems from impacting overall prime contractor performance.

· Assess the prime contractor's effort devoted to managing subcontracts and whether subcontractors were an integral part of the contractor's team.

5. Block 18e - Management of Key Personnel (For Services and Information Technology Business Sectors only - Not Applicable to Operations Support).

Assess the contractor's performance in selecting, retaining, supporting, and replacing, when necessary, key personnel. MANDATORY.

· For example, how well did the contractor match the qualifications of the key position, as described in the contract, with the person who filled the key position? Did the contractor support key personnel so they were able to work effectively? If a key person did not perform well, what action was taken by the contractor to correct this? If a replacement of a key person was necessary, did the replacement meet or exceed the qualifications of the position as described in the contract schedule?

6. Block 18f - Utilization of Small Business.

FAR Subpart 19.7 and 15 U.S.C. 637 contains statutory requirements for complying with the Small Business Subcontracting Program. Assess whether the contractor provided maximum practicable opportunity for Small Business (including Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs) and Indian Tribes) (including Small Disadvantaged Businesses (which also includes ANCs and Indian Tribes), Women Owned Small Businesses, HUBZone, Veteran Owned, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, Historically Black Colleges and Minority Institutions and ANCs and Indian Tribes that are not Small Disadvantaged Businesses or Small Businesses) to participate in contract performance consistent with efficient performance of the contract.

Assess compliance with all terms and conditions in the contract relating to Small Business participation (including FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Businesses and FAR 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (when required)). Assess any small business participation goals which are stated separately in the contract. Assess achievement on each individual goal stated within the contract or subcontracting plan including good faith effort if the goal was not achieved.

It may be necessary to seek input from the Small Business specialist, ACO or PCO in regards to the contractor's compliance with these criteria. For contracts subject to a commercial subcontracting plan, the Utilization of Small Business factor should be rated "satisfactory" as long as an approved plan remains in place, unless liquidated damages have been assessed by the contracting officer who approved the commercial plan (see FAR 19.705-7(h)). In such case, the Utilization of Small Business area must be rated "unsatisfactory."

This area must be rated for all contracts and task orders that contain a small business subcontracting goal.

Ratings for the Utilization of Small Business evaluation area will be in accordance with the definitions described below. Ratings for the other CPAR evaluation areas will be in accordance with the ratings described in Block 18 Evaluation Areas.

In accordance FAR 19.705-2(e) a contract may have no more than one subcontracting plan. Evaluations of the Utilization of Small Business are required for contracts and orders placed against basic ordering agreement (BOA) and blanket purchase agreement (BPA) if a subcontracting plan is required. Evaluations of Utilization of Small Business for single-agency task orders and delivery orders (to include FSS) are not required and shall not be accomplished unless the contracting officer determines that such evaluations would produce more useful past performance information for source selection officials than that contained in the overall contract evaluation. Execution of any subcontracting plan may be addressed in block 20.

· Exceptional. Exceeded all negotiated subcontracting goals or exceeded at least one goal and met all of the other negotiated subcontracting goals for the current period. Had exceptional success with initiatives to assist, promote, and utilize small business (SB), small disadvantaged business (SDB), women-owned small business (WOSB), HUBZone small business, veteran-owned small business (VOSB) and service disabled veteran owned small business (SDVOSB). Complied with FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns. Exceeded any other small business participation requirements incorporated in the contract, including the use of small businesses in mission critical aspects of the program. Went above and beyond the required elements of the subcontracting plan and other small business requirements of the contract. Completed and submitted Individual Subcontract Reports and/or Summary Subcontract Reports in an accurate and timely manner.

Note: To justify an Exceptional rating, identify multiple significant events and state how they were a benefit to small business utilization. A singular benefit, however, could be of such magnitude that it constitutes an Exceptional rating. Ensure that small businesses are given meaningful, innovative work directly related to the project, rather than peripheral work, such as cleaning offices, supplies, landscaping, etc. Also, there should have been no significant weaknesses identified.

· Very Good. Met all of the negotiated subcontracting goals in the traditional socio-economic categories (SB, SDB and WOSB) and met at least one of the other socio-economic goals (HUBZone, VOSB, SDVOSB) for the current period. Had significant success with initiatives to assist, promote and utilize SB, SDB, WOSB, HUBZone, VOSB, and SDVOSB. Complied with FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns. Met or exceeded any other small business participation requirements incorporated in the contract, including the use of small businesses in mission critical aspects of the program. Endeavored to go above and beyond the required elements of the subcontracting plan. Completed and submitted Individual Subcontract Reports and/or Summary Subcontract Reports in an accurate and timely manner.

Note: To justify a Very Good rating, identify a significant event and state how they were a benefit to small business utilization. Ensure that small businesses are given meaningful, innovative work directly related to the project, rather than peripheral work, such as cleaning offices, supplies, landscaping, etc. There should be no significant weaknesses identified.

· Satisfactory. Demonstrated a good faith effort to meet all of the negotiated subcontracting goals in the various socio-economic categories for the current period. Complied with FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns. Met any other small business participation requirements included in the contract. Fulfilled the requirements of the subcontracting plan included in the contract. Completed and submitted Individual Subcontract Reports and/or Summary Subcontract Reports in an accurate and timely manner.

Note: To justify a Satisfactory rating, there should have been only minor problems, or major problems the contractor has addressed or taken corrective action. There should have been no significant weaknesses identified. A fundamental principle of assigning ratings is that contractors will not be assessed a rating lower than Satisfactory solely for not performing beyond the requirements of the contract.

· Marginal. Deficient in meeting key subcontracting plan elements. Deficient in complying with FAR 52.219-8, Utilization of Small Business Concerns, and any other small business participation requirements in the contract. Did not submit Individual Subcontract Reports and/or Summary Subcontract Reports in an accurate or timely manner. Failed to satisfy one or more requirements of a corrective action plan currently in place; however, does show an interest in bringing performance to a satisfactory level and has demonstrated a commitment to apply the necessary resources to do so. Required a corrective action plan.

Note: To justify Marginal performance, identify a significant event that the contractor had trouble overcoming and how it impacted small business utilization. A Marginal rating should be supported by referencing the actions taken by the Government that notified the contractor of the contractual deficiency.

· Unsatisfactory. Noncompliant with FAR 52.219-8 and 52.219-9 and any other small business participation requirements in the contract. Did not submit Individual Subcontract Reports and/or Summary Subcontract Reports in an accurate or timely manner. Showed little interest in bringing performance to a satisfactory level or is generally uncooperative. Required a corrective action plan.

Note: To justify an Unsatisfactory rating, identify multiple significant events that the contractor had trouble overcoming and state how it impacted small business utilization. A singular problem, however, could be of such serious magnitude that it alone constitutes an Unsatisfactory rating. An Unsatisfactory rating should be supported by referencing the actions taken by the Government to notify the contractor of the deficiencies. When an Unsatisfactory rating is justified, the contracting officer must consider whether the contractor made a good faith effort to comply with the requirements of the subcontracting plan required by FAR 52.219-9 and follow the procedures outlined in FAR 52.219-16, Liquidated Damages-Subcontracting Plan.

NOTE 1: Plus or minus signs may be used to indicate an improving (+) or worsening (-) trend insufficient to change assessment status.

NOTE 2: Generally, zero percent is not a goal unless the Contracting Officer determined when negotiating the subcontracting plan that no subcontracting opportunities exist in a particular socio-economic category. In such cases, the contractor shall be considered to have met the goal for any socio-economic category where the goal negotiated in the plan was zero.

7. Block 18g - Other Areas.

Specify additional evaluation areas that are unique to the contract, or that cannot be captured elsewhere on the form. More than one type of entry may be included, but should be separately labeled. If extra space is needed, use Block 20.

If the contract contains an award fee provision, enter "award fee" in the "Other Areas" block (18g). The Assessing Official should translate the award fee earned to adjective ratings, which could prove more useful for using past performance to assess future performance risk in upcoming source selections. If award fee information is included in the CPAR, use block 20 to provide a description for each award fee. Include the scope of the award fee by describing the extent to which it covers the total range of contract performance activities, or is restricted to certain elements of the contract.

If any other type of contract incentive is included in the contract (excluding contract shareline incentives on fixed price or cost-type contracts), it should be reported in a manner similar to the procedures described above for award fee.

Use Block 18g in those instances where the Assessing Official believes strongly, either positively or negatively, regarding an aspect of the contractor's performance, but cannot fit that aspect into any of the other blocks on the form.