SUBPART 208.4— FEDERAL SUPPLY SCHEDULES

subpart 208.4--federal supply schedules

(Revised May 24, 2005)

208.404 Using schedules
208.404-1 Mandatory use
208.404-2 Optional use
208.404-70 Additional ordering procedures for services
208.405 Ordering office responsibilities
208.405-2 Order placement

208.404 Using schedules.

(a)(i) Departments and agencies shall comply with the review and approval requirements established in accordance with Subpart 217.78 when placing orders for supplies or services in amounts exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold.

(ii) When a schedule lists both foreign and domestic items that will meet the needs of the requiring activity, the ordering office must apply the procedures of Part 225 and FAR Part 25, Foreign Acquisition. When purchase of an item of foreign origin is specifically required, the requiring activity must furnish the ordering office sufficient information to permit the determinations required by Part 225 and FAR Part 25 to be made.

(b) Ordering procedures for optional use schedules--

(2) Orders exceeding the micro-purchase threshold but not exceeding the maximum order threshold. The procedures at FAR 8.404(b)(2), regarding review of catalogs or pricelists of at least three schedule contractors, do not apply to orders for services exceeding $100,000. Instead, use the procedures at 208.404-70.

(3) Orders exceeding the maximum order threshold.

(i) For orders for services exceeding $100,000, use the procedures at 208.404-70 in addition to the procedures at FAR 8.404(b)(3)(i).

(7) Documentation. For orders for services exceeding $100,000, use the procedures at 208.404-70 in addition to the procedures at FAR 8.404(b)(7).

(S-70) See related information at PGI 208.404 (Pop-up Window or PGI Viewer Mode).

208.404-1-Mandatory use.

The DoD will not be a mandatory user of any schedule unless individual DoD activities elect to provide annual requirements estimates to GSA and become mandatory users. Examples of areas where this approach may be applied are:

(1) Group 68-gases and chemicals;

(2) Group 26-pneumatic tires and inner tubes;

(3) Maintenance, repair, and/or rehabilitation of personal property; and

(4) “Just-in-time” arrangements for delivery of material directly from vendors to users.

208.404-2-Optional use.

Make maximum use of the schedules. Other procedures may be used if further competition is judged to be in the best interest of the Government in terms of quality, responsiveness, or cost.

208.404-70 Additional ordering procedures for services.

(a) This subsection--

(1) Implements Section 803 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (Pub. L. 107-107); and

(2) Also applies to orders placed by non-DoD agencies on behalf of DoD.

(b) Each order for services exceeding $100,000 shall be placed on a competitive basis in accordance with paragraph (c) of this subsection, unless the contracting officer waives this requirement on the basis of a written determination that--

(1) One of the circumstances described at FAR 16.505(b)(2)(i) through (iii) applies to the order; or

(2) A statute expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source.

(c) An order for services exceeding $100,000 is placed on a competitive basis only if the contracting officer provides a fair notice of the intent to make the purchase, including a description of the work the contractor shall perform and the basis upon which the contracting officer will make the selection, to--

(1) As many schedule contractors as practicable, consistent with market research appropriate to the circumstances, to reasonably ensure that offers will be received from at least three contractors that can fulfill the work requirements, and the contracting officer--

(i)(A) Receives offers from at least three contractors that can fulfill the work requirements; or

(B) Determines in writing that no additional contractors that can fulfill the work requirements could be identified despite reasonable efforts to do so (documentation should clearly explain efforts made to obtain offers from at least three contractors); and

(ii) Ensures all offers received are fairly considered; or

(2) All contractors offering the required services under the applicable multiple award schedule, and affords all contractors responding to the notice a fair opportunity to submit an offer and have that offer fairly considered. Posting of a request for quotations on the General Services Administration’s electronic quote system, “e-Buy” (www.gsaAdvantage.gov), is one medium for providing fair notice to all contractors as required by this paragraph (c).

(d) Single and multiple blanket purchase agreements (BPAs) may be established against Federal Supply Schedules (see FAR 8.404(b)(4)) if the contracting officer--

(1) Follows the procedures in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this subsection;

(2)(i) For a single BPA, defines the individual tasks to be performed; or

(ii) For multiple BPAs, forwards the statement of work and the selection criteria to all multiple BPA holders before placing orders; and

(3) Reviews established BPAs no less than annually to determine whether the BPA still represents the best value.

(e) Orders placed against Federal Supply Schedules may be credited toward the ordering agency’s small business goals (see FAR 8.404(b)(6)).

208.405 Ordering office responsibilities.

208.405-2 Order placement.

(1) When ordering from schedules, ordering offices—

(i) May use DD Form 1155, Order for Supplies or Services, to place orders for—

(A) Commercial items at or below the simplified acquisition threshold; and

(B) Other than commercial items at any dollar value (see 213.307);

(ii) Shall use SF 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items, to place orders for commercial items exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (see FAR 12.204); and

(iii) May use SF 1449 to place orders for other than commercial items at any dollar value.

(2) Schedule orders may be placed orally if—

(i) The contractor agrees to furnish a delivery ticket for each shipment under the order (in the number of copies required by the ordering office). The ticket must include the—

(A) Contract number;

(B) Order number under the contract;

(D) Name and title of person placing the order;

(E) Itemized listing of supplies or services furnished; and

(F) Date of delivery or shipment; and

(ii) Invoicing procedures are agreed upon. Optional methods of submitting invoices for payment are permitted, such as—

(A) An individual invoice with a receipted copy of the delivery ticket;

(B) A summarized monthly invoice covering all oral orders made during the month, with receipted copies of the delivery tickets (this option is preferred if there are many oral orders); or

(3) For purchases where cash payment is an advantage, the use of imprest funds in accordance with 213.305 is authorized when—

(i) The order does not exceed the threshold at FAR 13.305-3(a); and

(ii) The contractor agrees to the procedure.

(4) If permitted under the schedule contract, use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card--

(i) Is mandatory for placement of orders valued at or below the micro-purchase threshold; and

(ii) Is optional for placement of orders valued above the micro-purchase threshold.