A Contracting Officer ( KO or CO ) is a person who can bind the
Federal Government of the United States
The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a fede ...
to a contract which is greater in value than the federal micro-purchase threshold ($10,000). This is limited to the scope of authority delegated to the Contracting Officer by the head of the agency. The abbreviation "KO" is frequently used.
[Kennedy, J. L. and Cornelius, R. A.]
Contracting officer's representatives: What to expect
''Army Sustainment'', published 31 January 2019, accessed 20 February 2020
Responsibilities
A Contracting Officer enters into, administers, or terminates contracts and makes related determinations and findings, and is appointed by
(SF) 1402, Certificate of Appointment Subsection 414(4) of
Title 41, United States Code, requires agency heads to establish and maintain a procurement career management program and a system for the selection, appointment, and termination of appointment of contracting officers. Agency heads or their designees may select and appoint contracting officers and terminate their appointments. These selections and appointments shall be consistent with the
Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
/Office of Federal Procurement Policy's (OMB/OFPP) standards for skill-based training in performing acquisition, contracting and procurement duties as published in OFPP Policy Letter No. 05-01, Developing and Managing the Acquisition Workforce, April 15, 2005.
The responsibilities of a Contracting Officer are detailed in
FAR (48 CFR) Part 1.602-2: "Contracting officers are responsible for ensuring performance of all necessary actions for effective contracting, ensuring compliance with the terms of the contract, and safeguarding the interests of the United States in its contractual relationships."
See also
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Federal Acquisition Regulation
The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the principal set of rules regarding Government procurement in the United States,. and is codified at Chapter 1 of Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations, . It covers many of the contracts issued b ...
(FAR)
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Contracting Officer's Technical Representative
A Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) is a business communications liaison between the United States government and a private contractor. The COTR is normally a federal or state employee who is responsible for recommending action ...
(COTR)
References
External links
Contracting with the federal government (book)-
Federal Crop Insurance Board v. Merrill
Federal Acquisition Institute
Federal government of the United States
Government procurement in the United States
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