To ensure fairness in the award of Task Orders, an Ombudsman process has been established for the SeaPort Enhanced program. An Ombudsman is an individual that Contractors can contact, outside of the traditional Contracting Office, in order to provide timely resolution of SeaPort Enhanced procurement related issues.

The primary responsibility of the Ombudsman is to ensure that all contractors are afforded a fair opportunity to be considered, consistent with the procedures in the contract, the Fair Opportunity to Compete regulation, and Small Business regulations.

Additionally, the Ombudsman has been established to assist in Alternative Dispute Resolution, by serving as a neutral third party, and to hear general concerns of Contractors related to the SeaPort-e procurement process.

In accordance with FAR 16.505(a)(8), no protest under FAR Subpart 33.1 is authorized in connection with Task Order Contracting Officer decisions regarding fair opportunity or the issuance of a TO under this contract, except for a protest on the grounds that a TO increases the scope, period, or maximum value of the contract (See MAC Contract Clause H-5, paragraph J). The Ombudsman would serve to assist in the resolution of complaints that would not fall within the grounds for protest under this vehicle.

Contractors are instructed to first contact the local activity contract specialist and contracting officer for issue resolution. If the issue is not able to be resolved, the issue would then be elevated to the cognizant local activity Ombudsman. Should resolution not be achieved with the local activity Ombudsman, then cognizance for resolution would reside with the Overarching Command or Headquarter Ombudsman.

Local activity Ombudsman contact information is available by first logging into the Vendor Portal, and clicking the Help icon.

The Overarching SeaPort-e Program Ombudsman will reside at NAVSEA Headquarters. Companies should contact the Overarching SeaPort-e Program Ombudsman for issues when more than one ordering activity is involved, or when the issue has not been able to be resolved with the Overarching Command or Headquarter Ombudsman.

This approach allows for the complaint to initially reside with those who are more familiar with its background.

The NAVSEA SeaPort Ombudsman will serve as the overarching SeaPort Enhanced Ombudsman. Companies should contact the SeaPort Ombudsman, listed below, for issues when more than one ordering activity, or when NAVSEA HQ, is involved:

seaport_ombudsman@navy.mil