1. What are acquisition plans designed to do:
An Acquisition Plan is a documented plan that is designed to address all technical, business, management, and any other significant considerations that will dictate the course of an acquisition. It summarizes the acquisition planning deliberations and identifies milestones in the acquisition process. Acquisition plans are often tied to an acquisition strategy that reflects current conditions, acts as a decision aid in several ways. The strategy helps prioritize and integrate many diverse functional requirements as well as the ability to evaluate and select important issue alternatives. They also identify opportunities and times for critical decisions while providing a coordinated approach toward an economical and effective achievement of program objectives.

2. Performance-based acquisition method is the preferred method of procuring service with the exception of procuring what kind of services?

Performance-based acquisition is the prefered method of procuring services with the exception of construction. Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC 97- 25), amends FAR 2.101 and 37.102 to implement Public Law 106-398 section 821 from the National Defense Authorization Act- -2001 which exempts A&E services, construction, and utility services.

3. The federal acquisition and contracting source selection is the responsibility of whom? Who and what is the role of the source selection authority
According to FAR section 15.3 “agency heads are responsible for source selection. The contracting officer is designated as the source selection authority, unless the agency head appoints another individual for a particular acquisition or group of acquisitions.”
Section 15.303 details the role of the source selection authority as:
“1) Establish an evaluation team, tailored for the particular acquisition, that includes appropriate contracting, legal, logistics, technical, and other expertise to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of offers;
(2) Approve the source selection strategy or acquisition plan, if applicable, before solicitation release;
(3) Ensure consistency among the solicitation requirements, notices to offerors, proposal preparation instructions, evaluation factors and subfactors, solicitation provisions or contract clauses, and data requirements;
(4) Ensure that proposals are evaluated based solely on the factors and subfactors contained in the solicitation (10 U.S.C. 2305(b)(1) and 41 U.S.C. 253b(d)(3));
(5) Consider the recommendations of advisory boards or panels (if any); and
(6) Select the source or sources whose proposal is the best value to the Government (10 U.S.C. 2305(b)(4)(B) and 41 U.S.C. 253b(d)(3)).
(c) The contracting officer shall—
(1) After release of a solicitation, serve as the focal point for inquiries from actual or prospective offerors;
(2) After receipt of proposals, control exchanges with offerors in accordance with 15.306; and