§ 418. Advocates for competition
(a)
Establishment, designation, etc., in executive agency
(2)
The head of each executive agency shall—
(A)
designate for the executive agency and for each procuring activity of the executive agency one officer or employee serving in a position authorized for such executive agency on July 18, 1984 (other than the senior procurement executive designated pursuant to section
414
(3) [1] of this title) to serve as the advocate for competition;
(B)
not assign such officers or employees any duties or responsibilities that are inconsistent with the duties and responsibilities of the advocates for competition; and
(C)
provide such officers or employees with such staff or assistance as may be necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the advocate for competition, such as persons who are specialists in engineering, technical operations, contract administration, financial management, supply management, and utilization of small and disadvantaged business concerns.
(b)
Duties and functions
The advocate for competition of an executive agency shall—
(1)
be responsible for challenging barriers to and promoting full and open competition in the procurement of property and services by the executive agency;
(3)
identify and report to the senior procurement executive of the executive agency designated pursuant to section
414
(3) [1] of this title—
(A)
opportunities and actions taken to achieve full and open competition in the procurement activities of the executive agency; and
(B)
any condition or action which has the effect of unnecessarily restricting competition in the procurement actions of the executive agency; and [2]
(5)
recommend to the senior procurement executive of the executive agency goals and the plans for increasing competition on a fiscal year basis;
(6)
recommend to the senior procurement executive of the executive agency a system of personal and organizational accountability for competition, which may include the use of recognition and awards to motivate program managers, contracting officers, and others in authority to promote competition in procurement programs; and
(c)
Responsibilities
The advocate for competition for each procuring activity shall be responsible for promoting full and open competition, promoting the acquisition of commercial items, and challenging barriers to such acquisition, including such barriers as unnecessarily restrictive statements of need, unnecessarily detailed specifications, and unnecessarily burdensome contract clauses.
[1] See References in Text note below.
[2] So in original. The word “and” probably should not appear.