(a)(1) Prior to synopsizing in the GPE, contracting officers shall obtain concurrence on the notice for all Program Executive Office (PEO) managed programs requiring a written acquisition plan in accordance with DFARS 207.103.

(i) When the estimated dollar value of the acquisition is at least $50 million but less than $250 million, obtain the concurrence of the cognizant Program Manager.

(ii) When the estimated dollar value of the acquisition is $250 million or greater, obtain the concurrence of the cognizant PEO.

(a)(5)(iii) The senior procurement executive shall make the determination that access through government point of entry (GPE) is not in the Government’s interest. See Appendix GG for further delegation.

(a) Public announcement.

(i) In addition to the contractual actions identified in DFARS 205.303, report all contractual actions of significance or interest to the United States Congress, the Army, and the local community.

(ii)(1) The contracting officer shall submit an announcement of contract award to the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Procurement) (ODASA(P)) no later than noon (12:00 p.m., Washington, DC, time) three business days (including the date of submission) prior to the date of the proposed award. For example: when an award is anticipated on Thursday, the ODASA(P) must receive the announcement no later than noon, Washington DC time, on the preceding Tuesday. Contracting officers will submit the request along with required supporting information via the Virtual Contracting Enterprise (VCE) portal page at https://vceportal.army.mil . A contracting officer will not award a contract that meets the reporting threshold at DFARS 205.303(a)(i) without formal ODASA(P) approval. If the contracting officer has not received approval of the request by 2:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the day before the desired date of contract award, the contracting officer will contact the ODASA(P) at usarmy.pentagon.hqda-asa-alt.list.congressional-notification@army.mil to inquire into the status of the approval.

(2) Contracting officers shall confirm the award schedule with ODASA(P) by noon of the proposed award date using the email address in paragraph (a)(ii)(1). If the schedule is anticipated to slip, a new award date must be established.

(3) When a contract action is to be awarded under the authority of FAR 6.302-2 and the senior contracting official (SCO) determines that it may be impracticable to comply with the requirements of DFARS 205.303(a)(ii)(A) and (B), the SCO, without power to delegate further, shall:

(i) Immediately notify the DASA(P) by email, with a copy furnished to the head of the contracting activity, that explains the circumstances and requests authority to make the award in advance of compliance with DFARS 205.303(a)(ii)(A) and (B); and

(ii) Authorize the contracting officer to award the contract only upon written approval by the DASA(P) or, in the DASA(P)’s absence, the senior official within the ODASA(P).

(4) The contracting officer will submit the standard announcement under paragraph (a)(ii)(1) of this section to the ODASA(P) no later than one business day after the award. In addition to the information specified in the automated tool, the contracting officer will add a one-line comment in the “Description” field that describes the nature of the urgency that precluded advance notification to the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) (OASD(PA)).

(5) In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2316, do not release the identity or location of the awardee to any individual, including a Member of Congress, until OASD(PA) makes the public announcement.

(6) Paragraph (a)(ii)(3) of this section is the only authorized Army-level exception to DFARS 205.303(a)(ii)(A) and (B). No contracting activity-level deviation from this provision may be authorized.

(iii) The ODASA(P) informs the Office of the Chief Legislative Liaison who in turn informs the members of Congress in whose state or district the contractor is located and performing the contractual requirements, and the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs who in turn notifies OASD(PA).

The contracting officer must obtain concurrence from Office of the Chief Legislative Liaison, Department of the Army, prior to releasing information regarding a congressional inquiry response to the general public, including information proposed to be released to the news media.

(a) Contracting officers shall not provide information regarding a congressional inquiry to any public or private, individual or organization, prior to responding to the appropriate Member of Congress (see 5105.402).

(b) When responsiveness would result in disclosure of a classified matter, business confidential information, or information prejudicial to a competitive acquisition, the contracting officer shall refer the proposed reply, with full documentation, through the senior contracting official to the ODASA(P) as provided in 5101.290. ODASA(P) will seek agency head approval as defined in 5102.101. The contracting officer shall inform the Office of the Chief Legislative Liaison of the action and submit an interim response to the appropriate Member of Congress, indicating the action being taken.

(a) The head of the contracting activity shall approve the publication of paid advertisements in newspapers. See Appendix GG for further delegation.