48 CFR Part 1515 — Contracting by Negotiation

PART 1515—CONTRACTING BY NEGOTIATION Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; Sec. 205(c), 63 Stat. 390, as amended, 40 U.S.C. 486(c); and 41 U.S.C. 418b. Source: 64 FR 47410, Aug. 31, 1999, unless otherwise noted. 1515.000 Scope of part. This part implements and supplements FAR part 15. It prescribes the Environmental Protection Agency policies and procedures for contracting for supplies and services by negotiation. Subpart 1515.2—Solicitation and Receipt of Proposals and Information 1515.209 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses. The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 1552.215-75, Past Performance Information, or a clause substantially the same as 1552.215-75, in all competitively negotiated acquisitions with an estimated value in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold. [80 FR 20170, Apr. 15, 2015] Subpart 1515.4—Contract Pricing 1515.404-4 Profit. This section implements FAR 15.404-4 and prescribes the EPA structured approach for establishing profit or fee prenegotiation objectives. 1515.404-470 Policy. (a) The Agency's policy is to utilize profit to attract contractors who possess talents and skills necessary to the accomplishment of the objectives of the Agency, and to stimulate efficient contract performance. In negotiating profit/fee, it is necessary that all relevant factors be considered, and that fair and reasonable amounts be negotiated which give the contractor a profit objective commensurate with the nature of the work to be performed, the contractor's input to the total performance, and the risks assumed by the contractor. (b) The purpose of EPA's structured approach is: (1) To provide a standard method of evaluation; (2) To ensure consideration of all relevant factors; (3) To provide a basis for documentation and explanation of the profit or fee negotiation objective; and (4) To allow contractors to earn profits commensurate with the assumption of risk. (c) The profit-analysis factors prescribed in the EPA structured approach for analyzing profit or fee include those prescribed by FAR 15.404(d)(1), and additional factors authorized by FAR 15.404(d)(2) to foster achievement of program objectives. These profit or fee factors are prescribed in 1515.404-471. 1515.404-471 EPA structured approach for developing profit or fee objectives. (a) General. (b)(1) Profit/fee factors. Contractor's Input to Total Performance Weight Range Direct material 1 to 4. Professional/technical labor 8 to 15. Professional/technical overhead 6 to 9. General labor 5 to 9. General overhead 4 to 7. Subcontractors 1 to 4. Other direct costs 1 to 3. General and administrative expenses 5 to 8. Contractor's assumption of contract cost risk 0 to 6. (2) The contracting officer shall first measure the “Contractor's Input to Total Performance” by the assignment of a profit percentage within the designated weight ranges to each element of contract cost. Such costs are multiplied by the specific percentages to arrive at a specific dollar profit or fee. (3) The amount calculated for facilities capital cost of money (FCCM) shall not be included as part of the cost base for computation of profit or fee. The profit or fee objective shall be reduced by an amount equal to the amount of facilities capital cost of money allowed. A complete discussion of the determination of facilities capital cost of money and its application and administration is set forth in FAR 31.205-10, and the appendix to the FAR (see 48 CFR 9904.414). (4) After computing a total dollar profit or fee for the Contractor's Input to Total Performance, the contracting officer shall calculate the specific profit dollars assigned for cost risk and performance. This is accomplished by multiplying the total Government cost objective, exclusive of any FCCM, by the specific weight assigned to cost risk and performance. The contracting officer shall then determine the profit or fee objective by adding the total profit dollars for the Contractor's Input to Total Performance to the specific dollar profits assigned to cost risk and performance. The contracting officer shall use EPA Form 1900-2 in hardcopy or electronic copy equivalent to facilitate the calculation of the profit or fee objective. (5) The weight factors discussed in this section are designed for arriving at profit or fee objectives for other than nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations. Nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations are addressed as follows: (i) Nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations are defined as those business entities organized and operated: (A) Exclusively for charitable, scientific, or educational purposes; (B) Where no part of the net earnings inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual; (C) Where no substantial part of the activities is for propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation or participating in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office; and (D) Which are exempt from Federal income taxation under Section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code. (26 U.S.C.) (ii) For contracts with nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations where fees are involved, special factor of −3 percent shall be assigned in all cases. (c) Assignment of values to specific factors General. (2) Contractor's input to total performance. (i) Direct material (purchased parts and other material). (B) Consideration should be given to the managerial and technical efforts necessary for the prime contractor to administer subcontracts, and to select subcontractors, including efforts to break out subcontracts from sole sources, through the introduction of competition. (C) Recognized costs proposed as direct material costs such as scrap charges shall be treated as material for profit evaluation. (D) If intracompany transfers are accepted at price, in accordance with FAR 31.205-26(e), they should be excluded from the profit or fee computation. Other intracompany transfers shall be evaluated by individual components of cost, i.e., material, labor, and overhead. (ii) Professional/technical and general labor. (iii) Overhead and general and administrative expenses. (B) The contractor's accounting system need not break down its overhead expenses within the classification of professional/technical overhead, general overhead and general and administrative expenses. (iv) Subcontractors. (v) Other direct costs. (3) Contractor's assumption of contract cost risk. (ii) The first determination of the degree of cost responsibility assumed by the contractor is related to the sharing of total risk of contract cost by the Government and the contractor, depending on selection of contract type. The extremes are a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract requiring only that the contractor use its best efforts to perform a task, and a firm-fixed-price contract for a complex item. A cost-plus-fixed-fee contract would reflect a minimum assumption of cost responsibility by the contractor, whereas a firm-fixed-price contract would reflect a complete assumption of cost responsibility by the contractor. Therefore, in the first step of determining the value given for the contractor's assumption of contract cost risk, a lower rating would be assigned to a proposed cost-plus-fixed-fee best efforts contract, and a higher rating would be assigned to a firm-fixed-price contract. (iii) The second determination is that of the reliability of the cost estimates. Sound price negotiation requires well-defined contract objectives and reliable cost estimates. An excessive cost estimate reduces the possibility that the cost of performance will exceed the contract price, thereby reducing the contractor's assumption of contract cost risk. (iv) The third determination is that of the difficulty of the contractor's task. The contractor's task may be difficult or easy, regardless of the type of contract. (v) Contractors are likely to assume greater cost risks only if the contracting officer objectively analyzes the risk incident to the proposed contract, and is willing to compensate contractors for it. Generally, a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract would not justify a reward for risk in excess of 1 percent, nor would a firm-fixed-price contract normally justify a reward of less than 4 percent. Where proper contract type selection has been made, the reward for risk by contract type would usually fall into the following percentage ranges: Type of contract Percentage ranges Cost-plus-fixed-fee 0 to 1. Prospective price determination 4 to 5. Firm-fixed-price 4 to 6. (A) These ranges may not be appropriate for all acquisitions. The contracting officer might determine that a basis exists for high confidence in the reasonableness of the estimate, and that little opportunity exists for cost reduction without extraordinary efforts. The contractor's willingness to accept ceilings on their burden rates should be considered as a risk factor for cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts. (B) In making a contract cost risk evaluation in an acquisition that involves definitization of a letter contract, consideration should be given to the effect on total contract cost risk as a result of partial performance under a letter contract. Under some circumstances, the total amount of cost risk may have been effectively reduced by the existence of a letter contract. Under other circumstances, it may be apparent that the contractor's cost risk remained substantially as great as though a letter contract had not been used. Where a contractor has begun work under an anticipatory cost letter, the risk assumed is greater than normal. To be equitable, the determination of a profit weight for application to the total of all recognized costs, both those incurred and those yet to be expended, must be made with consideration to all relevant circumstances, not just to the portion of costs incurred or percentage of work completed prior to definitization. 1515.404-472 Other methods. (a) Contracting officers may use methods other than those prescribed in 1515.404-470 for establishing profit or fee objectives under the following types of contracts and circumstances: (1) Architect-engineering contracts; (2) Personal service contracts; (3) Management contracts, e.g., for maintenance or operation of Government facilities; (4) Termination settlements; (5) Services under labor-hour and time and material contracts which provide for payment on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis, and where the contractor's contribution constitutes the furnishing of personnel. (6) Construction contracts; and (7) Cost-plus-award-fee contracts. (b) Generally, it is expected that such methods will: (1) Provide the contracting officer with a technique that will ensure consideration of the relative value of the appropriate profit factors described under “Profit Factors,” in FAR 15.404-4(d) and (2) Serve as a basis for documentation of the profit or fee objective. 1515.404-473 Limitations. (a) In addition to the limitations established by statute (see FAR 15.404-4(b)(4)(i)), no administrative ceilings on profits or fees shall be established, except those otherwise identified in the EPAAR. (b) The contracting officer shall not consider any known subcontractor profit/fee as part of the basis for determining the contractor profit/fee. [64 FR 47410, Aug. 31, 1999, as amended at 82 FR 33019, July 19, 2017] 1515.404-474 Waivers. Under unusual circumstances, the SCM may specifically waive the requirement for the use of the guidelines. Such exceptions shall be justified in writing, and authorized only in situations where the guidelines method is unsuitable. [64 FR 47410, Aug. 31, 1999, as amended at 67 FR 5072, Feb. 4, 2002] 1515.404-475 Cost realism. The EPA structured approach is not required when the contracting officer is evaluating cost realism in a competitive acquisition. 1515.408 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses. (a) In addition to those provisions and clauses prescribed in FAR 15.408, when an exception to FAR 15.403-1 does not apply and no other means available can be used to ascertain whether a fair and reasonable price can be determined, the contracting officer may insert in negotiated solicitations the provisions at— (1) 1552.215-72 when requesting information other than cost or pricing data, for cost-reimbursable, level-of-effort-contracts. Use Alternate I for cost-reimbursable, level-of-effort contracts when the Government's requirement is for fully dedicated staff for a twelve month period(s) of performance and performance is on a Government facility; Alternate II for acquisitions for cost-reimbursable, level-of-effort contracts when the Government's requirement is for fully dedicated staff for a twelve month period(s) of performance and performance is not on a Government facility; and Alternate III if the Government's requirement is for the acquisition of supplies or equipment. The contracting officer may make revisions, deletions, or additions to 1552.215-72 and its Alternates I-III as needed to fit an individual acquisition, and (2) 1552.215-73, General Financial and Organizational Information. (b) If uncompensated overtime is proposed, the resultant contract shall include the provisions at FAR 52.237-10 and include the provision at 1552.215-74. The contracting officer may use provisions substantially the same as 1552.215-74 without requesting a deviation to the EPAAR. Subpart 1515.6—Unsolicited Proposals 1515.604 Agency points of contact. The Director, Grants Administration Division (3903R), EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, is the Agency contact point established to coordinate the receipt and handling of unsolicited proposals. [64 FR 47410, Aug. 31, 1999, 65 FR 47325, Aug. 2, 2000] 1515.606-70 Contracting methods. The Department of Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies Appropriation Act contains a requirement that none of the funds provided in the Act may be used for payment through grants or contracts to recipients that do not share in the cost of conducting research resulting from proposals that are not specifically solicited by the Government. Accordingly, contracts for research which result from unsolicited proposals shall provide for the contractor to bear a portion of the cost of performance for work subject to the Act. The extent of the cost sharing shall reflect the mutuality of interest of the contractor and the Government. Therefore, where there is no measurable gain to the performing organization, cost sharing is not required.

Related documents

• 48 CFR Part 215 — Contracting by Negotiation#510925
• 48 CFR Part 515 — Contracting by Negotiation#511035
• 48 CFR Part 2115 — Contracting by Negotiation#511495
• 48 CFR Part 1315 — Contracting by Negotiation#511273
• 48 CFR Part 1415 — Contracting by Negotiation#511318