FSH 6309.32 - FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION 
                  WO SUPPLEMENT 6309.32-2000-1
                      EFFECTIVE 02/11/2000

              FOREST SERVICE ACQUISITION REGULATION

                SUBCHAPTER G--CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

               PART 4G42--CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sec.
      Subpart 4G42.2--Assignment of Contract Administration

4G42.202    Assignment of contract administration.

              Subpart 4G42.5--Postaward Orientation

4G42.503    Postaward conferences.

   Subpart 4G42.13--Suspension of Work, Stop-Work Orders, and Government 
                    Delay of Work

4G42.1302   Suspension of work.
4G42.1303   Stop work orders.

     Subpart 4G42.14--Traffic and Transportation Management

4G42.1401   General.
4G42.1403-2 Contractor prepaid commercial bills of lading.

       Subpart 4G42.15--Contractor Performance Information

4G42.1503   Procedures.






               PART 4G42--CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION
                                 
      Subpart 4G42.2--Assignment of Contract Administration

4G42.202  Assignment of contract administration.
 Administrative contracting officers (ACO's) may be assigned to 
carry out contract administration responsibilities in limited 
situations by the contracting officer with the concurrence of the 
cognizant chief of the contracting office.  ACO's may not be 
designated in the same office as the contracting officer, unless 
there are extenuating circumstances and the justification is 
provided in the contract file.  ACO's must have been able to 
enter into the contract in the first place or be approved by the 
head of contracting activity (HCA).  This designation shall be 
made in writing to the designee, shall cite any needed 
limitations, and shall be distributed the same as the original 
contract.
 For procedures concerning the designation and responsibilities 
of contracting officer's representatives (COR's), project 
inspectors, and contracting officer's technical representatives 
(COTR's) see FSH 6309.11, Contract Administration Handbook.
 
              Subpart 4G42.5--Postaward Orientation

4G42.503  Postaward conferences.
 See FSH 6309.11, chapter 10, for the policies and procedures 
for Forest Service postaward (prework) conferences.
 
   Subpart 4G42.13--Suspension of Work, Stop-Work Orders, and 
                    Government Delay of Work

4G42.1302  Suspension of work.
 See FSH 6309.11, Contract Administration Handbook, section 
13.4, for additional direction on suspension of work.
 
4G42.1303  Stop-work orders.
    (b) The approving level "higher than the contracting officer" 
for the purposes of issuing stop-work orders is the officer 
responsible for the project involved (for example, District 
Ranger, Forest Engineer).
 
     Subpart 4G42.14--Traffic and Transportation Management

4G42.1401  General.
    (b)(11) See Forest Service Property Management Regulation 
(FSPMR) 104G-40.5004-5 for use of commercial forms and procedures 
when shipping costs are expected to be $100 or less.
 4G42.1403-2  Contractor prepaid commercial bills of lading.
    (c) Procedures for processing loss or damage claims are 
described in Agriculture Property Management Regulation (AGPMR) 
104-40.5003(b).
    (d)(2) The National Finance Center pays unsupported 
transportation charges of $100 or less (FSH 6509.31, title II, 
chapter 5, sec. 1).
 
       Subpart 4G42.15--Contractor Performance Information

4G42.1503 Procedures.
    (a) Use the National Institute of Health (NIH) Contractor 
Performance System (CPS) sponsored by USDA for completing 
performance evaluations on contracts as follows:
        (1) Each service or supply contract over $100,000, as 
prescribed in FAR 42.1502.
        (2) Each construction contract valued at $500,000 and 
above, as prescribed in FAR 36.201.
        (3) Performance evaluation on contracts valued at less 
than these limits is optional.  Contracting Officers are 
encouraged to include performance evaluations in the NIH system 
for contracts under these limits that are typical, recurring 
Forest Service projects for which past performance information 
for future contractor selection may be valuable.
        (4)  All options for determining contract value must be 
included.       
    (b) Program officials are responsible for providing the 
initial contractor performance ratings. Contracting Officer's are 
responsible for the final evaluation, including concurrence or 
revision to the project official's initial evaluation and 
obtaining contractor review and comments.
        (1) If the contractor takes exception to the evaluation 
and the contracting officer and the contractor are unable to 
agree on a final rating, the matter shall be referred to an 
acquisition official at one level above the contracting officer.
        (2) See FSAR 4G36 for additional procedures for 
construction contracts.  
    (c) Access to the NIH Contractor Performance System (CPS) is 
provided by USDA on the World Wide Web (www, Internet).  Visit 
the Forest Service Web (FSWEB, Intranet), Service-wide 
Acquisition Management webpage at http://fsweb.wo.fs.fed.us/aqm 
for user instructions and access to the NIH database system. 
    (d)  See 4G15.305-70 for use of the NIH system when 
evaluating past performance of contractors for future contract 
awards.
    (e)  Performance evaluation reporting for architect-engineer 
(A-E) contracts is not yet available through the NIH system.  
Follow procedures prescribed in FAR 36.604 and 4G36.604.