Department of State Contracting
This bureau manages the design, construction, and maintenance of U.S. embassies and consulates overseas.
What is Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations?
OBO’s primary mission is to provide these types of facilities to support U.S. diplomacy abroad.
What are secure, functional diplomatic facilities?
This is the principal set of rules governing acquisition by all executive agencies of the federal government.
What is the Federal Acquisition Regulation?
Only this individual has the authority to enter into, administer, or terminate contracts on behalf of the government.
Who is the Contracting Officer?
An REA is typically submitted under this clause when the government modifies contract requirements.
What is the Changes clause?
This Department-level office establishes acquisition policy and oversees procurement activities across the Department of State.
What is the Office of the Procurement Executive?
This delivery method frequently used by OBO combines design and construction responsibility into one contract entity.
What is design-build?
FAR Part 15 governs this type of acquisition method, commonly used for negotiated procurements.
What is contracting by negotiation?
A contracting officer’s authority is documented in this formal appointment instrument.
What is a Warrant (Certificate of Appointment)?
Unlike a formal claim under the Contract Disputes Act, an REA is generally considered this type of request.
What is a non-adversarial contract adjustment request?
Most large embassy construction projects are executed under this type of contract, often involving fixed pricing with performance risk on the contractor.
What is a firm-fixed-price contract?
OBO projects must comply with host nation laws unless superseded by this international agreement governing diplomatic premises.
What is the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations?
This FAR part prescribes policies and procedures for sealed bidding.
What is FAR Part 14?
When a contractor receives direction outside the scope of authority from a COR, this may result.
What is an Unauthorized Commitment?
To recover extended overhead due to government-caused delay, contractors often rely on this formula.
What is the Eichleay Formula?
Security standards for diplomatic facilities worldwide are influenced by recommendations from this board formed after the 1983 Beirut bombings.
What is the Accountability Review Board?
When unexpected site conditions arise during excavation at an embassy compound, this clause often becomes relevant.
What is the Differing Site Conditions clause?
This FAR clause allows the government to unilaterally direct changes within the general scope of the contract.
What is the Changes clause?
The contracting officer must ensure this before awarding a contract, including financial resources and compliance with law.
What is Determination of Responsibility?
An REA exceeding this dollar threshold must be certified if it qualifies as a claim under the Contract Disputes Act.
What is $100,000?
This federal statute requires that construction contracts exceeding $2,000 include prevailing wage requirements.
What is the Davis-Bacon Act?
OBO relies heavily on this project delivery tool that integrates cost, schedule, and performance metrics into one management baseline.
What is Earned Value Management (EVM)?
FAR Part 33 addresses this area of contract administration, including disputes and protests.
What is Protests, Disputes, and Appeals?
This legal doctrine prevents the government from being bound by acts of its agents acting beyond their authority.
What is the Doctrine of Actual Authority?
This board frequently hears appeals of Department of State contract disputes.
What is the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals?