(b)

(6)

(i) The Director, Office of Contract Management, Office of Procurement and Assistance Management, is designated as the DOE Ombudsman for task and delivery order contracts in accordance with 48 CFR 16.505(b)(6).

(ii) The Heads of Contracting Activities shall designate a senior manager to serve as the Contracting Activity Ombudsman for task and delivery order contracts. If, for any reason, the Contracting Activity Ombudsman is unable to execute the duties of the position, the Head of the Contracting Activity shall designate an Acting Contracting Activity Ombudsman.

(iii) The Contracting Activity Ombudsman shall—

(A) Be independent of the contracting officer who awarded and/or is administering the contract under which a complaint is submitted;

(B) Not assume any duties and responsibilities pertaining to the evaluation or selection of an awardee for the issuance of an order under a multiple award, task or delivery order contract;

(C) Review complaints from contractors awarded a task or delivery order contract;

(D) Collect all facts from the cognizant organizations or individuals that are relevant to a complaint submitted to ensure that the complainant and all contractors were afforded a fair opportunity to be considered for the order issued in accordance with the procedures set forth in each awardees' contract;

(E) Maintain a written log to track each complaint submitted from receipt through disposition;

(F) Ensure that no information is released which is determined to be proprietary or is designated as source selection information; and

(G) Resolve complaints at the contracting activity for which they have cognizance.

(iv) If, upon review of all relevant information, the Contracting Activity Ombudsman determines that corrective action should be taken, the Contracting Activity Ombudsman shall report the determination to the cognizant contracting officer. Issues which cannot be so resolved should be forwarded to the DOE Ombudsman.

[74 FR 36364, July 22, 2009, as amended at 81 FR 45977, July 15, 2016]