User Guide Order Process

This section provides information about the streamlined order process that has been established for the DIESCON 3 BPA.   The focus is on activity associated with order placement.  Information regarding customer responsibility for monitoring order progress and final acceptance of the engineering and technical services is available on DIA's DIESCON 3 web site.

The DIESCON 3 BPA order process is modeled after best commercial practices and involves four simple steps.

DIA has identified two different ways in which orderscan be placed.  Each has slightly different implications forordering process and documentation.

• Schedule Award.  Customer solicits a single DIESCON 3 BPA Holder after reaching a best value decision based upon a review of the labor rates and skill levels of three DIESCON 3 BPA Holders.  Need for continuity of service or operations may also be considered.
• Competitive Award.  Customer elects to compete for a best technical and/or price solution by requesting a quotation from multiple DIESCON 3 BPA Holders.

The DIESCON 3 BPA is based on Federal Supply Service (FSS) Information Technology (IT) schedule rates that have been established between a contractor and the GSA.  The GSA has determined that the rates for services contained in each contractor's IT schedule price list are fair and reasonable and FSS orders are deemed competitive actions (per FAR6.102).  This permits the customer to make a schedule award or logical follow-on award (per FAR 8.404) without an additional competitive process.   However, the customer always has the option of making a competitive award, using a simple and easily tailored approach, after requesting a technical and price quote from multiple DIESCON 3 BPA Holders.

The following table lists specific tasks involved in the order process. The individual with principal responsibility for each task is coded with a P. The individual with support responsibility is coded with an S. Click on any step to move to a detailed description of the order activity and required documentation. Click here to move to a graphic depiction of order process tasks. It is suggested that anyone interested in using the DIESCON 3 BPA also review the implementation plan appearing at the DIA DIESCON 3 web site for an additional discussion of order placement tasks.

	Order Placement Tasks	BPA Holder	Project Manager	Ordering Authority	Finance Office
1.	Define requirements	S	P
2.a	Develop statement of work (SOW)	S	P
2.b	Develop statement of objectives (SOO)	S	P
2.c	Develop evaluation factors	S	P
2.d	Develop selection procedures		P
3.a	Identify multiple best value contractors		P	S
3.b	Identify alternate contractors		P	S
4.	Secure funding commitment		S		P
5.	Prepare and issue request for quotation (RFQ)		S	P
6.	Submit quotation	P		S
7.a	Review quote and affirm best value contractor		S	P
7.b	Use selection procedures to review quotes		S	P
7.c	Apply evaluation factors against quotes		S	P
7.d	Downselect to single best value contractor		S	P
8.	Issue purchase order		S	P
9.	Notify unsuccessful DIESCON 3 Holders		S	P

1.	Define requirements. Identify objectives and desired outcomes of the planned engineering or technical services. Resolve as list of requirements. Principal responsibility of Government Project Manager. BPA Holder interaction is permitted and encouraged.
2.a.	Develop statement of work (SOW). Prepare a SOW that describes the objective, scope, technical requirements, deliverables, special provisions, and inspection and acceptance procedures. Principal responsibility of Government Project Manager. BPA Holder interaction is permitted and encouraged.
2.b.	Develop statement of objectives (SOO). A SOO is similar to a SOW, except that requirements are stated as functional performance objectives rather than prescribed technical tasks. For example, a SOO requirement statement for a database application might specify the need to support 20 concurrent users, display query transaction results within 10 seconds, and update in real time. Encourages competing contractors to propose innovative solutions to user requirements. Principal responsibility of Government Project Manager. BPA Holder interaction is permitted and encouraged.
2.c.	Develop evaluation factors. Develop brief list of factors to be used in determining the contractor with whom the order will be placed. Principal responsibility of Government Project Manager. BPA Holder interaction is permitted.
2.d.	Develop selection procedures. Outline suggested approach to the selection process. Determine whether oral presentations should be permitted. Principal responsibility of Government Project Manager.
3.a.	Transmit to the Ordering Authority, along with the SOO, evaluation factors, and selection procedures. Internal DIA elements must also enclose a DIA Form 520. Principal responsibility of Government Project Manager. Coordination with Ordering Authority may be required.
3.b.	Identify alternate contractors. For competitive award where the order value is expected to exceed $500,000, visit additional DIESCON 3 BPA Holder web sites to identify one or more alternate contractors who should be requested to submit a competitive quote. Add names of the alternate contractors to competitive quote request described in paragraph 3.c. above. Principal responsibility of Government Project Manager.
4.	Secure funding commitment. Affirm availability of appropriate funds to support order. If customer is an agency external to DIA and DIA ordering support is required, prepare and transmit a MIPR to transfer funds to DIA. (DIA recommends that non-DIA customers request approval for local Ordering Authority, rather than using DIA ordering support.) Principal responsibility of Finance Office. Government Project Manager support required.
6.	Submit quotation. Selected DIESCON 3 BPA Holder or Holders respond electronically in five business days with technical and price quote. Technical quote follows prescribed format that permits it to serve as project plan, following annotation to reflect changes resulting from discussions prior to order placement. Principal responsibility of BPA Holder. Coordination with Ordering Authority possible for clarification of RFQ requirements.
7.a.	Review quote and affirm best value contractor. Review BPA Holders' technical and price quote. Determine that level of effort and mix of labor quoted is fair and reasonable for service being purchased. Discuss and resolve problems with contractor. Principal responsibility of Ordering Authority. Close coordination with Government Project Manager suggested.
7.b.	Use selection procedures to review quotes. As appropriate, schedule presentations by DIESCON 3 BPA Holders who quoted against requirement. Principal responsibility of Ordering Authority. Coordinate with Government Project Manager as appropriate.
7.c.	Apply evaluation factors against quotes. Apply evaluation factors outlined in earlier step against technical and price quotes. Document results for order files. Principal responsibility of Ordering Authority. Close coordination with Government Project Manager suggested.
7.d.	Downselect to single best value contractor. Integrate evaluation results and determine contractor offering best value to customer, based upon technical and/or price factors. Document results for order files. Principal responsibility of Ordering Authority. Close coordination with Government Project Manager suggested.
8.	Issue purchase order. Place formal order with selected best value contractor. Transmit order electronically and/or via hard copy means. Also notify contractor telephonically. Disseminate copies of order internally in accordance with agency procedures. Principal responsibility of Ordering Authority. Coordinate with Government Project Manager as appropriate.
9.	Notify unsuccessful DIESCON 3 Holders. Inform each unsuccessful contractor who submitted a quote of award decision. Express thanks for time expended in responding to requirement. Principal responsibility of Ordering Authority.