(a) If the contractor furnishes taxpayer identification number (TIN) and type of organization information pursuant to solicitation provision 52.204-3 or 52.212-3, and the USDA Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Controller Operations Division, New Orleans will be the payment office, that information will be entered into the Foundation Financial Information System (FFIS) in accordance with FFIS Vendor Table Maintenance Procedures set forth in FFIS Bulletins issued by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and AGAR Advisories issued by the Office of Procurement and Property Management.

(b) Separate submission of the TIN or type of organization information, in accordance with 52.204-3 or 52.212-3, is not required for contractors registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database.

When a proposed solicitation is likely to require access to classified information, the contracting officer shall consult with the Information Security Staff, Personnel and Document Security Division, Office of Procurement and Property Management, regarding the procedures that must be followed.

(a) Contracting activities shall report contract actions into the Federal Procurement Data System in accordance with the instructions issued or distributed by the SPE.

(b) The unique identifier for each contract action reported to the Federal Procurement Data System shall begin with the two-letter USDA Agency Prefix “AG”.

The SPE shall issue AGAR Advisories to establish and maintain a numbering system for USDA contracts, modifications, and delivery/task orders. USDA contracting offices shall number contracts, modifications, and orders in accordance with this numbering system.

(a) Contracting officers and other USDA employees shall not enter information into the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database on behalf of prospective contractors. Prospective contractors who are unable to register on-line at the CCR Web site should be advised to submit a written application to CCR for registration into the CCR database. USDA employees may assist prospective contractors by downloading the registration template, CCR handbook, and other information from the CCR Web site and providing copies of that material to requesters. Written applications for registration may be submitted to Department of Defense Central Contractor Registration, 74 Washington Ave., Suite 7, Battle Creek, MI 49017-3084.

(b) Verification that the prospective contractor is registered in the CCR database shall be done via the CCR Internet Web site http://www.ccr.gov. This verification process using the CCR Web site applies both to acquisitions executed using USDA legacy procurement systems and the USDA Integrated Acquisition System.

(c) AGAR Advisories issued by the Office of Procurement and Property Management will address internal procedures for integration of contractor information in the CCR database with the USDA FFIS payment system.

The contracting officer shall insert the provision at 452.204-70, Inquiries, in all solicitations.