PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ASSIST FEDERAL AGENCIES
David Methot
Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence
UNIQUE PROBLEMS IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTRACTING
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Grafted onto field construction programs
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Lack of experience with cost contracts
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Lack of historical data on costs of environmental tasks
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Difficulty of dedicating sufficient staff
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Contracting challenges
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Can't identify scope
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Risk difficult to quantify
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Each case different
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Process dictated by law
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Process time and cost driven
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Must respond to congressional mandates for base closure
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Threat of litigation high
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Criteria controlled by others
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Threat of civil and/or criminal action
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CONTRACTING PRACTICES
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Different agencies use different contracts and procedures, which reflect agency organizations and experiences
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Types of contracts:
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Architect-Engineer contracts—provide investigations, studies and/or design capabilities at hazardous waste sites.
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Rapid response contracts—perform removal actions in a timely manner at hazardous waste sites.
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Remedial action contracts—provide permanent cleanup actions at hazardous waste sites upon completion of design
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Total environmental restoration contracts (Army)
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Comprehensive long-term environmental action, Navy (CLEAN) contracts
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Full Service Remedial Action Contracts (Air Force)
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Conclusions:
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Tailor contracting methods to requirements
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No one single solution
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Be innovative
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Determine unique requirements
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Consider all contracting methods
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Combine contracting techniques
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Use most effective method or combination of methods
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Major problem—contract administration
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AIR FORCE PROCEDURES AND RESOURCES
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Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE)
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Human systems center (HSC)—contracting agent
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Indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts and delivery orders —centrally selected/issues
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Restoration contracts aligned with clean-up process (studies, designs, clean-up)
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Contracts for pollution prevention, community relations, technology demonstration
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Contract administration delegated to Defense Contract Management Command (DCMC)
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On-site contract administration performed by installation
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Technical oversight by AFCEE
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Cost control by AFCEE and HSC
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Contracting guidance document: U.S. Air Force Environmental Restoration Contracting Strategies Analysis (January 1992), available from: HQUSAF/CEV, 1260 Air Force Pentagon, Washington, DC 20330-1260
INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP
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Representatives from EPA, AF, NAVY, COE, NASA, DOE, DOT
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Discuss environmental contracting issues
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Networking and information sharing
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Lessons learned
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What works/what doesn't
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Identify indicators of fraud, waste, or abuse
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Contract administration approaches
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Kickoff meeting, June 1992; second meeting, October 1992; next meeting, October 1993
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Acquisition initiatives
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Develop federal directory of environmental contractors
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Conduct joint contractor operation reviews
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Encourage the Defense Contract Management Command and Defense Contract Audit Agency to give greater support to civilian agencies
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Develop a common method of cost reporting
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Encourage a separate Standard Industrial Classification code for environmental work
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Develop a separate Federal Acquisition Regulation part for environmental work
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Develop an environmental electronic bulletin board
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Develop environmental contracting workload model or guidelines
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Establish federal environmental contractor conflict of interest guidance and interagency controls.
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