Overview
This section prescribes the communication protocols between the contracting officer, the contract administration office (CAO), and the contractor to ensure all parties remain informed of administrative actions.
Key Rules
- Routing Preference: The contracting officer (CO) must normally route correspondence regarding contract administration through the cognizant CAO rather than sending it directly to the contractor.
- Documentation: The CO is required to provide the CAO with copies of all correspondence for their official files.
- Urgency Exception: If a situation is urgent, the CO may communicate directly with the contractor, provided a copy of the correspondence is sent to the CAO concurrently.
- Reciprocal Reporting: The CAO must provide the contracting office with copies of any pertinent correspondence they conduct directly with the contractor.
Practical Implications
- Ensures the government maintains a "unified voice," preventing the contractor from receiving conflicting instructions from the Procuring Contracting Officer (PCO) and the Administrative Contracting Officer (ACO).
- Maintains the integrity of the official contract file by ensuring both the buying office and the field office have identical records of all administrative decisions and instructions.