This series of FAR summaries is meant to take a meaningful portion of the Federal Acquisition Regulations to ensure an easy-to-understand approach to maintain that readers comprehend the process of doing business with the government and that the government exercises a fair and reasonable approach to doing business with the general public.
FAR 46.202-1 – 46.202-4
Contracts For Commercial Goods & Services
The government routinely relies on commercial habits instead of in-person inspection (FAR 46.202-1). Think warranty and return goods policy for goods and a technical proposal for services. I’ve negotiated all three of these.
Inspection By Contractor
This is what the government uses with exceptions (FAR 46.202-2).
Standard Inspection Requirements
See FAR 46.302 – 46.308.
Higher Level Contract Quality Requirements
Weapons systems and warfighter contracts typically apply (FAR 46.202-4). Also think Presidential inaugurations. I had an instructor at the VA Acquisition Academy that worked on President Obama‘s first one. They shot military grade weaponry, drove extremely expensive automobiles, tested the world’s finest cuisines and modeled the world’s finest designers. That’s not Obama’s fault. Every President is treated like that upon being ushered into office.
Since I’ve never been selected to contract in inaugural event, I would have to say the funnest portion of inspection is negotiating the return goods policy. A warranty is pretty cut and dry because the government has standard language built into a commonly used clause that I will not specify on this blog because it is unfair to those who don’t know. However, an RGP can be sliced and diced like a vegetable put in a Cobb Salad. The contracting Officer has the authority to delete entire paragraphs and lines of the proposed RGP as well as change words or numbers to benefit the government. If you have negotiated one on either side then you understand.
If you think I can help you then email nicholas.s.robertson@outlook.com for your introductory message and free consultation.
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