301 FW 1, Acquisition Authorities and Responsibilities, Fish and Wildlife Service Manual, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

301 FW 1
Acquisition Authorities and Responsibilities

Supersedes 301 FW 1, 10/28/08

Date: July 6, 2011

Series: Contracting

Part 301: Acquisition Policies and Procedures

Originating Office: Division of Contracting and Facilities Management

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1.1 What is the purpose and scope of this chapter? This chapter:

A. Lists the principal goals and objectives of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) acquisition policies,

B. Identifies the Service officials who perform general functions in the acquisition process, and

C. Lists the principal authorities that govern the acquisition process.

1.2 What are the principal objectives of the chapters in Part 301? The objectives of our acquisition policies are to:

A. Achieve full compliance with acquisition statutes and regulations;

B. Avoid conflicts of interest, unauthorized commitments, and unfair preferences;

C. Perform advance acquisition planning;

D. Assist specific types of businesses to obtain contracts and subcontracts, such as small businesses, minority-owned businesses, and other businesses that help us to meet our goals to improve socioeconomic conditions when we award them contracts;

E. Maximize competition; and

F. Obtain high quality products and services at reasonable prices.

1.3 Who is responsible for the Service’s acquisition program? Table 1-1 lists the employees implementing our acquisition program and their responsibilities.

Table 1-1: Responsibilities for the Service acquisition program
These employees….	Are responsible for…
A. The Director	(1) Ensuring we have an acquisition program in place that meets Federal requirements, and (2) Approving or declining to approve acquisition policy.
B. The Assistant Director - Business Management and Operations (AD-BMO)	(1) Serving as Head of the Contracting Activity, (22) Ratifying unauthorized commitments above the simplified acquisition threshold (see 301 FW 5), and (3) Ensuring the integrity of our acquisition system by making sure we comply with acquisition-related laws, regulations, policies, and ethics rules.
C. Assistant Directors, Regional Directors, Assistant Regional Directors, and Regional Chief Financial Officers	(1) Ensuring that proposed acquisitions are necessary to support our mission, and (2) Supporting acquisition-related requirements such as: (a) Advance acquisition planning, (b) Socio-economic and environmental preference programs when acquiring goods and services, (c) Ethical standards, (d) Performance-based acquisitions, and (e) Full and open competition.
D. The Chief, Division of Contracting and Facilities Management (CFM), Headquarters	(1) Developing and issuing uniform acquisition policies and procedures for the Service; (2) Conducting acquisition management reviews of Regional contracting offices in accordance with the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) “Framework for Assessing the Acquisition Function at Federal Agencies” and Departmental guidance; (3) Promoting full and open competition; and (4) Maintaining the Department’s data system used for reporting contracts to the central Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation.
E. The Deputy Ethics Counselor, Associate Ethics Counselor, and Assistant Ethics Counselors	Interpreting ethics laws and regulations that apply to acquisition matters (see 212 FW 1 for information about these officials).
F. Regional Chiefs, Contracting and General Services (CGS) and CFM Offices	(1) Implementing acquisition policies within the Region, (2) (3) Conducting acquisition management reviews of field stations within the Region, (3) Serving as Assistant Bureau Competition Advocates, and (4) Reviewing contract files for compliance with acquisition policy and regulations.
G. Supervisors of Contracting Officers	(1) Providing on-the-job training for Contracting Officers; (2) Ensuring the Contracting Officers they supervise comply with laws, regulations, and policy for acquisition matters and ethics; and (3) Reviewing contract files of the Contracting Officers they supervise for compliance with acquisition policy and regulations.
H. Contracting Officers	(1) Negotiating, awarding, administering, and terminating contracts; (2) Making related determinations and findings; and (3) Ensuring we are in compliance with all laws and regulations pertaining to an acquisition.

1.4 What are the authorities and guidance that govern our acquisition program?

A. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the primary document that codifies acquisition regulations and policies for executive agencies.

B. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars promulgate Federal acquisition policies and guidelines. The Circulars that most affect acquisition are:

(1) OMB Circular A-76, Performance of Commercial Activities, and

(2) OMB Circular A-123, Management Responsibilities for Internal Control.

C. The Departmental Manual (DM) Parts 401-405 provide instructions, policies, and procedures that have general and continuing applicability to acquisition.

D. The Department of the Interior Acquisition Regulation (DIAR) is the Department's supplemental acquisition regulation to the FAR.

E. The Department of the Interior Acquisition Policy Release (DIAPR) System provides policy and guidance on acquisition regulations.

F. The Contracting Officers' (CO) Handbook is our supplemental acquisition guidance to the DIAR and the FAR. CFM in Headquarters prepares and distributes it. The CO Handbook:

(1) Contains procedures for implementing the acquisition program that are unique to the Service, and

(2) Provides guidance for implementing the FAR, the DIAR, and the DM.

For information on the content of this chapter, contact the Division of Contracting and General Services. For more information about this Web site, contact Krista_Bibb, in the Division of Policy and Directives Management.

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