Seven Steps
to performance-based acquisition
    
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step 1

Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
    General Questions about Performance-Based Acquisition
  1. What is performance-based acquisition?
  2. What are the elements of a performance-based acquisition?
  3. What are the goals for performance-based acquisition? What are "eligible services?"
  4. What services should be acquired using performance-based acquisition?
  5. Does the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) require a particular contract type required for an acquisition to be considered performance-based?
  6. What if I have a question or a comment?
  7. Where can I find samples and examples?
  8. How were the samples and examples selected?
  9. Where can I take a class in performance-based acquisition?
  10. Why is "contract type" not part of a CO's responsibility in the Roles and Responsibilities matrix?
  11. Why aren't time and material, level of effort, or term type contracts excluded from the eligible service dollars? Although I realize it is always better to define requirements to the maximum extent practicable, there are times when the Government only requires best effort for a certain period of time.
  12. Is there a dollar threshold for contract solicitations when it becomes mandatory or required to include a Performance Requirements Summary (PRS)?
  13. Where can I find more information on using a QASP?
  14. Is it possible to use a performance-based contract to acquire an end item?
  15. Why do performance-based acquisitions?
  16. Can a Cost Reimbursement/Award Fee/Incentive type of contract be performance-based?
  17. Is there any particular statement of work or specification type which is inherently performance-based?
  18. What are examples of functional, performance, essential physical characteristic, and detailed design-oriented specifications?
  19. A PBA requires performance standards. Where in the solicitation/contract should they placed?
  20. What kind of criteria are used for performance standards?
  21. What is the difference between outcome and output measures?
  22. How much detail is needed in a performance work statement or statement of objectives?
  23. Can R&D be performance-based?
  24. What's wrong with level-of-effort contracting?
  25. How does PBA work with Integrated Product Teams (IPTs)?
  26. Can a task order contract be performance-based?
  27. What about "term" vs. "completion" task orders?
  28. What level of effort will the Government need to perform surveillance on PBA's?
  29. Should ongoing contracts be transformed to be PBAs?
  30. Does PBA apply to subcontracts?
30.1. How can we reasonably expect to do fixed-price performance-based contracting in facilities maintenance when maintenance requirements are so dynamic?
30.2. Isn't this an unreasonable risk to put on contractors?
30.3. Won't we merely end up with an administrative nightmare where we're processing contract modifications continuously?
    Questions about the Seven Steps Guide
  1. What are the Seven Steps?
  2. What are the benefits of using the Seven Steps Guide?
  3. Who should read the Seven Steps Guide?
  4. Is this a government-wide guide?
  5. Is use of the Seven Steps Guide mandatory?
  6. Who developed and who manages the Seven Steps Guide?
  7. Can I download the Seven Steps website?
  8. Is this an online course? Where's the test?
  9. Where can I find samples and examples?
  10. What kinds of questions will be answered if I use the "Ask the Expert" feature on the Seven Steps web site?

    11. Reporting Performance-Based Acquisitions in the Federal Procurement Data System

  11. If I'm buying products, and the contract includes services, can I get credit for using a performance-based approach for the services portion?
  12. How do I report a performance-based acquisition in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS)?
  13. If a term type order has performance measures, a QASP, and obviously an outcome-oriented PWS since there is nothing prescriptive in such a general requirement, can we code them as performance based in FPDS-NG?
  14. Can the requiring agency receive credit for issuing a PBA task order under a GSA Schedule contract?
Step 1 Establish the team.
Step 2 Describe the problem.
Step 3 Examine
private-sector & public-sector solutions.
Step 4 Develop PWS or SOO.
Step 5 Decide how to measure
& manage performance.
step 6 Select the right contractor.
step 7 Manage Performance.
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