ACQUISITION PLANNING - 5230.1
Elements of the Acquisition Planning stage include:
- Defining the program need
- Assessing operational needs
- Selecting the acquisition method
- IT General Provisions (GSPD 401-IT) and Cloud Computing Special Provisions (as applicable)
- Obtaining approvals
1. Defining the Program Need
For all IT acquisitions, these steps shall be followed:
- Define the business need that solutions are to address.
- Determine whether the acquisition is justified.
- Verify that the goods and/or services to be acquired are IT.
Additional issues and requirements for defining the need are discussed in Chapter 1 of SCM Volume 3.
In planning a new IT system procurement the focus should be towards a “solution” approach so that the State may consider and select from a potential array of IT goods and/or services to meet the public policy and business needs of a State program, rather than specifying a particular product design.
2. Assessing Operational Needs
In assessing operational needs, these steps shall be followed:
- Consider fiscal and budgetary issues.
- Assess the timeframe in which the acquisition must be completed and determine the schedule for delivery and/or implementation.
- Assess the impact on physical facilities.
- Consider the risks associated with the procurement and the goods and/or services to be acquired.
- Consider risk protection strategies that will both protect the State and encourage competition.
- Determine whether there are available sources of the goods and/or services to be acquired (including existing State sources and contracts), and whether there is competition in the marketplace.
Additional issues and requirements for defining the need are discussed in Chapter 1 of SCM Volume 3.
3. Selecting the Acquisition Method: See SCM Volume 3 2.B3.0
4. IT General Provisions (GSPD 401-IT)
The State’s IT General Provisions (GSPD-401IT, as applicable) shall be used or incorporated by reference in all competitive solicitations and purchase documents for IT goods and services (written or verbal) valued in excess of $4,999.99 (See SCM Volume 3 Section 4.B8.1). Under certain circumstances, the IT General Provisions associated with Reportable Projects (non-delegated), may be modified to meet project specific needs. These modifications are in addition to the supplemental language that may be added to the Statement of Work modifying certain sections of the IT General Provisions. All such modifications are to be approved by the California Department of Technology Statewide Technology Procurement Division (STPD) and Legal Services Division, before the contract may be considered valid and final.
5. Obtaining Approvals
For many IT acquisitions, it is necessary to obtain approvals before starting the procurement process. These approvals shall be obtained, as applicable, before releasing solicitation or purchase documents:
- Verify the authority to initiate the acquisition and to sign the resulting purchase document.
- Obtain and/or verify necessary approvals or delegated authority from the following Control Agencies: Department of Finance (Finance), California Department of Technology and/or Department of General Services (DGS).
- If the acquisition involves telecommunications goods and/or services, verify necessary authority or approvals from the Office of Technology Services (OTech), Statewide Telecommunications and Network Division (STND).
- If the acquisition is being conducted via the NCB process or requires Control Agency approval, verify there is an approved NCB request and/or Project Approval Lifecycle Stage 3 Solution Development deliverable prior to releasing solicitation or purchase documents.
- If the acquisition is being conducted using a procurement method, verify there is an approved procurement request and/or Project Approval Lifecycle Stage 3 Solution Development deliverable prior to release of the solicitation.
Further details on required approvals are contained in SCM Volume 3 and SIMM 19C.
Revisions
No Revisions for this item.