CANCELLED BY PIC 09-09

01-12

Procurement Information Circular

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June 15, 2001

CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND PAST PERFORMANCE DATA BASE (PPDB)

PURPOSE: Provide updated guidance for use of NASA's automated PPDB. This updated guidance will enable more uniform Agencywide compliance with the requirements of FAR Subpart 42.15, Contractor Performance Information, and implementation of the NASA PPDB.

BACKGROUND: In April 2000, required use of NASA's automated PPDB was initiated. Recent discussions with several Centers has revealed different interpretations and implementations of FAR Subpart 42.15 and NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) Subpart 1842.15 policy regarding the PPDB.

GUIDANCE: Guidance is provided in the following Questions and Answers:

1. Q. Must performance on all contracts be evaluated?

    A. No. Agencies shall not evaluate performance for contracts awarded under FAR Subpart 8.6, Acquisition from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. and Subpart 8.7, Acquisition from Nonprofit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. Otherwise, agencies shall prepare an evaluation of contractor performance for each contract in excess of $100,000.

2. Q. How does NASA document evaluations required by FAR 42.15?

    A. NASA uses NASA Form (NF) 1680, entitled, "Evaluation of Performance."

3. Q. Do evaluations used in determining award fee earned require completion of NF 1680?

    A. Not completion, per se, but award fee evaluations must be summarized on NF 1680 and entered into the NASA PPDB. Summarize means completing all blocks on page one of the NF 1680, except the block entitled, "Discussion of Evaluation with Contractor," and omitting all blocks on page two.

4. Q. Are there any situations in which evaluation is documented using other than NF 1680?

    A. Yes. Agencies evaluate construction contractor performance using SF 1420, and architect/engineer contractor performance using SF 1421.

5. Q. Must evaluation be performed for orders?

    A. Yes, if individual orders exceeding $100,000 constitute separate contracts, e.g., purchase orders, orders under Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA’s), their evaluation is required.

6. Q. When orders do not constitute separate contracts, e.g. task orders issued under indefinite delivery contracts, must performance be evaluated under each order?

    A. No. Because orders under indefinite delivery contracts are not contracts, such orders do not require individual evaluation. Instead, you must evaluate the overall contract under which the orders are issued. Nonetheless, contracting officers also have discretion to evaluate task or delivery orders under indefinite delivery contracts if deemed appropriate.

7. Q. When purchase orders are used to implement interagency agreements, must evaluation be performed?

    A. No. Interagency transactions are not contracts. Only contracts are subject to FAR 42.15. Therefore, by definition, all interagency transactions are excluded from the requirement for evaluation.

8. Q. How frequently are evaluations to be made?

    A. While the FAR requires a final evaluation and annual interim evaluations, contracting officers also have discretion to evaluate more frequently, e.g., quarterly, monthly, etc.

9. Q. How much time should be allowed for conducting interim evaluations?

    A. While interim evaluations should be conducted within 60 days of the anniversary of the award of the contract, such time might begin 60 days before and end 60 days after the anniversary. Thus, a total of 120 days is available for completion of evaluations, including any reviews at a level above the contracting officer.

10. Q. Are all past performance evaluations entered into the NASA PPDB?

    A. No. Evaluations documented on SF 1420 and SF 1421 are not entered into the PPDB.

11. Q. Should past performance evaluations (and summaries of award fee evaluations) be entered into PPDB system using Informed Filler or the web-based form?

    A. Either is acceptable. However, the procurement officer at each center must select either Informed Filler or the web-based form for all entries from that Center.

12. Q. PIC 00-02, INITIATION OF PAST PERFORMANCE DATA BASE (PPDB), advised that "Moreover, to enhance its utility, procurement officers must ensure that NF 1680s completed after October 1, 1998, are entered into the PPDB before July 10, 2000." Is that guidance still current?

    A. No. There is no requirement to enter so-called "legacy evaluations," i.e., past performance evaluations completed before July 1, 2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This PIC is effective as dated and shall remain in effect until canceled or superseded.

CANCELLATION: PIC 00-02 is canceled.

HEADQUARTERS CONTACT: Paul Brundage Code HK, (202) 358-0481, e-mail: paul.brundage@hq.nasa.gov.

R. Scott Thompson, Director
Contract Management Division