11.6. Contractor Councils
The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) supports the formation of management, sector, and/or corporate councils by each prime contractor under DCMA cognizance that provide Acquisition Category (ACAT) I, ACAT IA, or ACAT II program support. These councils provide an interface with the Contract Management Office Commander; the Defense Contract Audit Agency Resident Auditor; representatives from all affected acquisition management activities (including program managers, Item Managers, and Standard Procurement System Component Team Leaders), or designated representatives for any of the above listed individuals. Acquisition managers or designees should support both council activities and council-sponsored Working-Level Integrated Product Teams. Acquisition managers should assist the councils and keep all the stakeholders informed about issues affecting multiple acquisition programs, work issues quickly, and elevate unresolved issues to appropriate levels for resolution. These councils may identify and propose acquisition process streamlining improvements. Acquisition managers should assist and encourage councils to coordinate and integrate program audit and review activity, support and promote civil-military integration initiatives, and accept contractor Standard Procurement System proposals and other ideas that reduce total ownership cost while meeting performance-based specifications.
The program office staff should interface with contractors' councils, keeping in mind that such councils are not federal advisory committees under the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The staff may find that these councils strengthen the corporate relationship with the Department of Defense, provide an interface between company representatives and acquisition managers, communicate acquisition reform initiatives, or even resolve issues. In leading corporate endeavors, such as Standard Procurement System proposals, civil-military integration ideas, or other initiatives designed to achieve efficiencies for the company, these councils may ultimately produce savings for the Government.
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