Cost Reduction (AUG 2009)

(a) General. It is the Department of Energy's (DOE's) intent to have its facilities and laboratories operated in an efficient and effective manner. To this end, the Contractor shall assess its operations and identify areas where cost reductions would bring cost efficiency to operations without adversely affecting the level of performance required by the contract. The Contractor, to the maximum extent practical, shall identify areas where cost reductions may be effected, and develop and submit Cost Reduction Proposals (CRPs) to the Contracting Officer. If accepted, the Contractor may share in any shared net savings from accepted CRPs in accordance with paragraph (g) of this clause.

(b) Definitions. Administrative cost is the Contractor cost of developing and administering the CRP.

Design, process, or method change is a change to a design, process, or method which has established cost, technical and schedule baseline, is defined, and is subject to a formal control procedure. Such a change must be innovative, initiated by the Contractor, and applied to a specific project or program.

Development cost is the Contractor cost of up-front planning, engineering, prototyping, and testing of a design, process, or method.

DOE cost is the Government cost incurred implementing and validating the CRP.

Implementation cost is the Contractor cost of tooling, facilities, documentation, etc., required to effect a design, process, or method change once it has been tested and approved.

Net Savings means a reduction in the total amount (to include all related costs and fee) of performing the effort where the savings revert to DOE control and may be available for deobligation. Such savings may result from a specific cost reduction effort which is negotiated on a cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive, or firm-fixed-price basis, or may result directly from a design, process, or method change. They may also be savings resulting from formal or informal direction given by DOE or from changes in the mission, work scope, or routine reorganization of the Contractor due to changes in the budget.

Shared Net Savings are those net savings which result from—

(1) A specific cost reduction effort which is negotiated on a cost-plus-incentive-fee or fixed-price incentive basis, and is the difference between the negotiated target cost of performing an effort as negotiated and the actual allowable cost of performing that effort; or

(2) A design, process, or method change, which occurs in the fiscal year in which the change is accepted and the subsequent fiscal year, and is the difference between the estimated cost of performing an effort as originally planned and the actual allowable cost of performing that same effort utilizing a revised plan intended to reduce costs along with any Contractor development costs, implementation costs, administrative costs, and DOE costs associated with the revised plan. Administrative costs and DOE costs are only included at the discretion of the Contracting Officer. Savings resulting from formal or informal direction given by the DOE or changes in the mission, work scope, or routine reorganization of the Contractor due to changes in the budget are not to be considered as shared net savings for purposes of this clause and do not qualify for incentive sharing.

(c) Procedure for submission of CRPs.

(1) CRPs for the establishment of cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive, or firm-fixed-price efforts or for design, process, or methods changes submitted by the Contractor shall contain, at a minimum, the following:

(i) Current Method (Baseline)—A verifiable description of the current scope of work, cost, and schedule to be impacted by the initiative, and supporting documentation.

(ii) New Method (New Proposed Baseline)—A verifiable description of the new scope of work, cost, and schedule, how the initiative will be accomplished, and supporting documentation.

(iii) Feasibility Assessment—A description and evaluation of the proposed initiative and benefits, risks, and impacts of implementation. This evaluation shall include an assessment of the difference between the current method (baseline) and proposed new method including all related costs.

(2) In addition, CRPs for the establishment of cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive, or firm-fixed-price efforts shall contain, at a minimum, the following—

(i) The proposed contractual arrangement and the justification for its use; and

(ii) A detailed cost/price estimate and supporting rationale. If the approach is proposed on an incentive basis, minimum and maximum cost estimates should be included along with any proposed sharing arrangements.

(d) Evaluation and decision. All CRPs must be submitted to and approved by the Contracting Officer. Included in the information provided by the CRP must be a discussion of the extent the proposed cost reduction effort may—

(1) Pose a risk to the health and safety of workers, the community, or to the environment;

(2) Result in a waiver or deviation from DOE requirements, such as DOE Orders and joint oversight agreements;

(3) Require a change in other contractual agreements;

(4) Result in significant organizational and personnel impacts;

(5) Create a negative impact on the cost, schedule, or scope of work in another area;

(6) Pose a potential negative impact on the credibility of the Contractor or the DOE; and

(7) Impact successful and timely completion of any of the work in the cost, technical, and schedule baseline.

(e) Acceptance or rejection of CRPs. Acceptance or rejection of a CRP is a unilateral determination made by the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor that a CRP has been accepted, rejected, or deferred within (Insert Number) days of receipt. The only CRPs that will be considered for acceptance are those which the Contractor can demonstrate, at a minimum, will—

(1) Result in net savings (in the sharing period if a design, process, or method change);

(2) Not reappear as costs in subsequent periods; and

(3) Not result in any impairment of essential functions.

(f) The failure of the Contracting Officer to notify the Contractor of the acceptance, rejection, or deferral of a CRP within the specified time shall not be construed as approval.

(g) Adjustment to original estimated cost and fee. If a CRP is established on a cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive or firm-fixed-price basis, the originally estimated cost and fee for the total effort shall be adjusted to remove the estimated cost and fee amount associated with the CRP effort.

(h) Sharing arrangement. If a CRP is accepted, the Contractor may share in the shared net savings. For a CRP negotiated on a cost-plus-incentive-fee or fixed-price incentive basis, with the specific incentive arrangement (negotiated target costs, target fees, share lines, ceilings, profit, etc.) set forth in the contractual document authorizing the effort, the Contractor's share shall be the actual fee or profit resulting from such an arrangement. For a CRP negotiated as a cost savings incentive resulting from a design, process, or method change, the Contractor's share shall be a percentage, not to exceed 25% of the shared net savings. The specific percentage and sharing period shall be set forth in the contractual document.

(i) Validation of Shared Net Savings. The Contracting Officer shall validate actual shared net savings. If actual shared net savings cannot be validated, the Contractor will not be entitled to a share of the net shared savings.

(j) Relationship to other incentives. Only those benefits of an accepted CRP not awardable under other clauses of this contract shall be considered under this clause.

(k) Subcontracts. The Contractor may include a clause similar to this clause in any subcontract. In calculating any estimated shared net savings in a CRP under this contract, the Contractor's administration, development, and implementation costs shall include any subcontractor's allowable costs, and any CRP incentive payments to a subcontractor resulting from the acceptance of such CRP. The Contractor may choose any arrangement for subcontractor CRP incentive payments, provided that the payments not reduce the DOE's share of shared net savings.