1. Contracting Officer Podcast Slides
Knowledge & Insights From Contracting Officers

2. What is the Uniform Contract Format?
Episode 041
What is the Uniform Contract Format?
Original Air Date: August 23, 2015
Hosts: Kevin Jans & Paul Schauer

3. Formatting notes
Hyperlinks: Blue font indicates hyperlinks – presentation must be in ‘Slide Show’ mode to activate the link
Red bold font indicates a point of emphasis
Green bold font indicates CO’s personal comment or perspective

4. Introduction
Purpose of this podcast: To define the Uniform Contract Format, or UCF
Uniform Contract Format:
The framework of government contracts
If you don’t understand this framework, you risk losing money and wasting time.

5. When does the UCF happen?
Acquisition Time Zones
(from Podcast Episode 003)
Requirements Zone
Market Research Zone
RFP Zone (proposal zone)
Source Selection Zone
Execution Time Zones
(from Podcast Episode 084)
Kick Off Zone
Performance Zone
Re-compete Zone
Wrap-up Zone

6. Uniform Contract Format
Required for FAR Part 15 contracts (per FAR Part )
The baseline for how contracts are constructed
Briefly in Episodes 10 & 11 where we talked about Sections L&M
Uniform is the key concept
There are LOTS of RFPs out there and their needs to be some consistency
This is not bureaucracy, this is efficiency
The other option is have the COs just make up their own format…

7. The RFP Under the UCF (per FAR Part 15.204)
A Solicitation/contract form B Supplies or services and prices/costs (CLINs) C Description/Specifications/Statement of Work D Packaging and marking E Inspection and acceptance F Deliveries or performance G Contract administration data H Special contract requirements I Contract clauses

8. The RFP Under the UCF (per FAR Part 15.204)
J List of attachments K Representations, certifications, and other statements of offerors L Instructions, conditions, and notices to offerors or respondents M Evaluation factors for award

9. The Uniform Contract Format
Required for FAR Part 15 contracts (per FAR )
Used in the majority of RFPs and contracts
May be used in others too (FAR 13.5 for example)
Not used in FAR Part 12 Commercial
See the UCF Webinar or the Sections L&M webinar

10. UCF is NOT required… Construction contracts (Standard Form 1442)
Architect-engineer contracts (Standard Form 252)
Contracts requiring special contract formats (such as FAR Part 12 solicitations)
Letter RFPs to one company (FAR (e))
…although a UCF contract will result
When exempted by agency head

11. Fun Fact on Section K….
Remember: Sections K, L and M do not become part of the resultant contract
Section K (Reps and Certs) is incorporated by reference in the contract using
FAR Or
FAR (v) for commercial acquisitions under FAR Part 12

12. Why is the UCF important?
In pursuit of the Three Cs:
Consistency
It’s all the same
Correctness
We all know what the contract says
Competence on both sides
So we all know what we’re doing

13. UCF is mostly done with software
Standard Procurement System
Procurement Desktop – Defense (PD2)
ConWrite
Several others

14. Why Should Government Care?
A previous podcast talked about why contract type is important
Contract type is the foundation of the contract
UCF is the framing on which the contract is built
Everyone doesn’t just get to make this up as they go
It describes the features of contract and where to find them
It’s how we communicate

15. Why Should Government Care?
Efficiency – it saves SO much time!
Everyone knows exactly where to look in the contract to find specific information.
PoP? Section F
Funding? Section G
What contract type is that CLIN? Section B
It’s the system we have, to excel you need to understand it!

16. Why Should Industry Care?
It helps filter opportunities faster
You know where to look for key details to quickly decide to pursue or not
It would be a mess if we had to hunt for the info in each RFP
Understand what needs to be done
And how to get paid!
Efficiency – it saves so much time

17. Summary This is not about bureaucracy – it’s about efficiency
It saves both sides time!
It’s the system we have…

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