(a) Except for acquisitions identified as a Special Interest, multi-functional teams that support services acquisition requirements with a total acquisition value of $500 million or more or an annual value of $250,000,000 or more, shall participate in a Services Acquisition Workshop (SAW), or an equivalent program in accordance with DoDI 5000.74, Defense Acquisition of Services. For multiple award, IDIQ contracts, a SAW is not required for the base contract, but is required for any task order valued at $100 million or more in accordance with DoDI 5000.74. However, within the DON, this requirement is waived for task orders valued below $250 million. Multi-functional teams are highly encouraged to apply SAW-like steps to all services acquisitions valued at $10 million or more but less than the values above. If the HCA determines that a waiver is necessary, the waiver request shall be submitted by email to SeniorServicesManage.fct@navy.mil with the subject “NMCARS 5237.192 - Services Acquisition Workshop (SAW) Waiver Request” for approval by:

(i) USD(A&S) or ASD(A) for Special Interest acquisitions;

(ii) The DON Senior Services Manager DASN(P) for all other waiver requests.

(b) The waiver request shall include: the rationale for not participating in a SAW; an assessment of the quality of the requirements documents; and, steps taken to reduce costs, improve competition, and shorten acquisition lead times and whether the acquisition has been designated as a special interest acquisition by USD(A&S) or ASD(A).

(c) Participation in a SAW or approved waiver is required before a services strategy will be approved.

(d) Multi-functional teams are permitted to use abbreviated SAW options offered by Defense Acquisition University (DAU) when a SAW has already been completed on a recurring services acquisition requirement in the past five years and there is no change in scope. Abbreviated SAW options are considered equivalent programs to a SAW and are encouraged to be used in lieu of requesting a SAW waiver. Other types of mission assistance workshops that are considered equivalent include, Acquisition and Management (DAU iCatalog “WSM”) and DAU’s Source Selection Simulation (“Triple-S”) workshop.