(a) Agencies must promote competition to the maximum extent practicable when procuring noncommercial products and services valued at or below the SAT.

(b) Contracting officers may solicit from a single source based on a determination and findings (see subpart 1.5) that only one source is reasonably available (e.g., urgency, exclusive licensing agreements, brand-name or industrial mobilization).

Acquisitions of supplies or services that have an anticipated dollar value above the MPT, but at or below the SAT, must be set aside for small business concerns (see part 19).

Generally, inspection and acceptance should be at destination. Inspection at the supplier’s location should be specified only if required by 46.404.

Follow the simplified procedures at 12.201-1 for issuing requests for quotations (RFQs). Agencies are encouraged to use additional innovative approaches and may leverage the other flexibilities identified in that section; however, if using blanket purchase agreements (BPAs), the maximum value of each individual purchase under a BPA may not exceed the SAT.

Follow the procedures in 12.203 when establishing evaluation factors and a process to evaluate quotations in an efficient and minimally burdensome manner. Notify potential quoters of the basis on which the agency will make the award decision. Exercise good business judgment in deciding whether or not to accept a quotation received after the due date or time.

(a) Price reasonableness. The contracting officer must determine the price to be fair and reasonable. Whenever possible, base price reasonableness on competitive quotations.

(b) Documentation. Include in the contract file a written description of the procedures used in awarding the purchase order and the number of quotations received.

(c) Forms and format. Use the Optional Form (OF) 347, Order for Supplies or Services; the OF 336, Continuation Sheet, or OF 348, Order for Supplies and Services Schedule—Continuation; or similar agency forms or automated formats to the maximum extent practicable.

(a)Include clauses prescribed elsewhere in the FAR in purchase orders for noncommercial supplies or services valued at or below the SAT as required or applicable based on the clause prescriptions.

(b) Contracting officers may use the clause at 52.213-4, Terms and Conditions—Simplified Acquisitions (Noncommercial), to provide a streamlined set of terms and conditions for inspection/acceptance, excusable delays, terminations, and warranties. This clause is either used in lieu of similar clauses prescribed for these purposes or tailored to incorporate only some of the streamlined terms and conditions, as necessary.

(c) Do not use part 12 clauses (i.e., 52.212-1, 52.212-2, or 52.212-4) in noncommercial acquisitions.

Comply with the award notice posting requirements in subpart 5.3. Upon request, provide a brief explanation of the award decision that explains why the unsuccessful quoter was not selected. If an award notice was not required to be posted to the Government point of entry, also provide the information that would be included in an award notice (see 5.301(c)).

(a)The Government may withdraw, amend, or cancel purchase orders by written notice to the supplier at any time before acceptance of the order occurs (see 12.201-1(b)).

(b) If the supplier did not accept the purchase order in writing, request that the supplier provide written acceptance of the cancellation.

(c) If the contractor does not accept the cancellation or claims that costs were incurred as a result of the contractor beginning performance under the purchase order, follow the procedures in part 49 or 52.213-4 to terminate the purchase order.

(a) Unless agency regulations permit otherwise, do not provide financing for purchases valued at or below the SAT.

(b) See part 32 for payment procedures, including the option to use fast payment procedures.

(a) Follow the procedure in 12.4 when making purchases valued at or below the MPT.

(b) While micro-purchases do not require written provision or clauses, the clause at 52.232-39, Unenforceability of Unauthorized Obligations, automatically applies to any micro-purchase, including those made with the Governmentwide commercial purchase card. This clause prevents violations of the Anti-Deficiency Act (31 U.S.C. 1341).