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The A List contains commodity-type products that are commonly used in office and light industrial settings.
These products, when furnished by the AbilityOne Program, are widely available through multiple government and
commercial distribution channels, and are delivered to customers in timeframes consistent with industry
best practices. For most office supplies, this means on a next-day or two-day basis. For oversize office
products (e.g., chair mats), or janitorial/sanitary products, delivery times may be three to five days after
receipt of order.
“A List” products must be purchased by federal employees whenever they meet are available within required
timeframes and quantities. AbilityOne-authorized commercial distributors must stock the items, obtain them from
approved wholesalers or, to the extent permitted, coordinate nonprofit agency shipments, to make A List items
available for quick delivery. Any “essentially the same” commercial equivalents to these products, as determined
by the Committee, are identified to the government and commercial distribution channels, and are excluded from
contract sales to federal employees in accordance with the Committee’s regulations at 41 CFR 51-5.3(a). If a
federal customer orders an equivalent item, AbilityOne-authorized distributors are required to substitute and deliver
the corresponding A List product instead. This effectively gives AbilityOne purchasing preference to each of the A
List products across all entities of the government, comparable to the Total Government Requirement scope previously
extended to certain general Procurement List additions.
Examples of A List products include writing instruments, paper pads, desktop accessories and general purpose cleaner
in retail-sized bottles. The A List, previously updated annually in conjunction with print catalog cycles, will be
updated quarterly by the Committee staff beginning April 1, 2007. Note: As with any proposed addition, new products
must first go through a notice and comment rulemaking process and receive the Committee’s approval to be added to the
Procurement List before being classified as or placed on the A List.
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