(a) General. DLA Form 678 shall be used as prescribed in 1.690-7(g).
(b) General instructions for preparation and use of DLA Form 678. The blocks shall be "X'd" and/or filled in as appropriate.
(1) Filing instructions.
(i) Contract file sections shall be identified by inclusion of a divider annotated with the section identification and title, e.g., "Section A Planning and Solicitation." Sections A and B shall be filed on the left side of the file folder with section A on the bottom. Sections C and D shall be filed on the right side of the file folder with section C on the bottom.
(ii) The lowest numbered TAB within each section shall be placed at the bottom of that section. When multiple documents are present under a numbered TAB, e.g., correspondence, memoranda, they shall be filed chronologically with the most recent document on top.
(iii) It is impossible to enumerate all of the factors or conditions which may require specific documentation over and above that normally required. Therefore, as circumstances dictate, contracting officers shall describe, under the appropriate "blank" TAB Nos., e.g., Nos. 15-17; 30-32, such documentation as may be peculiar to the acquisition involved and file same in the analogous contract file section, e.g., TAB 31, Certificate of Competency.
(2) Contract documentation.
(i) The documents identified on DLA Form 678 are those which are normally required to support a sealed bid/negotiated acquisition, other than a small purchase. The file sections provided establish the logical acquisition cycle sequence of documentation. The completed file will constitute a complete chronological history of the transaction and permit ready reconstruction of the actions taken in processing the acquisition.
(ii) The following sections discuss those elements of contract documentation which merit special attention.
(3) Section A - planning and solicitation.
(i) TAB No. 1 PR/MIPR. The file must reflect the manner and extent to which the needs of the requiring activity have been met. It is essential, therefore, that in addition to the basic purchase authority, any changes and justifications be included under this TAB. In the case of amendments, the basis for change must be evidenced, e.g., in those instances where items on the purchase request have been completely lined out or quantities changed, indication must be made of the identity or authority of the individual or activity which requested/authorized the change. In other instances where contracts have been issued calling for something other than that specified on the PR/MIPR, explanation must be included as to the authority/approval for the change and from whom received. Memoranda must adequately identify individuals referred to in memoranda (e.g., statements such as "this was discussed with and concurred in by Mr. Smith in the Supply function" are inadequate). An individual's full name, title, or position, and the individual's relationship to the subject matter of the memorandum must be clearly established; this is of particular importance should postaward questions arise. Requirements shall be revalidated in those instances where excessive time has elapsed between the issuance of the purchase request and consummation of the contract (see 1.693).
(ii) TAB No. 2 specification/drawing. These documents in many instances either dictate source selection or indicate to the contracting officer the extent of possible competition. Any change either prior or subsequent to solicitation may affect final source selection. When such changes are effected, documentation supporting the change must be included in the file indicating as a minimum: the basis and authority for initiating specification/drawing change; coordination received from appropriate technical personnel; and approval/concurrence of the requiring activity. When specification/drawing changes are initiated/confirmed by the requiring agency on a PR/MIPR amendment, the documentation should be included in TAB No. 1 with an annotation in TAB No. 2 identifying the amendment number.
(iii) TAB No. 3 acquisition plan/amendments. The acquisition plan will include, as a minimum, the information included in 90.1101. The use of preprinted forms for this purpose is acceptable.
(iv) TAB No. 6 non-personal services determination. A statement by the contracting officer that the services proposed for acquisition have been determined to be non-personal in nature is not by itself sufficient to meet the requirements of FAR 37.103(a). Such determination must include the reasons and all of the facts which were deemed to substantiate the nonpersonal aspect of the services. Examples of criteria for characterizing services as non-personal rather than personal are set forth in FAR 37.104(d).
(v) TAB No. 7 Department of Labor (DOL) Wage Determinations. DOL wage determinations are normally effective for a period of 120 days after issuance and must be in effect at the time of solicitation and at the time of award. When it is necessary to obtain extensions on determinations in order to carry them through the period until award is to be made, the documentation authorizing such extension by the DOL must be included under this TAB. A copy of the request and any enclosures sent to DOL shall be included.
(vi) TAB No. 8 small business set-aside determination. The determination required under FAR 19.5 must be accurate and complete insofar as the reason given for not having a small business set-aside. Statements such as "a set-aside was not considered because of insufficient quantity" must be supported. The information included in this determination must accurately reflect the consideration given to compliance with FAR 19.5; the information included therein imposes, in turn, a responsibility to make a realistic evaluation of requirements and a current review of possible sources to substantiate the information used in determining the proposed acquisition method.
(vii) TAB No. 11 source list. The list of sources initially solicited and those to whom solicitations were subsequently issued as a result of requests are to be included; in the latter case, the date requested solicitation was issued will be indicated.
(viii) TAB No. 14 solicitation and amendments. The contract file must include the solicitation document and any amendments thereto. Amendments must accurately reflect their issuance dates. In case of oral solicitations, the requirements of FAR 15.402(f) must be satisfied.
(4) Section B - Preaward support data.
(i) TAB No. 18 abstract of offers. Include on the abstract any conditions of the offers which are related to their evaluation; if lengthy, the "Remarks" column shall be annotated with information indicating the location in the offer of the condition, e.g., "See page _____ of the proposal for exception to specification."
(ii) TAB No. 19 packaging/transportation/freight rate data. Inclusion of transportation/freight rate data, are essential in determining the manner in which transportation costs were applied in arriving at the evaluated prices. Files must also include sufficient information to substantiate that packaging costs are equitable.
(iii) TAB No. 20 cost/pricing data. All cost or pricing data received from the offeror in support of its proposal shall be included under this TAB. If any data should be included in correspondence dealing with other matters which are pertinent to the final contract, e.g., delivery schedule, contract clauses, etc., the original correspondence will be filed under this TAB and a cross-reference (or copy of such correspondence) placed in TAB No. 44.
(iv) TAB No. 21 audit report/waiver/field pricing report. When field pricing support is requested from the cognizant contract Management Agency activity pursuant to FAR 15.404-2(a), the report obtained, together with any attached assist reports shall be included under this TAB.
(v) TAB No. 25 certificate of current cost or pricing data. Often a contractor will provide a certificate of current cost or pricing data at the close of the negotiation session and will subsequently confirm, by letter, details of the agreements reached. In some instances, the confirming letter will include data which, although previously discussed and accepted, have not previously been presented in writing. In such cases, the certificate of current cost or pricing data presented at the close of negotiations becomes invalid; a new certificate must be obtained to reflect the contractor's last data submission upon which the final price agreement was concluded.
(vi) TAB No. 29 bid/offer evaluation worksheets, computer run. (Include documentation pertinent to source selection.)
(vii) TAB No. 30. This tab will be used to incorporate, when applicable, information received from a cognizant ACO relative to the acceptability of the contractor's disclosure statement when the firm has indicated submission of same.
(5) Section C - Other support data.
(i) TAB No. 34 unsuccessful bid/proposal. Include the notification to the offerors (either that already issued or that proposed to be issued) that bids/offers were unacceptable and the reasons therefor.
(ii) TAB No. 36 determination of late/bid proposal. All actions taken in accordance with the procedures prescribed under FAR 14.304 and 15.412 shall be included under this TAB.
