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INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES ::  Best Practices publications are prepared by various government agencies to assist the entire contracting community - both inside and outside government - in coming to agreement on expectations and standards for carrying out certain contracting activities.  Best Practices are not legal documents, but may be viewed as persuasive guidance in the management and administration of government contracts.
 
         

Best Manufacturing Practices.  This web site is hosted by the Best Manufacturing Practices Center of Excellence (BMPCOE), a partnership including DoD's Office of Naval Research’s, DOC's Bureau of Export Administration, and the University of Maryland at College Park’s Engineering Research Center (ERC). The purpose of this partnership is to strengthen the U.S. industrial base by enhancing the identification, development, and dissemination of best practices.
 

 

 Best Practices for Contract Administration.  October 1994.    Contract Administration involves activities performed by government officials after a contract has been awarded to determine how well performance is going.  Topics covered in this document include the roles and responsibilities of the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR); reviewing and processing vouchers; and contract closeout.
 

 

 Best Practices for Multiple Award Task and Delivery Order Contracting.  Interim Edition, July 1997.  Multiple award contracts allow the government to acquire an indefinite quantity, within stated limits, of supplies or services during a fixed period, with deliveries or performance to be scheduled by placing orders with the contractor.  This document highlights best practices in key phases of the multiple award contracting process.  See also: Update - January 11, 1999.
 

 

 Best Practices for Past Performance.  May, 2000.  Prepared by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, this guide was written to assist agencies in preparing contractor past performance records in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994.  It also helps contractors to understand what agencies are looking for in addressing current and past performance issues.  
 

Best Practices for Performance-Based Service Contracting. Final Edition, October 1998.  Performance-based service contracting (PBSC) focuses on the purpose of the work to be performed rather than the manner in which it is performed.  This document addresses best practices for drafting contract statements of work, solicitations, and quality assurance plans.  It also addresses best practices for awarding and administering performance-based service contracts.  See also, Guidebook for Performance-Based Services Acquisition (PBSA), issued by the Department of Defense in December, 2000.
 

Commercial Item Handbook.  The November 2001 Commercial Item Determination Handbook has been issued to provide further guidance on sound business strategies for acquiring commercial items. The handbook was developed to help acquisition personnel develop sound business strategies for procuring commercial items. It focuses on how market research and cross-competency teaming can increase the Government’s cost-effective use of commercial items to meet war-fighter needs. It also offers suggestions on questions to ask, and points to additional sources of information, sources of training, and available tools. The Handbook is designed to be a practical reference tool for use in commercial item acquisitions. 
 

DFAS Contractor Payment Information Handbook. This handbook provides a basic overview of the Defense Finance & Accounting Service's Contract Payment System. Contract Pay Services falls within the Commercial Pay Services business line, and is centrally located within the DFAS office in Columbus, Ohio. Contract Pay Services' primary financial management function is to entitle and disburse payments on Contract Administration Services (CAS) contracts.
 

Intellectual Property: Navigating Through Commercial Waters.  Issues and Solutions When Negotiating Intellectual Property With Commercial Companies.  This guide is intended to provide a straightforward discussion of the information contracting officers need to negotiate IP arrangements. Such negotiations should strive to balance the needs of the Government and industry, resulting in a win-win solution. This guide’s primary focus is on the issues associated with nontraditional Defense contractors in commercial industry.
 


Product Support for Weapons Systems.  Released in November, 2001, the full title for this guide is, "Product Support for the 21st Century: a Program Manager's Guide to Buying Performance."  It presents a performance-based logistics (PBL) strategy for product support of weapon systems. The guide is a tool for program managers as they design product support strategies for new programs or major modifications, or as they reengineer product support strategies for legacy weapon systems.  Read also the introductory memo issued by the office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Logistics and Materiel Readiness, issued on November 6, 2001.
 


Software Technology Support Center (STSC).  A division of the U.S. Air Force, the STSC provides hands-on assistance to the DoD community in adopting effective technologies for software-intensive systems. STSC consultants help organizations identify, evaluate and adopt technologies that improve software product quality, production efficiency and predictability. Service areas include Software Process Improvement, Software Technology Adoption, and Software Technology Evaluation. Outside government circles, the STSC is most widely known for its publication, "CrossTalk," and its annual Software Technology Conference (STC) held in Salt Lake City, Utah.
  

 
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