Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS) Change Notice 20040323.

The Department of Defense published the following final and proposed rules in the Federal Register on March 23, 2004:

INTERIM RULE:

Contract Period for Task and Delivery Order Contracts (DFARS Case 2003-D097)

Establishes a 5-year limitation on the contract period for a task order or delivery order contract awarded by DoD under the authority of 10 U.S.C. 2304a; and clarifies that the total contract period includes all options or modifications. The rule implements Section 843 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Law 108-136). Additional information regarding implementation of this rule is available at <http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dfars/changes.htm>.

FINAL RULES:

Buy-to-Budget Acquisition of End Items (DFARS Case 2002-D036)

Finalizes, without change, the interim rule published on July 22, 2003 (DFARS Change Notice 20030722). The rule authorizes DoD to acquire a higher quantity of an end item than the quantity specified in law, under certain conditions. This rule implements Section 801 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-314). The Federal Register notice for this rule is available at <http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dfars/changes.htm>.

Multiyear Contracting Authority Revisions (DFARS Case 2002-D041)

Finalizes, without change, the interim rule published on August 21, 2003 (DFARS Change Notice 20030821). The rule restricts the use of multiyear contracts for supplies to only those for complete and usable end items, and restricts the use of advance procurement to only those long-lead items necessary in order to meet a planned delivery schedule for complete major end items. This rule implements Section 820 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-314). The Federal Register notice for this rule is available at <http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dfars/changes.htm>.

PROPOSED RULE:

Contractors Accompanying a Force Deployed (DFARS Case 2003-D087)

Proposes policy and a contract clause to address situations that require contractor employees to accompany a force engaged in contingency, humanitarian, peacekeeping, or combat operations outside the United States. The proposed changes will enable the uniform treatment of contractors that accompany a deployed force, and will enable combatant commanders to rapidly adjust contract requirements in response to changing conditions on the battlefield. The Federal Register notice for this rule is available at <http://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dfars/changes.htm>.