Overview
This section establishes the jurisdictional authority for conducting inspections or performance evaluations of Contract Administration Offices (CAOs). It ensures that oversight of these offices remains strictly under the control of their parent agencies.
Key Rules
- Authority Restriction: Onsite inspections or evaluations of a CAO's assigned functions are limited to the agency to which that office belongs.
- Direction Requirement: Any evaluation performed must be accomplished either directly by the parent agency or under that agency's specific direction.
Practical Implications
- This prevents "jurisdictional creep" by ensuring that external agencies cannot independently audit or evaluate a CAO without the consent and oversight of the CAO’s own department (e.g., a civilian agency cannot independently evaluate a DCMA office).
- It maintains a unified chain of command and ensures that performance standards are applied consistently according to the parent agency’s specific internal policies.