FMCs achieve the mission of the field site they manage and operate, they have independent buying authority and use best commercial practices to subcontract for supplies and services. Moreover, the Department flows-down small business buying preferences in order to help the FMCs meet their small business subcontracting plan goals. Historically, all of the FMCs were referred to as Management and Operating (M&O) contractors, which are described in detail under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 17.6. Currently, the M&Os comprise the DOE national laboratories, which are also Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), and a few selected site FMCs. We encourage the public view their websites, understand their mission(s), and explore the Department’s prime and subcontract business at smallbusiness.energy.gov.
