916.405-2 Cost-plus-award-fee contracts.

(d) Fee determination plans. Award fee arrangements limited to technical performance considerations are prohibited because they may increase cost disproportionately to any benefits gained. Instead, the award fee arrangement shall include both technical performance (including scheduling as appropriate) and business management considerations tailored to the needs of the particular situation. In addition, in a situation where cost estimating reliability and other factors are such that the negotiation of a separate predetermined incentive sharing arrangement applicable to cost performance is determined both feasible and advantageous, cost incentives may be added. The resulting contract would then be identified as a cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee combination type. The goals and evaluation criteria should be results-oriented. The award fee should be concentrated on the end product of the contract, that is, output, be it hardware, research and development, demonstration or services, together with business management considerations. However, input criteria such as equal employment opportunity, small business programs, functional management areas, such as safety, security, etc., should not be disregarded and may be appropriate criteria upon which to base some part of the award fee. Specific goals or objectives shall be established in relation to each performance evaluation criterion against which contractor performance is measured.