https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN6464_AD2017-32_Web_Final.pdf
S E C R E T A R Y O F T H E A R M Y
W A S H I N G T O N
MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2017-32 (Acquisition Reform Initiative #6: Streamlining the
Contracting Process)
1. References. A complete list of references is at the enclosure.
2. The purpose of this directive is to streamline the contracting process and reduce the
time it takes to develop and award a contract. Contracting timelines for systems
acquisition can take from 1 to 2 years, slowing the acquisition process and delaying the
delivery of capabilities to Soldiers. Our contracting policies and documents must be
well-understood, delayered, and the overall process much faster. This directive is a
continuation of Army Directive 2017-22.
3. I direct the following actions:
a. The Assistant Secretary of the Army (ASA) (Acquisition, Logistics and
Technology) will:
(1) centralize policy under the Deputy ASA (Procurement) to standardize
contracting policy across the Army and remove unnecessary or outdated policies that
delay the contracting process. The Office of the Deputy ASA (Procurement) is the only
Army organization delegated authority to issue contracting policy. (Target: Not later
than (NLT) 30 April 2018.)
(2) establish a process that provides visibility for all contracting related audits.
(Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(3) review regulatory thresholds for key contracting approval authorities and
identify opportunities for further delegation than currently authorized to reduce delays in
the procurement process. Incorporate approved changes into the Army Federal
Acquisition Regulation Supplement (AFARS). (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(4) complete a review of the 350 potential required contract file documents to
identify and reduce contract documentation requirements and identify streamlining
opportunities. The goal is to reduce contract file documents by at least 10 percent.
Incorporate the changes into the AFARS. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(5) review source selection policies, procedures, and training and identify
opportunities for increased standardization, greater sharing of best practices, and
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2017-32 (Acquisition Reform Initiative #6: Streamlining the
Contracting Process)
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training for source selection evaluations, cost and price evaluations, and the conduct of
debriefings. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(6) mandate that all contracting activities use Virtual Contract Enterprise
Paperless Contract File, including the milestone tracking capability, and incorporate this
mandate in the AFARS. Include use of the Paperless Contract Folder as a contracting
metric. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(7) review and standardize peer review policies and procedures to reduce
redundant or advisory-only peer reviews. Incorporate changes into the AFARS to
support efficient execution of reviews and baseline best practices. (Target: NLT
30 April 2018.)
(8) create a new Army regulation for contracting to instruct Army customers
when seeking contracted support. Similar to Army Regulation 70-13 (Management and
Oversight of Service Acquisitions), the new regulation will set forth the roles and
responsibilities of customers, establish standard elements for a “contract requirements
package,” and provide information on engagement with contracting offices and
oversight of contractors throughout the procurement process. It will identify the
minimum standards necessary to execute a contract action for the requirement and will
serve as the foundation for training requiring activities. (Target: NLT 30 September
2018.)
(9) assess current training requirements for the Defense Acquisition Workforce
Improvement Act and the most recent skill gap analysis. Identify hiring opportunities to
improve the selection of people with appropriate skills (including but not limited to
writing, analytical, and math skills) for contracting positions and additional training to
support career development. (Target: NLT 30 January 2018.)
(10) direct Heads of Contracting Activities to examine their internal
organizational structures and develop plans for the optimization of mission, people, and
processes across each activity. The overall plan must maintain the effective distribution
of skill sets across the organization to ensure full development of the workforce. The
Direct Heads of Contracting Activities will provide the optimization report to the ASA
(Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) annually. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(11) develop a process for early engagement between requiring activities and
contracting to address deficiencies in the definition of the requirement and preparation
of the contract request package to improve the accuracy of the requirements package
and reduce cycle times. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(12) establish a Program Integrator and Review Board policy to review contract
document packages before submission to the contracting office to improve the accuracy
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2017-32 (Acquisition Reform Initiative #6: Streamlining the
Contracting Process)
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of the requirements package, impose standardization, and reduce cycle times. (Target:
NLT 30 April 2018.)
(13) establish a training course, in conjunction with the Defense Acquisition
University, for requiring activities who write the contract request documents and source
selection evaluation criteria to improve the accuracy of requirement packages and
reduce cycle times. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(14) update and reissue policy memorandum establishing the alignment of
contracting offices to customers. The alignment will promote habitual customer
relationships that leverage subject matter expertise and achieve more efficient
contracting outcomes, as well as minimize the pursuit of assisted acquisitions by Army
customers at non-Department of Defense contracting activities. (Target: NLT 30 April
2018.)
(15) write a legislative change proposal for the National Defense Authorization
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 to limit the time to file a protest with the U.S. Court of Federal
claims to 10 days (mirroring U.S. Government Accountability Office timelines) to reduce
extended protest periods and to establish a statute allowing the Government to recoup
costs associated with frivolous protest as determined by the U.S. Court of Federal
Claims. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
b. The Commander, Army Materiel Command will:
(1) direct the establishment of a Contracting-Acquisition Review Board with
leadership at the appropriate general or flag officer level to drive collaboration of
acquisition and nonacquisition stakeholders for Acquisition Categories I, II, and III
acquisition programs.
(a) The Review Board will be cohosted by the Commanders of the Life Cycle
Management Commands and, in the case of the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile
Command, U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, and U.S. Army Tank-
Automotive and Armaments Command, the Program Executive Officer. (Target: NLT
30 April 2018.)
(b) When the Life Cycle Management Command does not support the Program
Executive Office, the Contracting-Acquisition Review Board will be cohosted by the
customer and the supporting Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting. The
Commander, U.S. Army Contracting Command will be the adjudicating authority when
conflicting contracting priorities occur. (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
(2) prepare proposed changes to Army Regulation 70-1 (Army Acquisition
Policy). (Target: NLT 30 April 2018.)
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2017-32 (Acquisition Reform Initiative #6: Streamlining the
Contracting Process)
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4. The policies in this directive apply to the Active Army, Army National Guard/Army
National Guard of the United States, and U.S. Army Reserve.
5. This directive is rescinded upon publication of the revised regulations.
Encl Ryan D. McCarthy
Acting
DISTRIBUTION:
Principal Officials of Headquarters, Department of the Army
Commander
U.S. Army Forces Command
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
U.S. Army Materiel Command
U.S. Army Pacific
U.S. Army Europe
U.S. Army Central
U.S. Army North
U.S. Army South
U.S. Army Africa/Southern European Task Force
U.S. Army Special Operations Command
Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command
U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Strategic Command
U.S. Army Cyber Command
U.S. Army Medical Command
U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Army Military District of Washington
U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command
U.S. Army Installation Management Command
U.S. Army Human Resources Command
U.S. Army Financial Management Command
U.S. Army Marketing and Engagement Brigade
Superintendent, United States Military Academy
Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center
Executive Director, Arlington National Cemetery
Commandant, U.S. Army War College
Director, U.S. Army Civilian Human Resources Agency
(CONT)
SUBJECT: Army Directive 2017-32 (Acquisition Reform Initiative #6: Streamlining the
Contracting Process)
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DISTRIBUTION: (CONT)
CF:
Director, Army National Guard
Director of Business Transformation
Commander, Eighth Army
Enclosure
REFERENCES
a. Section 1735, Title 10, United States Code, The Defense Acquisition Workforce
Improvement Act of 1990.
b. Section 1741, Title 10, United States Code, Policies and Programs: Establishment
and Implementation.
c. Section 3016b(5)(A), Title 10, United States Code, Assistant Secretaries of the
Army.
d. Section 1122, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, Public Law
114-328.
e. Section 808, National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016, Public Law
114-92, Volume 129 Statute at Large, p. 888–889.
f. Chief of Staff of the Army, Report to Congress on Linking and Streamlining Army
Requirements, Acquisition, and Budget Processes in Response to National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, Section 808 (May 2016).
g. Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 5000.01 (The Defense Acquisition System),
May 12, 2003, Certified Current as of November 20, 2007.
h. DoD Instruction 5000.02 (Operation of the Defense Acquisition System), January 7,
2015; Incorporating Change 1, Effective January 26, 2017 and Change 2, Effective
February 2, 2017.
i. Army Directive 2017-22 (Implementation of Acquisition Reform Initiatives 1 and 2),
12 Sep 2017.
j. Army Regulation 70-1 (Army Acquisition Policy), 16 June 2017.
k. Army Regulation 70-13 (Management and Oversight of Service Acquisitions),
30 July 2010.
l. Memorandum, SAAL-ZA, 31 October 2016, subject: Improvements to Army
Contracting Processes.