FAR Compliance Issues And Contributing Factors - Assignment Example

FAR Compliance Issues And Contributing Factors Introduction A request for proposal is basically a manuscript issued by a company when buying something and decides to make the specifications public (Hales & Gooch, 2004). This is usually done to attract several companies to the bidding process to provide competitive prices. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is a collection of policies tailored to govern purchasing process of the federal government. The major concern of FAR is to ensure that standard purchasing procedures are adhered to and the tendering process for government contracts are carried out fairly. Request for proposal by the National Museum The national museum has selected Sunshine Wood Dealer Company to provide a proposal for supply of raw wood and furniture products for the construction of a natural wood products asylum. This request for proposal holds information and directives to enable interested bidder to prepare and submit a detailed proposal and explains the terms and conditions that qualified bibbers will be expected to agree on in order to undertake the project. The project is at its initial stages and all documentations for commencement are ready. We intend to commence construction process once all the design documents are dully signed by the most preferred proposer. The construction director will be liable for the whole construction task and synchronization of commissioning, inspection s and certification. Scope of the work This project covers the construction of a one-storey building haven for natural wood products with partitions for offices and various furniture products. The project documents provided (specifications and design) outline the span of the work. Requirements for the project Close to one thousand pieces of raw wood are required for the construction of an ultramodern store that will house the natural wood products. Additionally, two thousand wood carvings of different shapes and styles are required for storage once construction is completed. Consequently, unique furniture products such as tables and chairs are required to color the sanctuary. Due to the scale of the entire project, the qualified company must ensure that its products are of high quality and will serve for a long period before replacement. It is essential to identify that fake products will not be accepted and if a company offers such products, it will face the full force of federal laws. Besides, in case of any loss suffered as a result of counterfeit product, the source company will meet all the resulting expenses including the legal fees. In addition, the company should provide an active contact address in order to ensure all relevant information concerning the project is received or disseminated on time. Proposals should include the information outlined below An outline of the project organization including a staffing plan and a responsibility matrix showing the duties of the project team members. A plan to provide the national museum with the project progress and resolve any conflicting situations that might arise. A site mobilization plan and environmental pollution control measures. A succinct record and outline of the company’s history including past experience in providing wood product to a large agency. Additionally, provide a list of clients dealt with in the past including; telephone contacts, contact name and length of service. A detailed construction cost estimate (Fria, 2005). All calculations should be stated clearly and hand written calculation need to be provided if necessary. A statement of overhead fee for the entire project and outline clearly total expenses. Please remember to document experience demonstrating proficiency in working with government agencies and making furniture that is eye-catching. Timelines The official issuance of this request for proposal was on 20th July 2014 and the expected deadline for interested vendors to submit written questions about the project is on 25th July 2014.All questions regarding the project should be addressed to the chief contracting officer of the national museum. The vendors should expect written answers to the question on 5th August 2014 in their email address. The deadline for submitting proposals is on 15th August 2014, 10.00 am EST. The finalist contenders will be notified three days after submission deadline to prepare for the interview which will be conducted on 22nd August 2014. The schedule for the interview will be sent to individual vendor’s email address. The qualified vendor will be selected on 30th August 2014 and signed on 5th September 2014. Terms and conditions According to Stewart & Stewart (1992), terms and condition must be present to enhance commitment. The payments for the project are to be made on two phases; the first payment will be made after 50% completion of the project and the rest after the full project is completed. The current economic status of the country requires every spending to be economized to ensure that all the prioritized projects are completed within the stipulated time. As a result of this, the potential contractor must offer fair prices and ensure timely completion of the project. All the viable contract contenders must pay a fixed $1000 tender fee which is nonrefundable. No agreement shall be made unless all the legal requirements by the federal government are met. The government disregards all damages that result from illegal contracting procedures. In fact, potential vendors should be aware of conmen to avoid losing their money in ghost projects. FAR Compliance Issues And Contributing Factors The government accountability office (GAO) is responsible for auditing and giving financial advice on the government activities. All government agencies are obliged to submit the budget of their proposed projects to the GAO for auditing before the operations commence. Additionally, all government agencies must ensure that all transactions are done in accordance to the federal laws. For accountability purposes, firms entrusted to undertake any project by government agencies must be legally registered to ensure that public funds and resources do not go to waste and that no contracting firm fails to pay tax. This obligation was enshrined in the FAR to compel companies which evade taxation remit their tax to steer the country’s development forward. Contracting firms must abide by the antitrust issues regulations to ensure fairness and transparency. In essence, antitrust issues such as collusive bidding and price fixing are a major problem with many companies. As a result, FAR requires that contracting parties should shun from such illicit acts to enhance fulfillment of both the agency and the contractor (Koprince, 2012). Consequently, environmental issues such as pollution and degradation are major concerns to the federal government and the community at large. In essence, deforestation has been a major concern in the recent past. There are worries that severe climatic conditions might continue to be experienced if the issue of deforestation is not taken care of. As a result, FAR demands total compliance with the rules and mechanisms adopted by the government to tame companies dealing with wood products from destroying the natural environment. Ethical guidelines Jensen, (2006) argues that qualified companies are expected to submit their proposals only to the agency’s head office or any other authorized agency. The proposers are advised not to make any payment to any individual or body unless otherwise directed by the agency. In addition, the proposers must act according to federal ethical guidelines against corruption, nepotism and other illicit practices. In essence, ethics give an idea of how things ought to be done to ensure minimal or no harm is done to either of the contracting parties. In other words, ethics ensure that moral sanity is cultivated from inception to the termination of contact. To this regard, the national museum disregards proposals submitted through corruption or bribing of agency officials. In addition, fraud is an evil that will be punished brutally to avoid tarnishing the name of national museum. To proceed to the next level, bidders must agree to the terms of the RFP, place a bid and wait for response from national museum officials. Additionally, there must be intentions to create legal relations between the agency and the potential vendor in the proposal. For effective contracting, an attractive consideration has been decided, that is, the price to be paid by Suggestions of Planned actions in soliciting and awarding contracts Research and description of agency needs- the description should contain detailed information that will enable potential vendors identify the most suitable product for the agency’s project. In addition, the agency should be specific in explaining the nature of the product required outlining all the specifications and the expected standards. Consideration of past performance - the agency should critically analyze the past performance of Sunshine Wood Dealer Company to assess its credibility in undertaking such a costly project. In effect, this will provide an idea of the eminence of work the company can perform. Conclusion A request for proposal is very important in selecting the best company to assign a government project. Federal acquisition regulations must be followed in soliciting and awarding government contracts. The GAO must assess all government projects before they are awarded. However, unethical issues such as corruption and mishandling of government resource must be checked to enhance transparency. In essence both the government agency and the contracting company must respect the federal laws in conducting their businesses. References: Fria, R (2005).Successful RFPs in construction: managing the request for proposal process. New York: McGraw-Hill. Hales, C. & Gooch, S. (2004). Managing engineering design. London [u. a.]: Springer. Jensen, J. (2006) Quick reference to federal appropriations law. Vienna, Va.: Management Concepts. Koprince, S. (2012).The Small-Business Guide to Government Contracts: How to Comply with the Key Rules and Regulations ... and Avoid Terminated Agreements, Fines, or Worse. New York: AMACOM. Stewart, R. & Stewart, A. (1992). Proposal preparation. New York: Wiley. Read More