Review Past Performance on GWACs

Agencies must prepare past performance evaluations for orders with a period of performance (including options) of more than one year, according to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 42.15. Agencies must submit these reports electronically in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (PPIRS) (this system has been retired).

Past performance assessment must be made on an annual basis in accordance with the guidance on the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) website.

Writing a Quality Narrative

Contracting officers can use the links below to assist in the evaluation process.

• How to Write a Quality Narrative Assessment [PPT - 1 MB].
• Frequently Asked Questions - CPARS and Writing a Quality Narrative [DOCX - 32 KB].

Using past performance data as a motivator

As a best practice, you can motivate high quality performance by recording performance information periodically, and discussing the results with contractors. Contractors can have an opportunity to improve inadequate performance before the next reporting cycle.

Providing contractors with interim assessments

Interim assessments give contractors experiencing problems the opportunity to correct them before they jeopardize completion of the contract. Most agencies’ practices dictate that you prepare interim assessments at least every 12 months.

Rating systems should track these four basic elements:

• Cost
• Schedule
• Technical performance or quality of product or service, and
• Business relations, including customer satisfaction

We recommend you use five basic ratings in each element: exceptional, very good, satisfactory, marginal, and unsatisfactory.

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