This final rule amends the NASA FAR Supplement(NFS) to update the policy concerning the NASA Ombudsman Program.

When awarding a multiple award indefinite-quantity contracts, 41 U.S.C. 4106(g) requires agencies to have a task- and delivery-order ombudsman who will be responsible for reviewing complaints from contractors and ensuring that they are afforded a fair opportunity to be considered for the award of an order, consistent with the procedures in the contract. This requirement is implemented at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 16.505(b)(8). FAR 16.504(a)(4)(v) requires the solicitation and contract for an indefinite-quantity to include the name, address, telephone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address of the agency’s task and delivery order ombudsman, if multiple awards may be made.

To implement the requirement at FAR 16.504(a)(4)(v), several agencies created a contract clause that provides these contractors with the agency ombudsman’s responsibilities and contact information. NFS clause 1852.215-84 Ombudsman, Alternate I, provides this information for task and delivery order contracts. As several agencies use a clause to provide this information to contractors, the Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), and NASA processed a FAR case to implement a clause at the FAR level that would be available for all agencies to use.

DOD, GSA, and NASA have undertaken rulemaking to formally incorporate this change. These rulemaking changes were published in the Federal Register (84 FR 38836) on August 7, 2019, FAC 2019-04, and FAR Case 2017-020, Ombudsman for Indefinite Delivery Contracts, effective September 6, 2019.