(a) Agency head or head of the Agency, unless otherwise stated, means the head of the OPDIV for: AHRQ; CDC; CMS; FDA; HRSA; IHS; NIH; SAMHSA; and ASFR for the Office of the Secretary (OS), including PSC. The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is the head of the agency for BARDA contracting functions.
(b) Chief of the Contracting Office is typically a mid-level management official, usually an office director, division director, or branch chief, who manages and monitors the daily contract operations of an OPDIV or major component of an OPDIV. The CCO is subordinate to the HCA, except where the same individual is the HCA and CCO.
(c) Contracting Officer's Technical Representative is a Federal employee whom a Contracting Officer has designated in writing to act as the Contracting Officer's representative in monitoring and administering specified aspects of contractor performance after award of a contract or order that exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold. ( Note: In accordance with local procedures, OPDIVs may designate COTRs for contracts or orders estimated to be less than the simplified acquisition threshold.) These activities may include verifying that:
(1) The contractor's performance meets the standards set forth in the contract;
(2) The contractor meets the contract/order's technical requirements by the specified delivery date(s) or within the period of performance; and
(3) The contractor performs within the fixed price or cost ceiling stated in the contract or order. COTRs must meet the training and certification requirements specified in 301.604.
(d) Head of the contracting activity is an official who has overall responsibility for managing a contracting activity- i.e., the organization within an OPDIV or other HHS organization which has been delegated broad authority regarding the conduct of acquisition functions.
(1) The HHS HCAs are as follows:
AHRQ: Director, Division of Contracts Management.
ASPR: Director, Office of Acquisitions Management, Contracts and Grants.
CDC: Director, Procurement and Grants Office.
CMS: Director, Office of Acquisition and Grants Management.
FDA: Director, Office of Acquisitions and Grant Services.
HRSA: Director, Office of Acquisition Management and Policy.
IHS: Director, Division of Acquisition Policy.
NIH: Director, Office of Acquisition and Logistics Management.
PSC: Director, Strategic Acquisition Service.
SAMHSA: Director, Division of Contracts Management.
(2) Each HCA shall conduct an effective and efficient acquisition program; establish adequate controls to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, procedures, and the dictates of good management practices; and conduct periodic reviews to evaluate and determine the extent of adherence to prescribed policies and regulations and the need for guidance and training.
(3) HCAs may redelegate their authorities to the extent that redelegation is not prohibited by the terms of their respective delegations of authority, by law, by the FAR, by the HHSAR, or by other regulations. To ensure proper control of redelegated acquisition authorities, HCAs shall maintain a file containing successive delegations of HCA authority through the Contracting Officer level.
(e) Program Manager is a federal employee whom an OPDIV official or designee one level above the head of the sponsoring program office has designated in writing to act as a Program Manager for a group of related major or non-major IT or construction capital investments-see HHS' P/PM Handbook. See also Appendix D, Relationship between Program Management and Project Management, of OFFP memorandum entitled “The Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers,” dated April 25, 2007. Program Managers must meet the FAC-P/PM certification requirements in 301.607. A Program Manager may also be delegated authority to act as the COTR for a major or non-major IT or construction capital investment- see 301.604.
(f) Project Manager is a federal employee whom a head of the sponsoring program office (Program Manager) or designee has designated in writing to act as a Project Manager for a major or non-major IT or construction capital investment-see HHS' P/PM Handbook. See also Appendix D, Relationship between Program Management and Project Management, of OFFP memorandum entitled “The Federal Acquisition Certification for Program and Project Managers,” dated April 25, 2007. Project Managers must meet the FAC-P/PM certification requirements in 301.607. A Project Manager may also be delegated authority to act as the COTR for a major or non-major IT or construction capital investment- see 301.604.
(g) Project Officer is a Federal employee whom a head of the sponsoring program office (Program Manager) or designee has designated in writing to act as a Project Officer and provide guidance, information, and assistance to the Contracting Officer for all technical aspects of a proposed project before award of a contract or order that is estimated to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. ( Note: In accordance with local procedures, OPDIVs may designate Project Officers for contracts or orders estimated to be less than the simplified acquisition threshold.) Project Officers must meet the training requirements in 301.606. Project Officers are often delegated authority to also act as the COTR on a contract or order- see 301.604.
[74 FR 62398, Nov. 27, 2009, as amended at 75 FR 21510, Apr. 26, 2010]
