Jun 18, 2013

A proposed new ASTM International standard will provide guidance for the contractor self assessment program that addresses the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. ASTM WK42011, Guide for Contractor Self-Assessment for U.S. Government Property Management Systems, is being developed by Subcommittee E53.20 on United States Government Contract Property Management, part of ASTM International Committee E53 on Asset Management.

A contractor self-assessment (CSA) program is an auditing, assessment, review or surveillance program implemented by a contractor to identify, evaluate and take corrective action on compliance and operational risk resulting from business practices for government property management.

“Contractors have been required to self-assess by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) since 2007, but the regulation does not provide any specific instructions on how to self-assess,” says Brandon Kriner, asset manager, Government Communications Systems Division, Harris Corp., and chairman, E53.20. “This is intentional since every contractor’s operating environment is different. However, the result has been a lot of confusion and subjective interpretation between contractors and their government counterparts over what constitutes an acceptable self-assessment.” Kriner says that, once it has been approved, WK42011 will provide a “playbook” that property management contractors can use to adapt for their specific purpose.

According to Kriner, ASTM WK42011 provides a guide for how to develop and implement a contractor self-assessment program for U.S. government property management.

“There is currently very little practical guidance on how to develop a CSA,” says Kriner. “This proposed standard will give users the guidance they need to develop a program that is well suited to their operating environment.”

Kriner encourages all interested parties, particularly those with ideas for other proposed standards, to join E53.20.

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ASTM Committee E53 Next Meeting: July 31, 2013, Orlando, Fla.
Technical Contact: Brandon Kriner, Harris Corp., Melbourne, Fla., Phone: 321-727-5020; bkriner@harris.com 
ASTM Staff Contact: Katerina Koperna, Phone: 610-832-9728; kkoperna@astm.org 
ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

Release #9403