Functional Statements > Federal Student Aid

B. Office of Principal Deputy to the Chief Operating Officer:
B1. Acquisitions Directorate

The Acquisitions Directorate is responsible for ensuring the efficient and economic acquisition of products and services for FSA while reducing cost and maintaining compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and Executive Orders. These responsibilities include the following functions: Acquisition Policy, Workforce, and Data Management Group; and, four operational contracting groups: Next Gen FSA Contracts Group; Student Experience and Aid Delivery Contracts Group, Partner Participation and Oversight Contracts Group; and, Enterprise Support Contracts Group.

Acquisition Policy, Workforce, and Data Management Group

The Acquisition Policy, Workforce, and Data Management Group monitors compliance of all acquisitions with applicable laws and regulations; prepares internal policies, procedures, and practices to assure the same; develops and implements future acquisition workforce strategies; manages government property assigned to contractors ; evaluates the effectiveness of acquisition programs, operations, and management; and independently assesses acquisition program strategy, management systems, and IT programs supporting those systems. Responsibilities of the Acquisition Policy, Workforce, and Data Management Group include:

• Preparing internal policies, procedures, and practices to ensure that Federal Student Aid’s acquisition practices are consistent with applicable procurement laws and regulations and the Department’s policies, practices, and directives;
• Fulfilling the Competition Advocacy function for FSA as mandated under 48 CFR Subpart 6.5;
• Managing the small business advocacy and monitoring program for FSA mandated under 48 CFR Part 19;
• Developing short- and long-term human capital strategic planning for the acquisition workforce, including recruitment, retention, professional development, and succession planning for the acquisitions workforce of the future. Implementing competency development strategies for contracting staff, program managers, and Contracting Officer’s Representatives. Managing the Acquisition Professional Program, which includes recruitment of entry level staff;
• Monitoring the compliance of all Federal Student Aid acquisition activities with applicable procurement laws and regulations, in accordance with the Implementation Guide for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-123, Management’s Responsibility for Internal Control over Acquisition functions, and the Department’s Chief Acquisition Officer’s policies, practices, and directives;
• Independently monitoring and providing management reports on the performance metrics related to Federal Student Aid acquisitions; and
• Managing Government Property at the enterprise level, e.g., software, servers, tokens, etc., assigned to contractors as mandated under 48 CFR Part 45.102.

Next Gen FSA Contracts Group

The Next Gen FSA Contracts Group provides simplified and complex acquisitions for the execution and delivery of supplies and services in support of NextGen FSA. This group will sunset on or about 9/30/2022 in conjunction with the Next Gen FSA Program Office. Group resources will then be allocated to other contracts groups. Such procurement actions include, but are not limited to, contracts related to achieving the mission of Federal Student Aid: the application, development, administration, and maintenance of automated processing systems for delivering Title IV aid to students and schools.

Responsibilities for the contracting process include:

• Performing strategic and tactical market research;
• Acquisition planning as defined in Part 7 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations;
• Supporting the formulation of solicitations;
• Providing price analysis for solicitations, modifications, and orders;
• Issuing solicitations;
• Selecting contractors;
• Negotiating and awarding contracts and interagency agreements;
• Administering and managing contracts and interagency agreements; and,
• Closing out of contracts after expiration.

Student Experience and Aid Delivery Contracts Group

The Student Experience and Aid Delivery Contracts Group provides simplified and complex acquisition support and the administration of contracts related to achieving the mission of Federal Student Aid. These actions include, but are not limited to, the application, development, administration, and maintenance of automated processing systems for delivering Title IV aid to students and schools.

Responsibilities for the contracting process include:

• Performing strategic and tactical market research;

• Acquisition planning as defined in Part 7 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations;

• Supporting the formulation of solicitations;

• Providing price analysis for solicitations, modifications, and orders;

• Issuing solicitations;

• Selecting contractors;

• Negotiating and awarding contracts and interagency agreements;

• Administering and managing contracts and interagency agreements; and,

• Closing out of contracts after expiration.

Partner Participation and Oversight Contracts Groups

The Partner Participation and Oversight Contracts Group provides simplified and complex acquisition support and the administration of legacy and new contracts that provide monitoring and oversight of institutions (i.e., schools, guaranty agencies, lenders, and servicers) participating in the Department ’s Federal Student Aid programs. These actions include, but are not limited to, systems and services to support the eligibility, certification, and oversight of program participants.

Responsibilities for the contracting process include:

• Performing strategic and tactical market research;
• Acquisition planning as defined in Part 7 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations;
• Supporting the formulation of solicitations;
• Providing price analysis for solicitations, modifications, and orders;
• Issuing solicitations;
• Selecting contractors;
• Negotiating and awarding contracts and interagency agreements;
• Administering and managing contracts and interagency agreements; and,
• Closing out of contracts after expiration.

Enterprise Support Contracts Group

The Enterprise Support Contracts Group provides simplified and complex acquisition services in support of Federal Student Aid’s other internal operations, including the Office of Strategic Measures and Outcomes (SMO), the Office of Strategy, Innovation, and Transformation (SIT), and Mission Support. Such procurement actions include, but are not limited to, contracts related information technology systems and services; professional, administrative, and financial services; employee development; and, other supplies and services.

Responsibilities for the contracting process include:

• Performing strategic and tactical market research;
• Acquisition planning as defined in Part 7 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations;
• Supporting the formulation of solicitations;
• Providing price analysis for solicitations, modifications, and orders;
• Issuing solicitations;
• Selecting contractors;
• Negotiating and awarding contracts and interagency agreements;
• Administering and managing contracts and interagency agreements; and,
• Closing out of contracts after expiration.