LEG 440 – Contracting and the FAR

LEG 440 – Contracting and the FAR

Assignment 1: Contracting and the FAR

Worth 200 points

Imagine that you are a contracts officer for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and that your supervisor has tasked you with the procurement of a new software system for processing tax returns.

Use the Internet to research one (1) scandal related to government procurement that has occurred within the past four (4) years.

Write a four (4) page paper in which you:

  1. Analyze the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and conclude whether or not these regulations overall offer adequate protection of the collective buying power of the American people. Prepare an argument in support of your position.
  2. Based on the scandal that you have researched, determine whether or not the executive branch is the proper branch to effectuate change that would provide checks and balances for the purchase of good and services for the United States government. Provide a rationale for your answer.
  3. Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality academic resources.
  4. Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
    • Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
    • Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, your professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
    • Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

  • Describe the legal and administrative framework and economic considerations of the federal procurement process.
  • Distinguish between the various types of contracts and considerations for use.
  • Use technology and information resources to research issues in procurement and contract law.
  • Write clearly and concisely about procurement and contract law using correct grammar and mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

Points: 200

Assignment: Assignment 1: Contracting and the FAR

Criteria

Unacceptable

Below 60% F

Meets Minimum Expectations

60-69% D

Fair

70-79% C

Proficient

80-89% B

Exemplary

90-100% A

1. Analyze the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and conclude whether or not these regulations overall offer adequate protection of the collective buying power of the American people. Prepare an argument in support of your position.

Weight: 45%

Did not submit or incompletely analyzed the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and did not submit or incompletely concluded whether or not these regulations overall offer adequate protection of the collective buying power of the American people. Did not submit or incompletely prepared an argument in support of your position.

Insufficiently analyzed the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and insufficiently concluded whether or not these regulations overall offer adequate protection of the collective buying power of the American people. Insufficiently prepared an argument in support of your position.

Partially analyzed the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and partially concluded whether or not these regulations overall offer adequate protection of the collective buying power of the American people. Partially prepared an argument in support of your position.

Satisfactorily analyzed the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and satisfactorily concluded whether or not these regulations overall offer adequate protection of the collective buying power of the American people. Satisfactorily prepared an argument in support of your position.

Thoroughly analyzed the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and thoroughly concluded whether or not these regulations overall offer adequate protection of the collective buying power of the American people. Thoroughly prepared an argument in support of your position.

2. Based on the scandal that you have researched, determine whether or not the executive branch is the proper branch to effectuate change that would provide checks and balances for the purchase of good and services for the United States government. Provide a rationale for your answer.

Weight: 40%

Did not submit or incompletely determined whether or not the executive branch is the proper branch to effectuate change that would provide checks and balances for the purchase of good and services for the United States government. Did not submit or incompletely provided a rationale for your answer.

Insufficiently determined whether or not the executive branch is the proper branch to effectuate change that would provide checks and balances for the purchase of good and services for the United States government. Insufficiently provided a rationale for your answer.

Partially determined whether or not the executive branch is the proper branch to effectuate change that would provide checks and balances for the purchase of good and services for the United States government. Partially provided a rationale for your answer.

Satisfactorilydetermined whether or not the executive branch is the proper branch to effectuate change that would provide checks and balances for the purchase of good and services for the United States government. Satisfactorily provided a rationale for your answer.

Thoroughly determined whether or not the executive branch is the proper branch to effectuate change that would provide checks and balances for the purchase of good and services for the United States government. Thoroughly provided a rationale for your answer.

3. 3 references

Weight: 5%

No reference provided; or, does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices.

Does not meet the required number of references; most references poor quality choices.

Meets the required number of references; most references poor quality choices.

Meets number of required references; most references high quality choices.

Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices.

4. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements

Weight: 10%

More than 8 errors present

7-8 errors present

5-6 errors present

3-4 errors present

0-2 errors present