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Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contractors are government contractors who are contracted to assist the
United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national secur ...
(DoD) components, and acquisition programs. (In some areas of DoD, the acronym SETA refers to "Systems Engineering and Technical Assessment" contractors; also refers to "Systems Engineering and Technical Advisors.") SETA contractors provide analysis and engineering services in a consulting capacity, working closely with the government's own engineering staff members. SETA contractors provide the flexibility and quick availability of expertise without the expense and commitment of sustaining the staff long-term.


Use of the term

SETA is an industry term, which the DoD has used since at least 1995, for example in the Software Engineering Institute; 'Defense Acquisition Deskbook, "S"; the An Acronym List for the Information Age (Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association); the DoD Guide to Integrated Product and Process Development.


Contracting

The government often needs to supplement its internal Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance capability in order to meet its frequently changing needs and demands. Through a formal Request for Information (RFI)/ Request for Proposal (RFP) process the government is able to contract with a commercial organization to provide certain services. SETA contractors work alongside government employees often within the same workspace. SETA contractors may participate in government contracting actions and may assist in managing other contracts. A SETA contractor cannot be the
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 actions ...
(COTR) or Assistant Contracting Officer Representative (ACOR), but they may function as the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC). Since SETA contractors may have access to procurement sensitive information there is a risk of conflict of interest (CoI) which is mitigated through
Non-Disclosure Agreement A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is a legal contract or part of a contract between at least two parties that outlines confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wis ...
s (NDAs) and firewalls restricting communications within corporations. The SETA support rate in total R&D expenditures of
DARPA The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. Originally known as the Ad ...
are evaluating as 7.4-9.9%.


Policy

The policy related to SETA contractors can be found in the
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 by ...
(FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation (DFAR) and DoD Instructions. FAR Part 37 is the starting point for guidance for these types of contracts. Subpart 37.2 defines advisory and assistance services and provides that the use of such services is a legitimate way to improve the prospects for program or systems success. FAR Part 37.201(c) defines engineering and technical services used in support of a program office during the acquisition cycle. FAR 16.505(c) provides that the ordering period of an advisory and assistance services task order contract, including all options or modifications, may not exceed five years unless a longer period is specifically authorized in a law that is applicable to such a contract. DFARS Part 237 provides information for advisory and assistance contracts. FAR Subpart 9.5 addresses the potential for organizational and consultant conflicts of interest. Use of SETA contracts and NDAs allows for services involving systems and data and providing assistance and advice. This excludes Inherently Governmental Functions (IGF), as defined in statue by Public Law 105 - Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act (the "FAIR Act") of 1998 and in regulation by OMB Circular A-76.


See also

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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 actions ...
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Systems Engineering Systems engineering is an interdisciplinary field of engineering and engineering management that focuses on how to design, integrate, and manage complex systems over their life cycles. At its core, systems engineering utilizes systems thinking ...


References

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External links


Federal Acquisition Regulation



Department of Defense Issuances

DARPA SETA Support FY2010 / FY2015 Database
DOI:10.6084/m9.figshare.4759186.v2
Public Law 105 - 270 - Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998

OMB Circular A-76
United States Department of Defense United States defense procurement Systems engineering