Overview
FAR 9.602 outlines the rationale and timing for contractor team arrangements, emphasizing how these partnerships benefit both the Government and industry by combining unique capabilities to deliver optimal value.
Key Rules
- Purpose: Team arrangements are intended to allow companies to complement each other's unique capabilities to offer the best combination of performance, cost, and delivery.
- Applicability: While particularly appropriate for complex research and development (R&D) acquisitions, these arrangements may be used for production and other types of acquisitions.
- Timing of Formation: Companies normally form these arrangements prior to submitting an offer; however, the regulation explicitly permits forming them later in the acquisition process or even after the contract has been awarded.
Practical Implications
- Competitive Advantage: Contractors can leverage team arrangements to fill technical gaps, allowing them to bid on complex requirements that they could not fulfill as a single entity.
- Flexibility: The regulation provides contractors with the flexibility to formalize or adjust their collaborative structures even after a project has commenced, ensuring the team remains aligned with contract needs.