FITARA is not a UCOR IT requirement but rather a DOE requirement for all IT software, hardware, and services/maintenance/contracts/PSAs purchased with DOE federal and contractor funds. This requirement includes renewals.
Even though FITARA (Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act) was put in place in 2014, DOE OREM enforced this requirement for UCOR starting this year. That is why a lot of contracts and purchases with “option years” are having to go through this process now. Essentially, nothing can be purchased with federal/contracting funding without first having DOE CIO authorization.
FITARA is a law that aims to
- reform how the federal government buys and manages its information technology including services and contracts,
- promote better risk management and transparency in federal IT investments, and
- increase accountability while eliminating waste by reducing duplication of efforts.
For further information on this topic and how DOE is implementing its plan forward, please go to:
DOE FITARA Implementation Plan | Department of Energy
(FITARA) Data Resources | Department of Energy
Enforcement of FITARA has been discussed multiple times with UCOR’s Contracting Officer—the main outcome is that UCOR must follow FITARA. The UCOR IT and Cybersecurity teams are available to assist you through the FITARA process. Please work with them to ensure that all needed information is entered correctly. Keep in mind that one approval can take up to 90 days from start (UCOR ticket submission) to finish (physically having the product/software license/contract in hand/executed). With your assistance, IT personnel can help ensure the process runs as smoothly as possible.
