On September 18, 2001, the Department of Commerce (DOC) authorized the Department of State to use the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS). This authority expires on October 1, 2006. The Department of Defense has approved the Department's Embassy Security Protection Program (DOSESPP) as a national defense program eligible for the priorities support under the DPAS.

(c)(1) Authority to use the DPAS is limited to the following circumstances:

(i) The contract or order must be placed with a U.S. firm; and,

(ii) The contract or order must be in support of the DOSESPP, which consists of work involving the security of overseas posts. The DOSESPP includes a wide range of elements of both physical and technical security, such as:

(A) New Embassy/Consulate Compound (NEC/NCC) Program. This program involves the construction of new secure Embassies, Consulates, and related facilities, as well as renovations of newly acquired buildings when used as alternatives to the construction of new secure buildings.

(B) Physical security upgrade. This includes installation of forced entry/ballistic resistant (FE/BR) windows and doors, walls/fences, active anti-ram barriers, bollards (concrete and steel barriers), and related items.

(C) Forced entry/ballistic resistant (FE/BR) components. This includes doors, windows, and related facilities and items that can provide the necessary time to protect Government personnel from attack.

(D) Armored vehicles. This includes passenger vehicles with appropriate armoring.

(E) Entry control and building surveillance equipment. This includes walk-through metal detectors, X-ray equipment, surveillance cameras, explosive detection equipment, and other features to enhance the protection of Government personnel and facilities.

(2) DOC has assigned the following priority rating to DOSESPP contracts or orders: DO-H8.

(f) Department of State contracting officers are authorized to sign DO-H8 rated contracts or orders. It is the responsibility of the requirements office to determine which contracts or orders should be rated. All contracts with U.S. firms under the DOSESPP will not necessarily need to be assigned a priority rating.

(g) The contracting officer should place a DO-H8 rating on any contract or order if there is any doubt as to whether a contractor doing work for Embassy security protection will be able to deliver on time. If an unrated contract or order is not completed on time, the contracting officer may modify the contract or order to add the rating; however, the rating shall only be effective for the newly established delivery date, not the original delivery date.

(1) DOC can provide special assistance to implement the DPAS program in specific cases. For example, the Department may request a higher priority rating, or request that DOC issue a written directive to a contractor that is not complying with the DPAS regulations. In addition, although the DPAS program normally applies only to U.S. firms, if the Department has a prime contract with a foreign firm that will be awarding subcontracts with U.S. firms, the Department may request from DOC authorization to place a rating on the prime contract.

(2) Contracting officers or requirements offices who wish to request special assistance from DOC must complete DOC Form BXA-999, Request for Special Priorities Assistance, and submit it to A/OPE, which will arrange for submission of the request to DOC.