(a) As stated in FAR, acquisition planning is to be performed for all acquisitions, but what is entailed, and the format it will take, will depend on the scope, dollar value, and duration of the acquisition. As stated in (90), below, written plans are required for all acquisitions with values greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT).
(b) Planning to ensure that the Government meets its needs in the most effective, economical, and timely manner sometimes includes consideration of the use of contract vehicles not originally put in place by DOD personnel (e.g., Federal Supply Schedules). The considerations for use of these vehicles, as well as the procedures to be followed and safeguards to be employed when sending contracting dollars outside the Department, are set forth in Subparts 7.90, 17.5, 17.78, and 17.96, below.
(90) Written acquisition plans are required for all acquisitions expected to exceed the SAT, including those accomplished by means of direct or assisted acquisitions using non-DOD contract vehicles; see Subpart 7.90, below. This does not apply to individual orders against contracts when the acquisition plan is adequate to cover all anticipated orders. Acquisition plans shall be prepared, as applicable, in accordance with FAR 7.105, DFARS 207.105, DLAD 90.1101, and 90.1102, and be approved at a level above the buyer, as established by the Chief of the Contracting Office (CCO), except that acquisition plans shall be reviewed and approved by the CCO prior to solicitation for all actions that are not long term with a value equal to or greater than $2 million, and for all long term actions with a cumulative value equal to or greater than $10 million. (For acquisitions accomplished by means of non-DOD contract vehicles, including placement of orders against Federal Supply Schedules, this review and approval must be at a level above the buyer; see 7.90, below.) Approval prior to solicitation can be waived per supply chain guidance for urgent requirements. The format at DLAD 90.1102 may be modified to suit the needs of the contracting office. A standard DLA-wide form is not prescribed in order to permit use of supply chain forms or formats. However, as a minimum, the subject areas identified in the Advance Acquisition Planning Template (see 90.1103) shall be considered and addressed in the acquisition plan when applicable.
(i) If a DLA activity or functional unit that does not have contracting authority in its own right (e.g., HQ J-code activity; DLIS; DLA-C; DLA-E; DLA-P; DORRA) intends to acquire support through use of a non-DOD contracting vehicle on either a direct- or assisted-acquisition basis (see definitions in Part 2), that activity must contact the DLA contracting office that generally provides its contracting support, and request it to implement the appropriate review and approval procedures. Likewise, every program office that expends funds in its own right (that is, without requesting that its requirements be placed on contract by the local activity’s or supply chain’s Contracting office) must involve DLA contracting personnel in the review and approval process for the proposed acquisition. Contracting offices that exercise this function on behalf of others (e.g., DRMS on behalf of DLIS) must ensure that their supported activities are provided an explanation of this policy, and they must receive assurance from each such supported activity that the latter will no longer expend funds for contract support (including funds provided via military interdepartmental purchase request (MIPR)) without the express involvement of a DLA contracting office, at levels in accordance with the review and approval guidelines set forth in 7.104-90, Table 2. See also 7.9001(a)(90), below.
(91) Market surveys (see FAR 7.102) and market research (see FAR and DLAD Part 10) shall be performed consistent with any local operating procedures.
(92) The acquisition plan shall accompany the justification for other than full and open competition (see FAR 6.301, 6.304, and DLAD 6.304) when it is forwarded to the Activity Competition Advocate. The Activity Competition Advocate shall also be provided a copy of the acquisition plan for acquisitions where there is no history of receipt of more than one offer and price competition is not expected to be received on the acquisition.
(93) The plan shall identify anticipated costs, performance metrics, and the points of contact for monitoring contract performance.
(94) A Business Case Analysis (BCA) will be developed in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the One Book (DLAD 5025.30) chapter entitled, “Acquisition Business Case Analyses Process.” Approval thresholds for acquisition-related BCAs are addressed in DLAD 7.104-90 and Subpart 90.15; they are also referred to (for the acquisition of services) in Subpart 37.5. Although the BCA and the bundling or consolidation benefit analysis required in 7.107 and 7.170, below, are not synonymous, the kind of quantitative analysis that is at the heart of the BCA generally can be used in the determination of benefits accruing from the bundling or consolidating of contract requirements. Even when the BCA is used in this manner, though, the data pertaining specifically to bundling or consolidation should be extracted from the overall BCA and provided as a separate document in support of the justification to bundle or consolidate the requirements.
(95) See DLAD 17.9503, Acquisition Planning, for acquisition planning requirements for prime vendor, modified prime vendor, and other Tailored Logistics Support Contracting initiatives.
(96) The acquisition plan shall identify any proposed use of Time and Material (T&M) or Labor Hour (LH) clins, contracts, or task orders and address the requirements found in 90.1101, 90.1102 and 90.1103 concerning T&M and LH. Note also the monitoring and reporting requirement found in 16.601 (90).
