Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting

1. TRICARE Management Activity HEALTH AFFAIRS Contractor Performance Assessment and Reporting

2. Agenda • Why Collect and Report Past Performance? • Past Performance Concerns • Principles for Collection • Assessment Questions • Guidance on Reporting • Best Practices • Rating Levels • CPARS System

3. COLLECTION: FAR 42.1502 – Directs all Federal Agencies to collect contractor past performance information on eligible contracts Why Collect and Report Past Performance? Regulatory Requirements • USE: • FAR 15.304 – Evaluate past performance information for negotiated competitive procurements Mandatory when greater than $1,000,000.May also collect if less than threshold; however, it is not mandatory.

4. DoD Wants Contractors That… • Conform to contract requirements and standards of good workmanship • Forecast and control costs • Adhere to contract schedules, including the administrative aspects of performance • Have a history of reasonable and cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction • Show business-like concern for the interest of the customer

5. Assessment Areas and Questions • Quality: Did services meet requirements of contract? • Timeliness: Was delivery schedule met? Were technical problems encountered and were they resolved in a timely fashion? • Cost Control: Did contractor manage costs in an appropriate manner? • Business Relations: Was contractor cooperative in working with Government to solve problems? Did contractor effectively recommend solutions? Was contractor responsive to administrative issues? Did contractor exhibit propensity to submit unnecessary contract change proposals with cost or price increases? • Key Personnel: How long did key personnel stay on contract and how well did they manage their portion of the contract?

6. Guidance on Reporting • Integrity and uniformity of the assessment process is essential • Employ consistent evaluation methodology • Across wide array of contractors and suppliers • Throughout the contract period of performance • Using consistent elements and ratings • Substantiating narratives are required to establish that the ratings are credible and justifiable • Assessments Treated as Source Selection Information IAW FAR 3.104 (Procurement Integrity) • Reports kept for up to three (3) years after contract completion

7. Best Practices • Include performance expectations in the Government’s and contractor’s initial post - award meeting • Provide feedback to contractors through recurring discussions and reviews • Capture past performance regularly throughout the assessment period

8. Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) • CPARS is one of several initiatives TMA is using to meet DoD’s paperless contracting mandates • CPARS is a web enabled application that collects, manages, and reports contractor performance information • The CPARS process is designed with a series of checks and balances to facilitate the objective and consistent evaluation of contractor performance • CPARS is for unclassified use only Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System

9. CPARS Focal Point Focal Point – the CPARS “Team Coach” • The Focal Point assigns responsibilities within CPARS and monitors work flow including issuance of initial User ID’s and Passwords (government and contractor) and the review of various reports and metrics • AM&S has CPARS responsibility for TMA contracts/orders processed through the Acquisition Management and Support (AM&S) Contract Operations Division – Falls Church (COD-FC). • Contract Operations Division – Aurora (COD-A) has CPARS responsibility for TMA contracts/orders processed through COD-A

10. CPARS System Access • CPARS Web Site: http://www.cpars.navy.mil/cparsmain.htm • 128 Bit encryption on Browser • Valid Userid/Password • List of Contract Numbers • Adobe Acrobat Reader Send Questions/Comments to: Customer Support Desk Voice Phone: (603) 431-9460, extension 486 or or email: webptsmh@navsea.navy.mil

11. CPARS WorkflowRoles/Process Roles Process Focal Point Assessing Official Assessing Official Defense Contractor Representative Assessing Official Reviewing Official

12. CPARS WorkflowContract Registration • Contract Registration • Performed by Focal Point and AM&S Contract Data Entry personnel • Blocks 1-15 admin information registered shortly after contract award • Many fields automatically populated after entering Cage code, etc. • Assessing Official notified once contractis registered • All fields subject to review and editing by Assessing Official

13. CPARS WorkflowOrganize Input • Organize Input • Document contract performance off-line as a text file(.txt format) and copy/paste into CPARS • Start off-line documentation early • Use MS Word spell check and thesaurus • Use comments from existing Contract Status Reports and Progress Reviews • Request input from experts and other Government officials with first hand knowledge of contractor performance • All CPARS information is treated as “For Official Use Only/Source Selection Information”

14. CPARS WorkflowEnter and Validate Proposed Ratings • Enter and Validate Proposed Ratings • Upon first log in, check user profile and complete/update your profile as necessary • Tell the whole story – problems and successes • Use Quality Checkliston CPARS web page as template to ensure narrative description matches performance assessment rating • Pre-coordinate proposed rating with Reviewing Official and Defense Contractor Representative if desired • Remember to save work frequently!

15. 3. Select the “Ratings” tab and enter ratings & narrative for applicable assessment areas (if an area is not applicable, you must select “N/A” from the drop down box). You must provide a narrative forevery area rated! Red arrow indicates that an area has been rated. CPARS – Assessing Official

16. CPARS – Ratings

17. 4. Complete the “Assessor” tab. 5. Select “Validate and Send to the Contractor”. Can be used for narratives covering “Other Areas” or general narrative not directly related to a specific assessment area. Note: Signature block only available to Assessing Official. An automatic email notification is provided to the Defense Contractor Rep when the CPAR is sent … your Defense Contractor Rep must have a valid email address in CPARS in order for you to send the CPAR . CPARS – Assessing Official

18. Contract Contract Contract Contract Contract Contract Registration Registration Registration Registration Registration Registration Organize Input Organize Input Organize Input Organize Input Organize Input Organize Input Enter and Validate Enter and Validate Enter and Validate Enter and Validate Enter and Validate Enter and Validate Proposed Ratings Proposed Ratings Proposed Ratings Proposed Ratings Proposed Ratings Proposed Ratings Contractor Contractor Contractor Contractor Contractor Contractor Comments Comments Comments Comments Comments Comments Review Contractor Review Contractor Review Contractor Review Contractor Review Contractor Review Contractor Comments Comments Comments Comments Comments Comments Reviewing Official Reviewing Official Reviewing Official Reviewing Official Reviewing Official Reviewing Official Comments Comments Comments Comments Comments Comments CPARS WorkflowContractor Comments • Contractor Comments • If contractor representative’s e-mail address is correct, they will be notified when CPAR is ready for their review • Contractor has 30 days to review, comment, and return the CPAR • Must indicate “concur” or “do not concur” (with optional comment) • Contractor narrative comments are optional • If contractor fails to respond within 30 days, Assessing Official gets an automatic e-mail notification

19. Red arrow indicates that an area has been rated. 3. Enter contractor comments. CPARS – Contractor Rep Defense Contractor Rep may view information on all tabs. 2. Select “Ratings” tab to view ratings & narrative.

20. 4. Complete the “Contractor Rep” tab. You must indicate whether you concur or do not concur with the assessment. 5. Select “Validate and Send to the Assessing Official”. An automatic email notification is provided to the Assessing Official when the CPAR is sent. CPARS – Contractor Rep

21. CPARS WorkflowReview Contractor’s Comments • Review Contractor’s Comments • CPAR is sent to the Assessing Official after contractor action • If “concur,” Assessing Official may: • - Close CPAR • - Send to Reviewing Official • If “do not concur,” CPAR must go to Reviewing Official • - Assessing may enter additional comments/modified ratings • If contractor fails to respond in 30 days the CPARS may be closed, and the Assessing Official comments become the official rating

22. 2. Review contractor comments via the “Ratings” tab. Be sure to review each area with a red arrow. CPARS – Assessing Official

23. 3. Review contractor concurrence statement via “Contractor Rep” tab. 4a. If the contractor concurred, accept the ratings and close the CPAR or send to a Reviewing Official if desired. 4b. If the contractor did not concur, you may modify the ratings & narrative if desired. You must send the CPAR to a Reviewing Official. CPARS – Assessing Official

24. CPARS WorkflowReviewing Official Comments • Reviewing Official Comments • Reviewing Official is at least one level above Assessing Official and in their chain of command • If contractor submits “not concur”, Reviewing Official must enter a comment • After commenting, the CPAR is closed by the Reviewing Official • After CPAR is closed data is automatically uploaded to federal Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS)

25. 2. Select the “Reviewer” tab and enter comments and signature block. 3. Select “Validate and Close the CPAR”. CPARS – Reviewing Official

26. Keys to CPARS Success • No surprises. Collaborate! Communicate! Coordinate! • Post-Award Kick Off Meeting • Guidance from Reviewing Official • Continuous Off Line Documentation and Coordination • Keep E-Mail Addresses Up to Date

27. CPARS/Past PerformanceTools and References • CPARS Home Page: http://www.cpars.csd.disa.mil/cparsmain.htm • CPARS Users Manual: http://www.cpars.csd.disa.mil/cparsfiles/pdfs/CPARS_User_Manual_JAN08.pdf • DoD Guide to Collection and Use of Past Performance Informationhttp://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/docs/PPI_Guide_2003_final.pdf • Office of Federal Procurement Policy Best Practices for Collecting and Using Current and Past Performance Information: • http://www.acqnet.gov/Library/OFPP/Best Practices/pastperformguide.htm

28. Questions ?