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New Acquisition Strategy for Superfund
As the current generation of Superfund contracts began to expire in FY 1998 and FY 1999, EPA developed a new Contracts 2000 strategy and implementation plan as a road map for future Superfund contracting. The Contracts 2000 effort began in October 1996 and was spearheaded by a cross-agency workgroup consisting of representatives from OSWER, OAM, OECA and the Regions. The effort encompassed plans for major multi-million dollar contracts supporting Headquarters and Regional Superfund activities including site assessment, removal and remedial action, enforcement, analytical services, and Federal facilities.
The central charge of the Contracts 2000 workgroup was to develop a strategy and implementation plan for the future that best meets program needs, while executing best procurement practices. The major goals of the effort were to: (1) strike the right balance between ensuring national consistency, while affording the regions the flexibility required to meet changing program directions, (2) expand the industrial base and introduce more competition into the Superfund contracting process, (3) increase socioeconomic firm participation in the Superfund contracting program, and (4) adopt new contracting vehicles and methods such as performance based service contracting, multiple award contracting, and fixed price contracting. The Contracts 2000 planning effort has been an open and inclusive process, as OSWER and OAM have held many forums with internal and external stakeholders to solicit their views.
The Contracts 2000 effort has two components: strategy development and implementation. The Contracts 2000 strategy report and implementation framework were issued in 1999 and retain much of the current Superfund contracting infrastructure in place for the future. The workgroup has now moved into the implementation phase of this effort. During this phase, the Agency has determined specific details (such as number and type of future contracts and whether they will be national, regional, or zone contracts) for several contract types including Emergency and Rapid Response Services (ERRS), Enforcement Support Services (ESS), Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START), Environmental Services Assistance Team (ESAT), and Regional Oversight Contracts (ROC). In addition, the workgroup is developing a follow-on implementation plan for the Response Action Contracts (RACs).