PGI 201.404-70: Contracting officer’s representative.

Contracting officers must inform all individuals performing on their behalf of their delegated roles and responsibilities and the relationships among the parties.

(a) When designating Department of State personnel as a contracting officer’s representative (COR for contracts executed by DoD in support of Department of State in Iraq), follow the procedures in the Director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition Policy memorandum dated July 11, 2011, Contracting Officer’s Representative Designation—Iraq.

(b) DoD COR certification standards define minimum COR competencies, experience, and training requirements according to the nature and complexity of the requirement and contract performance risk. These COR certification standards should be considered when developing service requirements, soliciting proposals, and performing surveillance during contract performance. The DoD standards and policy are provided in DoD Instruction 5000.72, DoD Standard for Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) Certification.

(c) Guidance on the appointment and duties of CORs is provided in the DoD COR Guidebook.

(d) DoD components must use the Joint Appointment Module (JAM), within the Procurement Integrated Enterprise Environment (PIEE), to electronically track COR nominations, appointments, terminations, and training certifications for contracts assigned a COR. Components must use the Surveillance and Performance Monitoring (SPM) Module, located in the PIEE, for all other contract surveillance actions. Further guidance on the use of JAM and SPM Module is available at https://piee.eb.mil/piee-landing/.

(e) A COR assists in the technical monitoring or administration of a contract.

(1) Unless an exemption applies, contracting officers must designate a COR for all service contracts, including both firm-fixed-price and other than firm-fixed-price contracts, and supply contracts with cost-reimbursable line items awarded by a DoD component or by any other Federal agency on behalf of DoD within 3 business days of contract award. The surveillance activities performed by CORs should be tailored to the dollar value and complexity of the specific contract for which they are designated. For geographically dispersed large contracts with multiple task orders, contracting officers should consider appointing multiple or alternate CORs to assist with surveillance duties. These CORs should have specific duties based on criteria, such as geographic region or distinct task areas, to avoid conflicting or duplicative direction. Contracting officers may exempt service contracts from this requirement when—

(i) The contract will be awarded using simplified acquisition procedures;

(ii) The requirement is not complex; and

(iii) The contracting officer documents the file, in writing, with the specific reasons why the appointment of a COR is unnecessary.

(2) For supply contracts with cost-reimbursement contracts line items, contracting officers must either retain or delegate surveillance activities to a COR or DCMA. Contracting officers may delegate surveillance activities to both a COR and DCMA on the same contract. However, contracting officers must not delegate the same surveillance activities to the COR and DCMA.

(3) The contracting officer must ensure the written designation required by FAR 1.404(a)(1) is maintained in JAM or the SPM Module.

(f) A COR must maintain an electronic COR Surveillance file in the SPM Module for each contract assigned. This file must include, at a minimum—

(1) A copy of the contracting officer's letter of designation and other documentation describing the COR's duties and responsibilities; and

(2) Documentation of actions taken in accordance with the delegation of authority.

(g) Contracting officers, must, at a minimum, review the COR’s files within six months of contract award and annually thereafter, for accuracy and completeness. More frequent reviews may be conducted in subsequent years based upon the risks, complexity, and value of the contract. The results of the contracting officer’s review must be documented in the SPM Module.

(h) Within 30 days of completing the COR file review, contracting officers must–

(1) Provide COR performance feedback to their supervisor; and

(2) Discuss any performance inadequacies with the COR.

(i) Prior to contract closeout, the COR will ensure the COR Surveillance files for the assigned contract are complete and available to the contracting officer.