NITAAC NIH Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center


		CIO-SP2 i Glossary The definitions in this section reflect NITAAC's interpretation of terms and concepts used in the CIO-SP2 i guidelines. Accountable Management Official (AMO) The individual within the customer's organization, (NIH or external), who is authorized to obligate or expend the Government funds. This individual has the authority to bind the Government to the extent of the authority delegated to him/her. The dollar threshold set forth in the individual's delegation may not be exceeded. The AMO is typically a Contracting Officer, if the customer chooses to issue orders locally (i.e., through its own agency channels). Only when a local contracting office is not available, the AMO may be a project official who must be given authorization by his/her agency to direct the transfer of funds to the designated contracting office. Awarded/Funded/Obligated: * Awarded Amount: The dollar amount of the task order over the life of the order, e.g., includes incremental funding and optional dollar amounts. * Funded Amount: The total amount of monies to be obligated in a fiscal year. This amount may be spread over several task order modifications, each containing a portion of the funded amount as the obligation of that particular task order modification. * Obligated Amount: The dollar amount of the task order. This may or may not equal the funded amount, depending on how the agency determines to allocate the funded amount over the fiscal year. Best Value Analysis In accordance with FAR Part 15.101, the analysis of technical and cost proposals to determine which proposal offers the best trade-off between price/cost and performance, where quality is considered an integral performance factor. CIO-SP2 i Task Order (TO) Authorization Number This is the number that NITAAC assigns to a task order once the Selection Recommendation Document Package (SRDP) has been approved. It is provided to the customer (with a copy to the prime contractor) via the approval letter. It must appear on the customer's funding document/order. In the case of NIH Records of Call, the CIO-SP2 i Task Order Authorization Number must appear in the description block of the Record of Call. The prime contractor shall not accept any orders without this number. Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) The individual appointed by the AMO who serves as the principal point of contact between the customer, the task order prime contractor and NITAAC. This individual provides technical direction to the task order prime contractor. Contract Type: Time and Materials (T&M) The acquisition of supplies or services on the basis of: (1) direct labor hours at specified fixed hourly rates that include wages, overhead, general and administrative expenses, and profit and (2) materials at cost, including, if appropriate, material handling costs as a part of material costs. A T&M Task Order may only be used when it is not possible at the time of placing the order to estimate accurately the extent or duration of the work or to anticipate costs with any reasonable degree of confidence. This contract type places maximum risk on the Government. The customer must follow the requirements of FAR 16.601. Contract Type: Cost Reimbursable Contracts that provide for payment of allowable incurred costs to the extent prescribed in the contract. There is an estimate of the total costs for the purpose of obligating funds and a ceiling that the prime contractor may not exceed (except at its own risk) without approval of the contracting officer. (i) Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) -A cost-reimbursement contract that provides for payment to the prime contractor of a negotiated fee that is fixed at the inception of the contract. (ii) Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) (typically greater than $2 million) - A cost-reimbursement contract that provides for a fee consisting of (a) a base amount (which may be zero) fixed at the inception of the contract and (b) an award amount, based upon a judgmental evaluation by the Government, sufficient to provide motivation for excellence in contract performance. Award fee evaluation criteria must be specified in the TORP. (iii) Cost Sharing- A cost-reimbursement contract in which the contractor receives no fee and is reimbursed only for an agreed-upon portion of its allowable costs. Note: (i) and (ii) above require that the fee shall not exceed the applicable, FAR- cited statutory percentage limitation of the estimated cost, excluding fee (see FAR 15.404-4(C)(4)(i)(C). Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) A firm fixed price contract provides for a firm price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the prime contractor's cost experience in performing the contract. This contract type places maximum risk on the prime contractor. It also provides maximum incentive for the prime contractor to control costs and perform effectively. Customer This term includes personnel in both NIH ordering activities and in all other Federal Agencies. The term "external customer" means any customer agency that is not a part of the NIH. "Fair-Opportunity-to-be-Considered" (FOC) Rule All prime contractor teams (primes and their designated subcontractors) are considered to possess the basic qualifications for success in those information technology task areas of the contract awarded to them. Therefore, the statutory and regulatory requirement for "Fair-Opportunity-to-be-Considered" will be deemed to have been met by the announcement (through the designated Internet Web site or e-mail) of all task orders that do not fall under one of the exceptions at FAR 16.505(b)(2). See APPENDIX E for the exceptions. Each task order will be evaluated, at a minimum, on selection criteria, which include past performance, technical/management approach, and price/cost. Funding Document/Order Number This is the unique customer number identifying the Funding Document/Order. The funding document/order also must cite the CIO-SP2 i Task Order Authorization Number and must include the proper processing fee as a separate FFP line item, where appropriate. Loaded Hourly Labor Rates Loaded Hourly Rate is defined as the direct hourly rate along with the appropriate load factors, inclusive of profit. Load factors include such items as overhead, fringe benefits and general and administrative (G&A) expense. FFP Orders The contractor estimates the quantity of hours required for the effort to arrive at the firm fixed price of the labor portion of the order. ODC's are computed separately (using the ODC multiplier) and added to the labor price to arrive at the order's total FFP. No post award accounting of hours expended or personnel qualifications are required. T&M Orders The prime contractor is reimbursed at the applicable rate for each hour of effort delivered. Personnel must meet the minimum qualifications of the labor category against which they are billed. ODC's are computed separately. NIH Processing Fee This is the fee that NITAAC receives for processing a task order or task order modification to award and is intended to cover the costs associated with the solicitation, award, and administration of contracts under CIO-SP2 i NITAAC Approval Letter A memorandum signed by the CIO-SP2 i CO authorizing approval of the selected prime contractor and providing the CIO-SP2i Task Order Authorization Number and processing fee information. NITAAC Tracking Number This is the number assigned by NITAAC at the beginning of step one of the TO award process. Both NIH and external customers use it. It is required for internal tracking of the TO until SRDP approval is provided and a CIO-SP2 i Task Order Authorization Number is assigned. Prime Contractor Contractors holding a CIO-SP2 i IDIQ contract awarded by NITAAC. Only prime contractors may receive TO awards from customers. Each prime contractor leads a team of subcontractors that may perform work on a customer's order, but it is the prime contractor with whom the Government maintains a contractual relationship. Selection Recommendation Document Package (SRDP) The documentation, which includes a discussion of the evaluation process and the rationale for award, copies of all proposals, checklist and signature by the AMO. These orders may be funded fully in the first year, funded by options, or incrementally funded. Task Order Requirements Package (TORP) The complete documentation prepared and submitted by the customer (both NIH and external) to initiate a TO request.

CIO-SP2 i Glossary

The definitions in this section reflect NITAAC's interpretation of terms and concepts used in the CIO-SP2 i guidelines.

Accountable Management Official (AMO)

The individual within the customer's organization, (NIH or external), who is authorized to obligate or expend the Government funds. This individual has the authority to bind the Government to the extent of the authority delegated to him/her. The dollar threshold set forth in the individual's delegation may not be exceeded. The AMO is typically a Contracting Officer, if the customer chooses to issue orders locally (i.e., through its own agency channels). Only when a local contracting office is not available, the AMO may be a project official who must be given authorization by his/her agency to direct the transfer of funds to the designated contracting office.

Awarded/Funded/Obligated:

* Awarded Amount: The dollar amount of the task order over the life of the order, e.g., includes incremental funding and optional dollar amounts.

* Funded Amount: The total amount of monies to be obligated in a fiscal year. This amount may be spread over several task order modifications, each containing a portion of the funded amount as the obligation of that particular task order modification.

* Obligated Amount: The dollar amount of the task order. This may or may not equal the funded amount, depending on how the agency determines to allocate the funded amount over the fiscal year.

Best Value Analysis

In accordance with FAR Part 15.101, the analysis of technical and cost proposals to determine which proposal offers the best trade-off between price/cost and performance, where quality is considered an integral performance factor.

CIO-SP2 i Task Order (TO) Authorization Number

This is the number that NITAAC assigns to a task order once the Selection Recommendation Document Package (SRDP) has been approved. It is provided to the customer (with a copy to the prime contractor) via the approval letter. It must appear on the customer's funding document/order. In the case of NIH Records of Call, the CIO-SP2 i Task Order Authorization Number must appear in the description block of the Record of Call. The prime contractor shall not accept any orders without this number.

Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR)

The individual appointed by the AMO who serves as the principal point of contact between the customer, the task order prime contractor and NITAAC. This individual provides technical direction to the task order prime contractor.

Contract Type: Time and Materials (T&M)

The acquisition of supplies or services on the basis of: (1) direct labor hours at specified fixed hourly rates that include wages, overhead, general and administrative expenses, and profit and (2) materials at cost, including, if appropriate, material handling costs as a part of material costs. A T&M Task Order may only be used when it is not possible at the time of placing the order to estimate accurately the extent or duration of the work or to anticipate costs with any reasonable degree of confidence. This contract type places maximum risk on the Government. The customer must follow the requirements of FAR 16.601.

Contract Type: Cost Reimbursable

Contracts that provide for payment of allowable incurred costs to the extent prescribed in the contract. There is an estimate of the total costs for the purpose of obligating funds and a ceiling that the prime contractor may not exceed (except at its own risk) without approval of the contracting officer.

(i) Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) -A cost-reimbursement contract that provides for payment to the prime contractor of a negotiated fee that is fixed at the inception of the contract.

(ii) Cost Plus Award Fee (CPAF) (typically greater than $2 million) - A cost-reimbursement contract that provides for a fee consisting of (a) a base amount (which may be zero) fixed at the inception of the contract and (b) an award amount, based upon a judgmental evaluation by the Government, sufficient to provide motivation for excellence in contract performance. Award fee evaluation criteria must be specified in the TORP.

(iii) Cost Sharing- A cost-reimbursement contract in which the contractor receives no fee and is reimbursed only for an agreed-upon portion of its allowable costs. Note: (i) and (ii) above require that the fee shall not exceed the applicable, FAR- cited statutory percentage limitation of the estimated cost, excluding fee (see FAR 15.404-4(C)(4)(i)(C).

Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP)

A firm fixed price contract provides for a firm price that is not subject to any adjustment on the basis of the prime contractor's cost experience in performing the contract. This contract type places maximum risk on the prime contractor. It also provides maximum incentive for the prime contractor to control costs and perform effectively.

Customer

This term includes personnel in both NIH ordering activities and in all other Federal Agencies. The term "external customer" means any customer agency that is not a part of the NIH.

"Fair-Opportunity-to-be-Considered" (FOC) Rule

All prime contractor teams (primes and their designated subcontractors) are considered to possess the basic qualifications for success in those information technology task areas of the contract awarded to them. Therefore, the statutory and regulatory requirement for "Fair-Opportunity-to-be-Considered" will be deemed to have been met by the announcement (through the designated Internet Web site or e-mail) of all task orders that do not fall under one of the exceptions at FAR 16.505(b)(2). See APPENDIX E for the exceptions. Each task order will be evaluated, at a minimum, on selection criteria, which include past performance, technical/management approach, and price/cost.

Funding Document/Order Number

This is the unique customer number identifying the Funding Document/Order. The funding document/order also must cite the CIO-SP2 i Task Order Authorization Number and must include the proper processing fee as a separate FFP line item, where appropriate.

Loaded Hourly Labor Rates

Loaded Hourly Rate is defined as the direct hourly rate along with the appropriate load factors, inclusive of profit. Load factors include such items as overhead, fringe benefits and general and administrative (G&A) expense.

FFP Orders

The contractor estimates the quantity of hours required for the effort to arrive at the firm fixed price of the labor portion of the order. ODC's are computed separately (using the ODC multiplier) and added to the labor price to arrive at the order's total FFP. No post award accounting of hours expended or personnel qualifications are required.

T&M Orders

The prime contractor is reimbursed at the applicable rate for each hour of effort delivered. Personnel must meet the minimum qualifications of the labor category against which they are billed. ODC's are computed separately.

NIH Processing Fee

This is the fee that NITAAC receives for processing a task order or task order modification to award and is intended to cover the costs associated with the solicitation, award, and administration of contracts under CIO-SP2 i

NITAAC Approval Letter

A memorandum signed by the CIO-SP2 i CO authorizing approval of the selected prime contractor and providing the CIO-SP2i Task Order Authorization Number and processing fee information.

NITAAC Tracking Number

This is the number assigned by NITAAC at the beginning of step one of the TO award process. Both NIH and external customers use it. It is required for internal tracking of the TO until SRDP approval is provided and a CIO-SP2 i Task Order Authorization Number is assigned.

Prime Contractor

Contractors holding a CIO-SP2 i IDIQ contract awarded by NITAAC. Only prime contractors may receive TO awards from customers. Each prime contractor leads a team of subcontractors that may perform work on a customer's order, but it is the prime contractor with whom the Government maintains a contractual relationship.

Selection Recommendation Document Package (SRDP)

The documentation, which includes a discussion of the evaluation process and the rationale for award, copies of all proposals, checklist and signature by the AMO. These orders may be funded fully in the first year, funded by options, or incrementally funded.

Task Order Requirements Package (TORP)

The complete documentation prepared and submitted by the customer (both NIH and external) to initiate a TO request.