8(a) STARS Delegation of Procurement Authority

Federal buyers who wish to use the 8(a) STARS GWAC must receive training and be granted a delegation of procurement authority prior to issuing task orders. Delegations are required by GSA's Quality Assurance Plan in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget guidelines. Delegations can only be granted to warranted Contracting Officers but all individuals involved with an 8(a) STARS task order are encouraged to participate in the training.

There are two ways to receive delegation of procurement authority to utilize 8(a) STARS: Center for Acquisition Excellence online training seminar (preferred method) or through a conference call with one of the 8(a) STARS Procuring Contracting Officers (PCOs).

Center for Acquisition Excellence Online Training Seminar Entitled "8(a) STARS Delegation of Procurement Authority"

The 8(a) STARS PCOs are not always available to provide delegation training. The Small Business GWAC Center has created a self-paced seminar available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for Contracting Officers interested in obtaining delegation to use 8(a) STARS. To take advantage of this readily available form of delegation, please follow these steps:

  1. Access the Center for Acquisition Excellence
  2. Request a login and password (if you do not already have one)
  3. Login to the Center for Acquisition Excellence
  4. Click on "Learning Center"
  5. Click on "Course Information and Enrollment"
  6. Select "8(a) STARS Delegation of Procurement Authority Seminar"
  7. Complete seminar
  8. Email or fax a copy of the seminar completion certificate, the Ordering Agency's Contracting Officer's (OACO) warrant, and contact information (which includes: full name, agency address, phone number, fax, and email address)

The Small Business GWAC Center will then validate the information received and issue a Memorandum of Agreement, which includes the delegation of procurement authority. The Contracting Officer's concurrence on the delegation is required.

Conference Call With One of the 8(a) STARS PCOs

Delegations of procurement authority are easy to request and are handled through a brief conference call. To start the process, Contracting Officers need to submit the following information to the Small Business GWACs Center's delegations@gsa.gov inbox. (Please place 8(a) STARS Delegation in the subject line:)

  1. Agency name, individual(s) full name, street address, email address, phone number and fax number for each Contracting Officer requesting delegation of procurement authority
  2. Scan and email a copy of each Contracting Officer's warrant to the names listed above or copies may be faxed to (816) 823-1608
  3. Names of other individuals who may be participating in the training (please note: these additional individuals, if not Contracting Officers, are not eligible to receive delegation of procurement authority)
  4. Upon receipt of this information, an 8(a) STARS Procuring Contracting Officer will contact the ordering contracting officer to set up a training date and time

Delegation of procurement authority training takes about 15 to 20 minutes on a conference call with a Procuring Contracting Officer of the 8(a) STARS GWAC. After the training is completed, a delegation of procurement authority memorandum will be sent to the ordering contracting officer. It is possible for these delegations to be granted in the same day as the training.

Last Reviewed 1/30/2009