SECTION 1. PURPOSE.

.01 This Order prescribes the organizational functions and responsibilities of the Office of Acquisition Management. (The position of Director for Acquisition Management is authorized in DOO 10-5.)

.02 This revision establishes a line of authority between the Director for Acquisition Management (Senior Procurement Executive (SPE)) and the Bureau Procurement Officials (BPOs) within the operating units of the Department of Commerce (the Department). This revision authorizes the SPE to participate in the annual performance evaluation of BPOs and other designated personnel, covering 25 percent of the overall rating for the critical performance element, “Acquisition Management”.

SECTION 2. STATUS AND LINE OF AUTHORITY.

The Office of Acquisition Management, a Departmental office, shall be headed by the Director who reports to and is responsible to the Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration (the CFO/ASA).

SECTION 3. AUTHORITY AND FUNCTIONS.

.01 Pursuant to the authority vested in the CFO/ASA in DOO 10-5, and subject to such policies and directives as the CFO/ASA may prescribe, the Director is hereby delegated the following authorities to:

a. Serve as the Procurement Executive for the Department in accordance with Executive Order 12931 and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act, 41 U.S.C. 1702.

b. Establish clear lines of contracting authority and accountability.

c. Implement the acquisition-related requirements of the Competition in Contracting Act (P.L. 98-369); Executive Order 12931, Federal Procurement Reform, dated October 13, 1994; the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993; the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-355); the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-106); and other statutory, regulatory and administrative directives.

d. Establish Department-wide acquisition management strategic plans, policies, regulations, procedures, and guidance.

e. Manage and enhance career development of the Department's acquisition workforce.

f. Participate in the development of Government-wide acquisition policies, regulations and standards, including serving as a member of the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council, and the Procurement Executive Council.

g. Represent the Department in all external acquisition policy matters.

h. Serve as a full voting member of the Commerce Information Technology Review Board (CITRB); review, as appropriate, information technology acquisitions and contracts to ensure that the agency receives the best value with regard to price and technology; and consider alternatives in cases where best value is not being obtained.

i. In conjunction with the Office of the General Counsel, maintain policy for the development, review, and monitoring of Memorandums of Understanding and Interagency Agreements that relate to procurement in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and OMB Circulars, including FAR Part 17.5.

j. Provide risk management and appropriate oversight in procurement management and specifically mandated programs to help ensure that the Department's procurement offices are effectively and efficiently managing the procurement process and serving their customers.

k. Develop and maintain Department-wide acquisition management and performance measurement programs; measure and evaluate contracting office performance against stated goals; and advise the CFO/ASA on whether goals are being achieved.

l. Ensure that procurement organizations focus on measurable results and on increased attention to understanding and meeting customer needs, while adhering to all applicable laws and regulations.

m. Foster acquisition streamlining, open communications and partnering within the acquisition community and with industry, and sharing of acquisition best practices.

n. Promote innovative practices and develop streamlined processes to improve procurement and increase productivity.

o. Provide acquisition advice and assistance in support of the Department's missions.

p. Deliver, maintain, and approve Department-wide or bureau-specific automated procurement systems and serve as the focal point for collecting and reporting acquisition information.

q. Manage and promote e-procurement and initiatives in support of e-Commerce through the Department.

r. Enter into contracts, purchases, leases and other procurement transactions, except those required by law or regulation to be made by other authority; make determinations and decisions and take other actions, consistent with appropriate laws, Executive Orders, policies, regulations and procedures, with respect to such contracts, purchases, leases and other procurement transactions.

s. Provide operational procurement services to the Office of the Secretary and for special programs, such as supercomputer acquisition, in support of the Department's missions.

t. Administer Department implementation of OMB Circular A-131, “Value Engineering.”

u. Serve as the supervisor of record for the critical element entitled “Acquisition Management” which focuses on support of Department and government-wide goals, and accounts for 25 percent of the BPO’s annual performance plan. (Acquisition issues internal to the bureau, and other administrative matters, remain the affirmative management responsibility of the bureau supervisor of record to the individual BPO.)

.02 The Director may redelegate the authorities in this section within the Office of Acquisition Management.

SECTION 4. ORGANIZATION.

The Director shall supervise the following offices:

a. The Commerce Acquisition Performance, Policy and Support (CAPPS) Division shall perform the following functions categorized into five main areas with the collective goal of fostering acquisition excellence within the Department. These include: Procurement Executive and Department management support; Acquisition Workforce Development (Programs for Career Management, Warrant Certification, Training and Development, Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR)); Performance Assessment/Improvement (Balanced Scorecard, Regulatory Compliance); fostering innovation and streamlining (e.g., implementation of government-wide acquisition reform initiatives, participation in Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and interagency working groups and committees, coordination of the Departmental Acquisition Council and Acquisition Conferences); and Departmental Policy Initiatives and Program Support (e.g., Purchase Card Program, Commerce Acquisition Regulations, Commerce Acquisition Memoranda, budget review process, and CITRB). This division shall consist of the following:

1. The Performance Assessment and Improvement Team shall assess and monitor acquisition team performance throughout the Department (and the Office of the Secretary) and work with these entities to develop strategies to continuously strive to improve performance and our ability to meet mission objectives. Many different risk management tools will be used to accomplish this, including the Balanced Scorecard and acquisition reviews, acquisition planning, and CITRB.

2. The Acquisition Workforce and Policy Development Team shall assess and monitor the training and development of the Department's acquisition workforce and implement policies and programs to aid Departmental entities to meet statutory and regulatory public policy objectives, and reach acquisition excellence for Commerce programs.

b. The Commerce Acquisition Solutions (CAS) Division shall consist of the following:

1. The Office of the Secretary Business Solutions Team shall provide full operational procurement services to the Office of the Secretary and other operating units, as designated. Acquisition services provided include sponsoring, conducting, and managing procurements that benefit the Department as a whole, and other special programs that support the Department's overall mission. Procurement services offered by this team exclude information technology and telecommunications, which is handled by the Commerce Information Technology Solutions Branch.

2. The Customer Outreach and Programs Team shall provide services to the Office of the Secretary and other operating units, as requested. These services include: purchase card management services; oversight of operating units that have been delegated simplified acquisition responsibilities by the HCO; operational program management of the Commerce Standard Acquisition Reporting System (CSTARS); development and management of a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) training and oversight program; customer relations; acquisition policy and guidance; and small business and industry liaison services.

3. The Commerce Information Technology Solutions Branch shall provide full operational procurement services for acquiring information technology and telecommunications to the Office of the Secretary, the Department, and other federal agencies. Acquisition services provided include: sponsoring, conducting, and managing information technology and telecommunication procurements that benefit the Department as a whole; managing the fee-for-service Commerce Information Technology Solutions (COMMITS) government-wide acquisition contract(s) (GWAC) program, and its accompanying executive agent responsibilities as established by the Office of Management and Budget; and, assisting the Department's program managers with development of performance-based work statements for information technology and telecommunications acquisitions.

c. The Commerce Acquisition Systems Division (CASD) shall deliver, manage, and approve Department-wide and bureau-specific electronic procurement tools; develop and support acquisition trend analysis and annual reporting programs; serve as the focal point for information collection and reporting; serve as the liaison with Departmental information technology offices; work with other federal agencies on electronic commerce as it pertains to acquisition; promote and support electronic government initiatives related to procurement; oversee, manage and coordinate OAM-wide technical services and support to include web presence, servers, desktop, software, hardware and other peripherals; and manage an E-Commerce plan for the Department's acquisition programs.

SECTION 5. EFFECT ON OTHER ORDERS.

This Order supersedes Department Organization Order 20-26, dated August 2, 2002 as amended.

Signed by: Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration