Procurement News

• Quick Links.
  
  
• The proposal deadline for the Cooperative Procurement Pilot Program has been extended (August 13, 2004).
  
  
• More on the Cooperative Procurement Pilot Program (August 10, 2004).
  
  
• FTA updates another of its required clauses (July 6, 2004).
  
  
• FTA launches its procurement news section (June 1, 2004).
  
  
• OMB to consolidate the 'common grant rules' (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments and Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations) in Code of Federal Regulations Title 2 (May 11, 2004).
  
  
• OMB publishes changes to the cost principles applicable to FTA grantees (May 10, 2004).
  
  
• Read the latest updates to the FTA Circular 4220.1E explanatory footnotes (February, 2004).
  
  
• FTA updates required contract clauses (February, 2004).
  
  
• DOT joins other federal agencies in announcing revised regulations on suspensions and debarments, 49 CFR Part 29 (November 26, 2003).
  
  
• See the latest changes to DOT's DBE program, 49 CFR Part 26 (July, 2003).

Quick Links.

FTA Circular 4220.1E and the latest updates to the explanatory footnotes.  Be sure to choose the annotated version through the link at the beginning of the document.

The Best Practices Procurement Manual.  Including the FTA clauses at Appendix A.  Be sure to check frequently to see what sections have been added or updated.

FTA’s Third Party Procurement Helpline.  Including frequently asked questions. 

Buy America Frequently Asked Questions. 

The Rest of FTA’s Buy America Guidance.

Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.  This page includes links to the common grant rules (Parts 18 and 19), the DBE regulation (Part 26), and other DOT-wide regulations.  FTA-specific regulations such as those related to bus testing and Buy America can be accessed through this link.

The National Transit Institute provides procurement (and other) training for our grantees.  Check out their schedule at NTI Online.

Have a link that would help other transit procurement professionals?  Please let us know by e-mailing paul.veltri@fta.dot.gov.

The proposal deadline for the Cooperative Procurement Pilot Program has been extended (August 13, 2004).

In response to comments received through our web site and at the pre-proposal conference, FTA has extended the deadline for proposals. Proposals are now due on or before September 22, 2004. The number of copies, address, etc. for delivery has not changed. Please note that security screening may delay normal mail delivery to FTA headquarters. You may wish to consider hand delivery, overnight mail, or a delivery service such as Fedex or UPS to ensure your proposal is received on time and considered for selection.    

More on the Cooperative Procurement Pilot Program (August 10, 2004).

Following up on our June 23rd Federal Register announcement and request for proposals, FTA held its pre-proposal conference on August 9, 2004.  The notes from the meeting are at this link. The CPPP is a program to demonstrate how joint procurements and Internet technology can combine to make capital equipment procurements more efficient. The program will allow participating grantees to use a 90% Federal share. Want to read more? Go to the Federal Register main page and enter “cooperative procurement” in the “quick search” box. To receive continuing information on the program, sign up here.      

FTA updates another of its required clauses (July 6, 2004).

The new clause on suspension and debarment is now available in Appendix A of the Best Practices Procurement Manual. The new clause incorporates the changes in the government-wide rules on suspension and debarment announced November 26, 2003 (and discussed in a separate item below). The most significant change lowered the dollar threshold for application of the rules to $25,000.

FTA launches its procurement news section (June 1, 2004).

FTA grantees have told us that one of the hardest aspects of transit procurement is keeping up with all of the changes.  We have added this page to the FTA public website to help do just that.  Special thanks should go to the members of the NTI-sponsored RFP and Competitive Contract Negotiation Course held at Valley Metro Rail in Phoenix in May 2004 – it was that class that inspired (although demanded is probably a more accurate term!) this effort.

Our initial page collects up some new items and some not-so-new ones that many of our colleagues may have missed.  The page will flow from the newest to oldest items to make it easier to locate those that have been added since your last visit.

Although we believe we have a good start, we need your help to ensure this page stays relevant, helpful, and current.  Tell us what you think of the page and give us new information to post by e-mailing paul.veltri@fta.dot.gov.

OMB to consolidate the 'common grant rules' (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments and Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations) in Code of Federal Regulations Title 2 (May 11, 2004).

OMB will ultimately consolidate each agency’s common grant rules in a single portion of the Code of Federal Regulations.  There is no change to the rules themselves at this point and no schedule for when 49 CFR Part 18 and 49 CFR Part 19 will move to CFR Title 2 but we’ll keep you posted.  Want to see the whole announcement?  Go to the Federal Register Main Page and enter 26275 in the “quick search” box.

OMB publishes changes to the cost principles applicable to FTA grantees (May 10, 2004).

OMB amended the cost principles in their Circulars A-21, A-87, and A-122 to simplify the principles and make them more consistent.  OMB Circular A-87 applies to state and local governments, as well as Indian tribal governments.  OMB Circular A-122 applies to private, non-profit grantees.  OMB Circular A-21 applies to institutions of higher education.  We have compiled a short side-by-side comparison of the old and new provisions of OMB Circular A-87 (since that’s the one that applies to most of our grantees).  Want to see the whole announcement?  Go to the Federal Register Main Page and enter 25969 in the “quick search” box.

FTA updates required contract clauses (February, 2004).

FTA has recently updated its required contract clauses on Contract Work Hours & Safety Standards and the Davis-Bacon Act.  Although the laws have not significantly changed, the clauses are now in a new, clearer format.  We have also eliminated the State & Local Law Disclaimer clause as unnecessary.  The required clauses are in Appendix A of the Best Practices Procurement Manual.

Read the latest updates to the FTA Circular 4220.1E explanatory footnotes (February, 2004).

The newest changes are underlined in the text and, as always, each change is dated.  The latest version is at Appendix D of the Best Practices Procurement Manual.  Be sure to select the annotated version through the link at the beginning of the document.

DOT joins other federal agencies in announcing revised regulations on suspensions and debarments, 49 CFR Part 29 (November 26, 2003).

The rules on suspension and debarment, applicable to all Federal grant programs, have been updated.  Significant changes are that grantees may (but are no longer required to) satisfy their obligation not to award Federally assisted contracted to suspended or debarred contractors by obtaining a certification from the prospective contractor.  Also, contract and sub-contracts valued at $25,000 or more are now covered by the regulation – a change from the old $100,000 threshold.  Want to read the whole announcement?   Go to the Federal Register Advanced Search Page, check the ‘2003 FR, Vol. 68’ box and enter debarment and suspension in the search terms box.  Also, keep checking this page for an updated FTA clause that reflects this new language.

See the latest changes to DOT's DBE program, 49 CFR Part 26 (July, 2003).

The DBE program underwent some changes last summer.  Among them were changes to the prompt payment rules such as a 30-day window for prime contractors to pay their sub-contractors and limits on retainage.  See the rules as they are printed in the Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR Part 26).