Heads of Contracting Activities (HCAs), consistent with their delegated authority (see 501.601(b)(2) and 501.370(b)) may establish internal acquisition policies, procedures, and guidance for their respective contracting activity(ies) concerning the collection and maintenance of contractor performance information and integrity information as required by FAR subpart 42.15 and this subpart. The internal acquisition policy, procedure, and guidance shall include:

(1) If applicable, requirements for reporting contractor performance evaluations for classified contracts and special access programs (see FAR 42.1503(f)).

(2)If applicable, requirements for providing interim contractor performance evaluations (see FAR 42.1503(a)(3)).

(3)Identifying and assigning contractor performance evaluation roles and responsibilities, such as identifying and assigning reviewing officials and their responsibility (e.g., reviewing disagreements regarding contractor performance evaluation). See FAR 42.1503(d) and 542.1570-5.

HCAs’ primary responsibilities consist of the following:

(a)Monitoring (e.g., monthly, quarterly) their respective activity’s compliance with reporting requirements for collecting and maintaining contractor performance information and integrity information records as required by FAR subpart 42.15 and this subpart. Monitoring shall include, at a minimum–

(1)Actively tracking the status and progress of the reporting of contractor performance evaluations and integrity information; and

(2)Timely identifying delinquent reporting of contractor performance evaluations and delinquent reporting of integrity information.

(b)Ensuring contractor performance evaluations are entered into CPARS completely and within applicable deadlines in accordance with FAR 42.1503;

(c)Ensuring integrity information is entered completely and within applicable deadlines into the CPARS integrity reporting module (formally known as FAPIIS) in accordance with FAR 42.1503(h)(1));

(d)Taking timely corrective action to address instances of noncompliance;

(e)Conducting reviews to assess the quality of contractor performance evaluations and reporting of integrity information; and

(f)Ensuring personnel (e.g., contracting officer representatives, contracting officers, etc.) involved in the reporting of contractor performance evaluations and integrity information are trained on the use of CPARS and applicable requirements for reporting information into CPARS. This responsibility includes establishing a process to conduct periodic assessments to identify shortfalls and projected needs in CPARS training.

Unless otherwise assigned, Contracting officers’ primary responsibilities consist of the following:

(a)Obtaining information, as appropriate from the program office, contracting officer’s representative (COR), administrative contracting office, audit office, end users of the product or service, and any other technical or business advisor.

(b)Reviewing past performance and integrity information available in CPARS.

(c)Completing contractor performance evaluations in accordance with FAR 42.1503.

(d)Reporting integrity information in accordance with FAR 42.1503(h)(1)).

Unless otherwise assigned, CORs shall provide input, including applicable documentation, to support the evaluation of contractor performance information and integrity information as required by FAR subpart 42.15 and this subpart. This responsibility shall be included in COR appointment letters (see 501.604(e)).

The GSA CPARS Department Point of Contact is responsible for administrative oversight of contractor performance evaluations and integrity information for GSA, such as using CPARS tools to monitor agency key performance metrics and compliance.

The reviewing official must be a Government employee. The reviewing official provides the check-and-balance when there is disagreement between the assessing official and the contractor regarding the contractor performance evaluation (see FAR 42.1503(d)). The reviewing official is generally responsible for reviewing, providing comments (the reviewing official’s comments supplement those provided by the assessing official; they do not replace the ratings/narratives provided by the assessing official), and signing the contractor performance evaluation when a contractor indicates non-concurrence with a contractor performance evaluation. The ultimate conclusion on the contractor performance evaluation is a decision of the contracting agency.

GSA CPARS Agency Points of Contacts are responsible for providing administrative oversight of their respective Service’s or Staff Office’s reporting of contractor performance evaluation and integrity information. The following are the primary responsibilities of this role—

(a)Quarterly (or more frequent) monitoring the respective Service or Staff Office’s compliance with reporting of contractor performance evaluations and integrity information as required by FAR subpart 42.15 and this subpart.

(b)Promptly resolving any noncompliance identified through the monitoring process.

(c)Using tools (e.g., CPARS metric and SAM.gov tools) to measure the quality and timely reporting of contractor performance and integrity information.

(d)Providing system access to CPARS Focal Points, managers, and other authorized users as necessary, and ensuring access is timely removed or updated when appropriate.

(e)Assigning and reassigning contracts/orders to CPARS Focal Points as needed.

(f)Facilitating interagency contract transfers in coordination with the GSA CPARS Department Point of Contact and the CPARS Help Desk.

(g)Providing, as needed, support to CPARS Focal Points.

(h)Consolidating CPARS Focal Point feedback and coordinating system improvement suggestions with the GSA Department CPARS Point of Contact.

(i)Coordinating with the GSA Department CPARS Point of Contact to remove contracts from CPARS, as needed.

(j)Ensuring contracts not required to be reported in CPARS are tracked and managed.

CPARS Focal Points are responsible for providing administrative support for their respective contracting office(s). The following are the primary responsibilities of this role—

(a)Assigning contractor performance evaluation records to the appropriate government user.

(b)Monitoring compliance with reporting of contractor performance evaluations and integrity information as required by FAR subpart 42.15 and this subpart.

(c)Using tools (e.g., CPARS and SAM.gov metric tools) to measure the quality and timely reporting of contractor performance evaluations and integrity information.

(d)Providing assistance to personnel to ensure contractor performance evaluations and reporting of integrity information are completed in a timely manner and are of high quality.