873.105 Acquisition planning.

(a) For the acquisition of health-care resources consisting of commercial services or the use of medical equipment or space where the acquisition is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), an acquisition team must be assembled. The team shall be tailored by the contracting officer for each particular acquisition expected to exceed the SAT. The team should consist of a mix of staff, appropriate to the complexity of the acquisition, and may include fiscal, legal, administrative, and technical personnel, and such other expertise as necessary to assure a comprehensive acquisition plan. The team should include the small business advocate representing the contracting activity or a higher-level designee. At a minimum, the team must include the contracting officer and a representative of the Office of General Counsel and the requesting service. (38 U.S.C. 8153)

(b) The contracting officer or the acquisition team, as appropriate, must conduct market research, including satisfying the requirements of 808.002(a)(2) and 873.107, Socioeconomic programs, and a VA Rule of Two determination (819.502-2). It is the responsibility of the contracting officer to ensure the requirement is appropriately publicized and information about the procurement opportunity is adequately disseminated as set forth in 873.107. (38 U.S.C. 8153)

(c) In lieu of the requirements of FAR part 7 addressing documentation of the acquisition plan, the contracting officer may conduct an acquisition strategy meeting with cognizant offices to seek approval for the proposed acquisition approach. If a meeting is conducted, briefing materials shall be presented to address the acquisition plan topics and structure in FAR 7.105. Formal written minutes—summarizing decisions, actions, and conclusions—shall be prepared and included in the contract file, along with a copy of the briefing materials. (38 U.S.C. 8153)