Case Study on Aircraft Pallet Acquisition

I. Subject

The objective of this case study is the acquisition of 1000 aircraft pallets with a new design within a budget of $1 million. Its subjects are acquisition planning, FAR requirements, security clearances, requirements documents, and agency, authority, and warrants. All that this implies:

* Agents and Authority

* Actual

* Apparent

* Implied

* Warrants

* Limited

* Unlimited

* Acquisition Planning

* Requirements

* Market Research

* Gap and Threat Analysis

* Acquisition Background

* Plan of Action

* Funding and Cost Consideration

* Technical Consideration

* Contract Consideration

* Environmental Consideration

* Security

* Special Considerations and Waivers

* FAR Requirements

* Part 7 (a) and (b)

* Security Clearances

* Unclassified

* FOUO

* Confidential

* Secret

* Top Secret

* Requirements Documents

* Design Specifications

* Performance Specifications

II. Major Issues in the Case

Since I have been directed to purchase the new cargo pallets, I am assuming that I am a Contracting Officer. As a C.O., I have actual authority given by the government to make the procurement, and my I’m presuming my warrant is at a level commensurate with being able to make a $1,000,000 purchase. If it were not to this level, then I would not be able to be the Contracting Officer for this acquisition.

Part 7 (a) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) states that “agencies shall perform acquisition planning and conduct market research for all acquisitions in order to provide for (1) acquisition of commercial items… (and) (2) full and open competition.” Part (b) states that the government should attempt to meet is needs in the most economical, effective, and timely manner by incorporating the works of all personnel that are responsible for major facets of the...