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The Federal Government's Automated Best Value System (ABVS), formerly called the Automated Best
Value Model, is a computerized system that collects a vendor’s existing past
performance data and translates it into a numeric score.
The contracting
officer then uses the score as an additional evaluation factor when making
best value award decisions.
DLA is positioning the Past Performance Information
Retrieval System (PPIRS) to transition from the Automated Best Value
System (ABVS) as the single authorized system for receipt and for
retrieval of contractor past performance data for DoD acquisitions.
With the ABVS price is not always the sole determining factor in awarding
contracts.
Many acquisitions (most notably negotiated acquisitions) involve
a review of a contractor's technical capability; corporate experience;
quality; past performance and surge capability (as well as price). This
methodology is used because it makes good business sense and ensures
reliable contractors with proven performance records will deliver quality
products at the lowest possible costs.
The Defense Logistics Agency
(DLA)
assigns an
ABVS score to each vendor based on the vendor's past
performance.
Vendors receive scores for performance in each federal supply
class (FSC scores).
The DLA scores are based on consolidated ABVS performance
history.
A vendor may have multiple FSC scores but will have only one DLA
score, which is a compilation of the vendor's FSC scores for all business
conducted with DLA.
The DLA system uses 24 months of past performance history as the standard
rating period. Each monthly update includes data through the 5th of the
month.
The ABVS score is a combination of a vendor's delivery and quality scores
and the scores range from zero to a perfect score of 100. If a vendor's
score is less than 100, DLA provides the negative data that impacts that
score.
The delivery score reflects all lines shown as delinquent during the rating
period. For administrative purposes, the delivery-rating period excludes the
most recent 60 days. For ABVS, delinquent lines represent shipments not
shipped and/or received in their entirety by the contract delivery date.
The quality score reflects validated contractor-caused product
non-conformance/lab test failures and packaging non-conformances during the
rating period. For administrative purposes, the rating period for quality
excludes the most recent 30 days.
The 30 and 60 day offset periods are not grace periods.
Contractor caused discrepancies, regardless of corrective action, will be
reflected in ABVS as an indicator of past performance. The repair,
replacement or reimbursement of quality and packaging defects will not
provide relief of negative ABVS data.
If your records reflect negative quality data, they are listed with one of
these Discrepancy Codes:
A1 – A5 Stored Material Deficiencies
C1 – C6 Supplies Damaged or with Expired Shelf-Life
L1 – L8 Wood Product Deficiencies
P0 – P8 Packaging Deficiencies
Q1 – Q7 Product Quality Deficiencies
T1 – T6 Technical Data Deficiencies
W0 –W9 Wrong Item / Incomplete Item Shipped
X1 – XL Damaged Material.
Scores are used in best value award decisions. Because
buyers
use ABVS scores as an additional evaluation factor in making best value
award decisions, you should review your data carefully. Negative data
affects your company’s ABVS score.
You do not receive mailed notices of your negative data.
Updated ABVS information is available via the DSCR Internet. You may access
this information by using your Procurement Gateway USERID and password.
Your negative performance data will be posted before it is reflected in the
ABVS score (preview period), to give you an opportunity to review and verify
data. Negative data must be challenged within the preview period to assure
corrections are posted before it is included in the calculation of the
score.
Check your data regularly. ABVS scoring is a continuous process, and while
you may not have negative data this month, it could appear next month.
Challenging Automated Best Value System (ABVS) data
While you may challenge negative data at
any time, it is to your advantage to challenge negative data during the
preview period, before it has an opportunity to be reflected in the ABVS
score. You should review performance data on a monthly basis at a minimum.
Failure to challenge will be interpreted as you agreement the data are
accurate.
After reviewing your data, you may challenge any record for which you take
exception, submitting challenges and substantiating evidence (e.g., shipping
invoices, the Bill of Lading or the UPS manifest, signed DD250s,
modifications, letters, etc.) to the ABVS administrator. The “center” data
field will identify the appropriate focal point. Challenges may be mailed or
faxed to the applicable center as follows: Defense Supply
Center Richmond
ATTN: DSCR-RZP (ABVS)
8000 Jefferson-Davis Highway
Richmond, VA 23297-5272
Telephone: (804) 279-6431
FAX: (804) 279-5042
Email: DSCRABVS@dscr.dla.mil
Defense Supply Center Columbus
ATTN: DSCC-PAMB
P. O. Box 3990
Columbus, OH 43216-5000
Telephone: (614) 692-3383
FAX: (614) 692-4170
Defense Supply Center Philadelphia
DSCP-PPA (ABVS)
700 Robbins Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19111-5096
Telephone: (215) 737-7844
FAX: (215) 737-7949 When a challenge is received, the ABVS score will be flagged. The flag will
remain until the challenge is resolved. If an offer under evaluation
involves a challenged score, the contracting officer will consider the
nature of the challenged data and its relevance to the acquisition as part
of the award decision.
The ABVS administrator will adjust the ABVS score if your challenge is
upheld. Adjusted scores will be reflected in the next update cycle. These
scores and status on challenged data will be available for review on the
ABVS web site.
Disputed data results when a challenge between contractor and government
cannot be resolved.
While every effort will be made to expeditiously resolve disputed data, the
government is the final authority for its resolution and use in the source
selection process, and may make an award decision despite the existence of
unresolved challenges.
Using the ABVS score for evaluation.
FSC scores are used when offers are evaluated. If a vendor does not have a
FSC score in that particular federal supply class, a vendor’s DLA score is
used to evaluate its offer.
The contracting officer may also consider the volume of business on which
the FSC score is based as a measure of confidence in the score’s indication
of performance risk. He may choose to use the DLA score if he lacks
confidence in the FSC score.
The contracting officer also may use the DLA score if the FSC scores among
offerors are relatively equal.
Offerors with no performance history will be not be evaluated favorably or
unfavorably.
A “999.9” is used to designate those instances wherein the offeror is
unscored -- that is, has no past performance history, has no history for the
particular FSC or has no history for the timeframe being rated.
This concept, known as Best Value, is defined as any competitive negotiated
acquisition where the contracting officer uses discriminating factors, in
addition to price, in the evaluation of proposals and award of a contract.
Within DSCP, this would encompass virtually all our awards with the
exception of low price, technically acceptable source selection and sealed
bidding.
For Construction & Equipment (formerly General & Industrial) vendors, an
automated system is used to assist the contracting officer. The Automated
Best Value System (ABVS) is a computerized system that collects a vendor's
existing past performance data and translates it into a numeric score. The
contracting officer then uses the score as an additional evaluation factor
when making best value award decisions. DLA Implementation of the Department of Defense (DoD) Past
Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS)
In July 2002, the Department of Defense (DoD) endorsed the Past Performance
Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) as the single authorized system for
receipt and for retrieval of contractor past performance data for DoD
acquisitions.
To this end, DLA is positioning the Enterprise to transition from its
current vendor past performance assessment tool, Automated Best Value System
(ABVS) to the Past Performance Information Retrieval System – Statistical
Reporting (PPIRS-SR).
PPIRS-SR contains vendor delivery and quality information for DLA contracts
below the threshold established for PPIRS report cards. Please see PPIRS-SR
link: http://www.ppirs.gov/ppirs-sr/ppirssr.htm
Access to PPIRS is restricted. Contractor access to PPIRS-SR is gained
through the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) process. A contractor must
be registered in CCR and must have created a Marketing Partner
Identification Number (MPIN) in the CCR profile to access their PPIRS
information. Once access is gained, contractors may view only their data.
For registration and establishment of a Marketing Partner ID (MPIN) in the
Central Contractor Registration (CCR), please access http://www.ccr.gov
To establish an account for your firm in the Past Performance Information
Retrieval System - Statistical Reporting (PPIRS-SR), please access http://www.ppirs.gov
Note: A Department of Defense (DoD) PKI Certificate is required for all DoD
users and contractors accessing PPIRS-RC and PPIRS-SR.
DLA has been forwarding past performance data applicable to DLA contracts to
PPIRS-SR since July 2002. In turn, DLA performance data is combined with
past performance data collected from other Federal contracting activities,
as applicable, to provide a comprehensive performance assessment for each
contractor.
Until such time that ABVS is retired, DLA will continue to utilize ABVS as a
proxy to the PPIRS-SR past performance database; however, the Government may
utilize PPIRS-SR assessments in making best value trade-off source selection
award decisions in specific situations, as stated in the individual
solicitation provision. Challenges pertaining to DLA contracts will continue
to be initiated through ABVS.
Initial deployment of PPIRS-SR will commence on October 1, 2008.
Further vendor communication will be provided as warranted during DLA’s
transition from ABVS to PPIRS-SR.
Questions regarding this issue may be addressed to Michael Koster, DLA-HQ at
(703) 325-1634 or at Michael.Koster@dla.mil
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