SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES
13.003 Policy
SUBPART 13.1 – PROCEDURES
13.101 General.
13.106 Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and
documentation.
13.106-1 Soliciting competition.
13.106-2 Evaluation of quotations or offers
13.106-3 Award and documentation.
13.106-90 Other solicitation issues.
SUBPART 13.2 – ACTIONS AT OR BELOW THE MICRO-PURCHASE THRESHOLD
13.201 Actions at or Below the Micro-Purchase Threshold
13.202 Purchase guidelines.
13.270 Use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card
SUBPART 13.3 – SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION METHODS
13.301 Governmentwide commercial purchase card.
13.302 Purchase orders.
13.302-1 General.
13.302-2 Unpriced purchase orders.
13.303 Blanket purchase agreements (BPAs).
13.303-2 Establishment of BPAs.
13.303-3 Preparation of BPAs.
13.306 (Deviation) SF 44, Purchase Order-Invoice-Voucher
13.307 Forms.
13.390 Indefinite delivery purchase orders (IDPOs).
13.390-1 General.
13.390-2 Application.
13.390-3 Ordering period.
13.390-4 Decision to establish an IDPO.
13.390-5 Methods of establishment.
13.390-6 Order numbering.
13.390-7 Contract administration.
SUBPART 13.4 – FAST PAYMENT PROCEDURE
13.402 Conditions for use.
13.404 Contract clause.
SUBPART 13.5 – TEST PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS
13.500 General.
13.501 Special documentation requirements.
13.003(a) The Contracting Officer is delegated the authority to make the determination specified at 2.101, Simplified Acquisition Threshold (2), that the acquisitions are to be used to facilitate defense against or recovery from terrorism or nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack, thereby authorizing the use of the higher SAT thresholds specified under that section. The specific authority utilized (i.e. Temporary Emergency Procurement Authority or Homeland Security Act) shall be documented in the contract file. Combining the authorities on a single procurement to take advantage of the most favorable aspects of each authority is not allowed; the requirements of whichever authority is used must be fully complied with.
(a)(1)(90) The Government should take advantage of quantity price breaks whenever warranted. A provision substantially the same as that at 52.213–9000, Quantity Break, should be included in simplified acquisition solicitations, except where the contracting officer documents why it would serve no useful purpose. When it appears that it is in the best interest of the Government to purchase a larger quantity to take advantage of a lower unit price, the item manager should immediately be provided the details and an amendment to the purchase request quantity requested. If the item manager indicates that the quantity cannot be increased, the contracting officer shall document the contract file and purchase the original quantity.
(b)(2)(90) The provision at 52.213-9004, Offeror Representations, Certifications, and Fill-in Information--Electronic Commerce, shall be used in all solicitations below the simplified acquisition threshold issued via electronic means. It consolidates, to the maximum extent practicable, various FAR/DFARS/DLAD clauses/provisions that require the respondent/offeror to submit information to the Government prior to and for the purpose of award. It is also intended to ensure the successful transmission and subsequent interpretation of that information within the automated processing system by means of alphanumeric coding in lieu of the "x-the-box" method of response. See also FAR 13.302-5(d).
(91)(i) When the individual FAR, DFARS, and DLAD provisions cited in provision 52.213-9004, Offeror Representations, Certifications, and Fill-in Information--Electronic Commerce, are used in solicitations issued using electronic means, the latter provision shall be used for certifications and representations, and to record and consolidate all offeror- (respondent- ) provided information required by the applicable fill-in paragraphs of the cited source provisions. Although still bound by these source provisions in their entirety, offerors/contractors shall not be required to enter requested information into both the consolidated and the individual provisions. That is, their entering the requested information into 52.213-9004 shall be considered complete fulfillment of the data requirements of the applicable paragraphs of all source provisions.
(ii) The full text of source provisions used in consolidated provisions intended to facilitate electronic commerce shall be made available as follows: DLAD- or local acquisition regulation-level provisions shall be included in full text in every applicable buying activity master solicitation. If the FAR- and DFARS-level provisions are not also reproduced in full text in the master solicitation, the contracting officer shall provide a reference within the consolidated provision to an Internet location where they may be found. See 14.203-3(90).
(90) See 90.12 for the Simplified Acquisition Price Review Program.
13.106 Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and
documentation.
13.106-1 Solicitation competition
(a) Considerations.
(2) Use of best value buying procedures is encouraged in competitive purchases where they would help improve the quality of the award decisions.
(b) Soliciting from a single source.
(1) Whenever urgency of the requirement necessitates limiting competition, and
precludes the use of normal automated contracting procedures, the historically lowest price source should be contacted. However, award may be placed with another source when any increased price is reasonable and consistent with the extent to which delivery is required to be expedited.
13.106-1 (91) DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) Quoting Information for BSM Automated Solicitations
The provision at 52.213-9007 shall be used in all BSM automated solicitations valued at or below $100,000 that are posted on the DLA Internet Bid Board System (DIBBS) effective with the BSM Retrofit Release.
13.106-2 Evaluation of quotations or offers.
(b) Evaluation procedures.
(90) The procedural flexibilities described at FAR 13.103 and 13.106-2 are intended to be illustrative, not all inclusive. For example, if discussions are necessary with an offeror, contracting officers are authorized to hold discussions with one or more offerors, but need not conduct discussions with all offerors in the competitive range if such discussions are unnecessary and the procedures for these discussions are fair and equitable to all offerors.
(91) Reserved
(92) Procurement Automated Contract Evaluation (PACE) Information
The provision at 52.213-9008 shall be used in all BSM automated solicitations valued at or below $100,000 that are to be evaluated under the Procurement Automated Contract Evaluation (PACE) effective with the BSM Retrofit Release.
13.106-3 Award and documentation.
(a) Basis for award.
(3) Contracting personnel should avoid placing orders with vendors who have a
minimum order quantity/value, and/or a minimum billing/charge policy, wherever possible. In furtherance of this policy, indefinite delivery contracts (IDCs), blanket purchase agreements (BPAs), and basic ordering agreements (BOAs) shall contain a provision explicitly precluding such features. In addition, the following alternatives should be explored before placing a purchase order with a supplier that follows such practices:
(90) Seek to eliminate or minimize the charge. (However, when an offer is low on an individual acquisition, inclusive of minimum charge, which the offeror will not reduce or agree to remove from its offer, such offeror should receive the award.);
(91) When appropriate, increase the quantity of the buy; or
(92) Make a concerted effort to consolidate orders with other buys from the same vendor. If the foregoing efforts are to no avail, DLA contracting personnel, when writing orders with vendors having such policies, will separately identify the unit price and amount for each item ordered and the minimum billing or service charge.
(b) File documentation and retention.
(90) Data to support purchases.
(A) The price reasonableness determination shall:
(i) Be documented (including the basis thereof and other relevant information cited in the sample format in (v), below).
(ii) Address the adequacy of any price competition received for assuring price reasonableness.
(iii) Address the comparability to prior prices paid for the same or similar item, if any, and
(iv) Incorporate, attach, or reference any other analyses performed concerning the reasonableness of the award price (see FAR, this paragraph, and DFARS 217.7504), along with any source data utilized (e.g., name, date, location, and page number of contractor catalog or other reference).
(v) Sample format.
SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PRICING MEMORANDUM
PURCHASE REQUEST OR CALL/ORDER NUMBER: ____________________________________
ITEM NUMBER & NAME: ______________________________________________________
PRICE REASONABLENESS BASED ON (Check one or more):
PRICE COMPARABILITY WITH PRIOR PURCHASE PRICES (Adjusted as appropriate):
Yes _____ No _____ NA _____
Explain: __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____ ADEQUATE PRICE COMPETITION (Attach quotes/abstract) INVOLVING:
_____ ONE MANUFACTURER'S PART or ____ PARTS OF VARIOUS MFRS
Identify type competition (mfgr(s)/dealer(s)/both), competitive range of offers, etc.: _____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____ COMPARISON WITH PRIOR PURCHASE PRICE(s) OF SIMILAR ITEM NAME & NO.:
_________________________________________________________________
CONTRACT & CALL/ORDER NO.________________________________________
VENDOR____________________________________ AWARD DATE___________
UNIT OF ISSUE____________ UNIT PRICE______________ QTY___________
EXPLAIN ADJUSTMENTS AND BASIS FOR DETERMINING PRIOR PRICE
REASONABLE: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____ COMMERCIAL CATALOG/PRICE LIST FOR:
_____ SAME ITEM or _____ SIMILAR ITEM
NAME/NUMBER________________________________________________________
DATE_____________________________ PAGE__________________________
EXPLAIN DIFFERENCES:_______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____ ESTABLISHED MARKET PRICE:
MEANS OF VERIFICATION: ____________________________________________
_____ VALUE/VISUAL/COST ANALYSIS BY BUYER/USER/TECHNICAL PERSONNEL
(Attach or reference the review of technical data, examination of sample,
etc.):
EXPLAIN:___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
_____ OTHER (Explain specific reason, e.g., valid purchase request estimate,
minimum order quantity, high priority delivery, special packaging/marking,
etc.):____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
SIGNATURE OF BUYER DATE
_______________________________________________ ______________________
(B) Pricing techniques in the absence of adequate price competition.
(i) The technique of comparing the items to a similar competitive item should offer the best assurance of fair and reasonable pricing in simplified acquisitions. In the majority of purchases over the micro-purchase threshold involving noncompetitive and non-cataloged items, this method should be used to determine price reasonableness. It is not necessary to locate an identical item or to compare every feature of the two items. Quantity, packaging, and other factors must be considered in arriving at an independent estimate of a reasonable price for the individual acquisition. Abstracts of bids maintained by the contracting office may be useful in this regard. Commercial catalogs and price lists should also be used.
(ii) When prices appearing in a contractor price list are used for determining price reasonableness, see 15.404-1(b)(2)(iv).
(iii) Visual examination of warehouse samples, photographs, videotapes, drawings and/or DD Form 146, Federal Item Logistics Data Record, descriptions can be of considerable value in determining that a price is fair and reasonable. Often the actual manufacturer is revealed by this examination. Sources solicited shall include any manufacturers revealed by visual examination.
(iv) When other methods available to contracting personnel are unproductive, pricing/technical assistance should be considered for use in the buyer's price reasonableness determination.
(v) When a price reasonableness determination cannot be made via a price analysis technique, the determination may be made using one of the forms of cost analysis. When the cost analysis involves proposed, recommended, or approved forward pricing rates, factors, and/or a formula pricing methodology, see 15.404-1(c)(90).
13.106-90 Other solicitation issues.
(a) Evaluation of simplified acquisitions/quotations involving source inspection. The provision at 52.213 -9001, Evaluation Factor for Source Inspection, shall be inserted in all simplified acquisition solicitations. It shall be exercised for the acquisition of items normally requiring destination inspection (see FAR 46.402 and 46.403), when source inspection is specified for offerors under either of the following conditions: the offeror has a history of delivering nonconforming material on destination assigned contracts/purchases; or the offeror insists that inspection be performed at source, despite the Government’s determination that source inspection is unnecessary. When source inspection is to be performed under either of these conditions, the contracting officer shall exercise the provision at 52.2 13-9001 and add $250 to that offeror’s quoted price. If multiple source inspections are required, the evaluation factor will be multiplied by the number of inspections required, and that figure will be added to the offerors quoted price.
(b) Evaluation of simplified acquisitions/quotations involving the conduct of preaward surveys (PASs). [This paragraph pertains only to those contracting offices that have decided, in accordance with 15.304(c)(95), to use the PAS evaluation factor coverage therein.] The provision at 52.215-9001, Evaluation Factor for Preaward Survey, shall be inserted in simplified acquisition solicitations and exercised when a PAS is required to determine the responsibility of prospective contractors described in 15.304(c)(95)(A) through (F).
(c) Disposition of unsolicited quotations.
(1) Unsolicited quotations need not be evaluated except when it is feasible and
practicable to do so in order to:
(A) Satisfy the requirements of FAR 13.104 to provide for maximum
practicable competition; or
(B) Consider alternate offers to provide competition for sole source items (also see 17.7501(b)(4)).
(2) Contracting personnel should return quotes to the offeror with an explanation
of the reason(s) the quote is not being considered for award. This explanation may take the following form:
Sir/Madam:
We received your quotation but are unable to evaluate it for the following reason(s):
___ Request for Quotation (RFQ) Number or other identifying number was not included.
___ The quote did not contain the following certification requirements:
(Enter the certification requirements which are missing.)
___ The quote offers an alternate item, but evaluation data sufficient to evaluate your quote were not included. (Identify the missing data.)
___ Other. (State other reasons for returning quotation here.)
We appreciate your interest in doing business with this Center and recommend you apply for inclusion on our various solicitation mailing lists. To receive application information, you may write to the above address or call (area code/phone number).
(d) All solicitations issued under this Part, both written and oral, will be assigned a unique request for quotations number ("Q", "T", or "U" in PIIN position 9, as appropriate), to be used for the primary identification of the solicitation. While the procurement request number may be cited as an additional reference number in solicitations, it must be used in conjunction with an RFQ number.
SUBPART 13.2 – ACTIONS AT OR BELOW THE MICRO-PURCHASE THRESHOLD
13.201(g)(1) For other than purchase card acquisitions the Contracting Officer is delegated the authority to make the determination that the acquisitions are to support a contingency operation or to facilitate defense against or recovery from nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack. For purchase card acquisitions the determination authority is delegated to the individual specified in DLAI DLA Government Purchase Card Program One Book Chapter who provides the written pre-approval when purchasing other than routine office supplies. Contract files or written pre-approvals shall document how the acquisition is in support of a contingency operation or to be used to facilitate defense against or recovery from nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack.
(a) Solicitation, evaluation of quotations, and award.
(2) A conclusion as to price reasonableness is required prior to award, regardless of dollar value. In competitive buys, review of competitive quotations and pricing history should normally suffice. For non-competitive buys, the conclusion may be based on comparable prior buy history or, where appropriate, a commercial catalog/price list, similar item or other price analysis technique. In the absence of any of the foregoing a price quotation from one (1) additional vendor is required.
(3) Price reasonableness verification (e.g., to a source document or other authority) is required prior to award (or call acceptance):
(90) For first-time buys.
(91) When a price is highlighted/kicked out for buyer review pursuant to a price variance check procedure in SPEDE, PACE, and other automated systems.
(b) Documentation.
(90) Award documentation shall be limited, but include:
(A) The price quote(s) received plus, for any other price(s) considered, the price, source, quantity, and effective date;
(B) The price reasonableness conclusion, in any instance where the award is to be made at a price known or suspected of being unfair and unreasonable, or where the price is not considered reasonable. (The absence of documentation of the conclusion shall be deemed as an implicit affirmation that the price was considered reasonable); and
(C) The basis/bases of the price reasonableness conclusion (e.g., catalog price, commercial off the shelf item, comparable item, etc.) for:
(i) first time buys where competitive prices were not received;
(ii) a single quote for a previously bought item is considered excessive in comparison to such prior prices(s), as adjusted for any differences in quantity, time, etc.
The absence of documentation of the basis/bases shall be deemed an implicit affirmation that the price reasonableness conclusion was based on competition received (documented per 13.202(b)(90)(A)) or on consistency of a single quote with the prior price(s).
13.270 Use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card
(a) DLA has been granted DEPSECDEF exceptions from the mandatory requirement to use the purchase card for wholesale stock fund purchases. The exceptions resulted from business cases demonstrating that introducing the manual processes associated with using the card would not be cost effective when compared to the efficiencies DLA gained from existing automation capabilities.
13.301 Governmentwide commercial purchase card.
(90) The Governmentwide commercial purchase card may be used as a method of purchase and/or payment as a method of payment for purchases and orders not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold under existing indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts, and for other contracts when the contract authorizes its use as a payment method. Procedural guidance on use of the purchase card is in DLAI DLA Government Purchase Card Program One Book Chapter, DLA Governmentwide Commercial Purchase Card Program.
(90) Documentation of the price or cost analysis techniques as discussed at 13.106-3(b)(90)(B)(ii) and (v) shall also be accomplished for awards of priced purchase orders and definitization of unpriced purchase orders (UPOs).
13.302-2 Unpriced purchase orders.
(90) Consistent with the intent of DFARS 217.74 the requirements of DFARS Subpart 217.74 and DLAD Subpart 17.74 shall be followed for all UPOs issued by DLA contracting offices.
13.303 Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs).
13.303-2 Establishment of BPAs.
(c)(3)(90) While BPAs may be established with Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) contractors for both non-FSS items and FSS items, a distinction between such items should be made.
(91) A BPA with an FSS contractor for non-FSS items which can be construed to cover FSS items because of a generic item description should contain a statement to the effect that the BPA excludes all items on FSSs.
(92) If it is desired to establish a BPA with an FSS contractor for items on an FSS, the agreement shall be consistent with the provisions of the applicable FSS, i.e., period of agreement, terms and conditions. The terms of the agreement should be limited to a simplification of purchasing techniques, such as placement of calls orally and provisions for submitting monthly consolidated billings.
(a)(1) Description of agreement. The maximum aggregate amount, if any, of all calls to be issued against one BPA shall be prescribed by the HCA.
13.306 SF 44, Purchase Order-Invoice-Voucher.
(a)(1)(A) (Deviation 2007-xx) Fuel and oil. The Aviation Into-plane Reimbursement (AIR) Card or the Ships Bunkers Easy Acquisition (SEA) Card, as appropriate, may be used in lieu of an SF 44 for fuel and oil transactions valued up to the simplified acquisition threshold.
(90) DLA Form 1224, Shipping Instructions may be used to issue automated calls made under a BPA.
(91) The SAMMS Automated Simplified Purchase System (SASPS) issues requests for quotations using DLA Form 1231, Request for Quotation.
13.390 Indefinite delivery purchase orders (IDPOs).
An IDPO is a simplified acquisition procedure that applies indefinite delivery contract concepts to simplified acquisitions. An IDPO, when established by agreement of the contractor, establishes a standing quotation(s) from the contractor for a definite period for an indefinite quantity of supplies. However, when established as a contract, through performance undertaken by the contractor on a purchase order, an IDPO establishes a firm commitment that the contractor will perform under subsequent orders issued, at the purchase order price for a definite period for an indefinite quantity of supplies.
Use of an IDPO is appropriate where repetitive low dollar value purchases are made for the same item, the price of the item is expected to be stable, and expected yearly or other long–term demands are not sufficient to establish an indefinite delivery contract. The aggregate total dollar value of orders issued against an IDPO during the ordering period shall not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (or $5,000,000 for acquisitions conducted under FAR Subpart 13.5). To establish an IDPO above $25,000 the contracting officer must satisfy the publishing requirements at FAR 5.101. Requirements shall not be split to qualify for use of an IDPO (see FAR 13.003(c)). Only one IDPO shall be established per item.
The ordering period should not normally exceed 1 year.
13.390-4 Decision to establish an IDPO.
The decision to establish an IDPO shall be made by the contracting officer in coordination with the inventory manager.
13.390-5 Methods of establishment.
(a) Unilateral IDPO. An IDPO may be established unilaterally. When this is done,
notwithstanding the fact that a vendor has quoted against the provision at 52.213-9002, the vendor, as with any unilateral purchase order quote, will not have entered into a contract that binds it to the IDPO provision for performance under subsequently issued orders. Likewise, the Government is not obligated to place subsequent orders under the IDPO provision. Effecting the purchase in this manner provides the flexibility to determine the method of purchase for a subsequent requirement (e.g., order against the IDPO, or issue a new solicitation) that is in the best interest of the Government. (Note that use of this approach does not preclude the execution of a bilateral purchase order for the basic requirement. Under this approach, however, the IDPO provision remains a unilateral offer when included in the purchase order for the basic requirement. Bilateral purchase orders may still be issued under this method for the IDPO quantities.) If this approach is used, the following applies:
(1) Publication and display. To establish a unilateral IDPO with an aggregate value in excess of $10,000 the contracting officer must satisfy the public display requirements at FAR 5.101 (post if over $10,000 and synopsize if over $25,000). The publication and display will preclude the need to publish/post subsequent orders placed under the IDPO.
(2) Solicitation provision. The provision at DLAD 52.213-9002, Indefinite Delivery Purchase Order Agreement, shall be included in solicitation documents for supplies when a unilateral IDPO is planned to be established. The solicitation shall request quotes on the basic requirement, and request that the prospective contractor state if it agrees or does not agree to accept subsequent orders within the stated quantity range at the quoted price for the current requirement specified in the Request for Quotations. The basic quantity requirement shall be within the minimum and maximum quantity range and order frequency limit included in the provision at 52.213-9002 at the time of solicitation.
(3) Evaluation and award. Quotations from offerors that do not quote against the provision at 52.213-9002 shall not be rejected as technically unacceptable. Award shall be made to that responsible offeror that submits the low, technically acceptable quotation for the basic requirement. If the price for the projected requirements is determined fair and reasonable at the time of award for the basic requirement, price reasonableness determinations need not be made for subsequent orders placed under the IDPO provision.
(b) Bilateral IDPO (purchase order with indefinite quantity terms). An IDPO may be
established bilaterally. Under this approach, offerors shall be advised, by inclusion of the clause at 52.213-9003, that performance under the purchase order, by supplying the minimum order quantity (the basic order quantity), requires the contractor to provide the additional supplies specified in the clause at 52.213-9003, within the stated minimum and maximum quantities, as ordered by the designated ordering officer. Use of this approach establishes a binding contract for the IDPO, yet does not bind the Government to place orders against the IDPO. If this approach is used, the following applies:
(1) Publication. To establish a bilateral IDPO with an aggregate value in excess of $10,000, the contracting officer must satisfy the publishing requirements at FAR 5.101 (post if over $10,000 and synopsize if over $25,000). The publication will preclude the need to publish subsequent orders placed under the IDPO.
(2) Solicitation clauses.
(i) The clause at DLAD 52.213 -9003, Indefinite Delivery Purchase Order
Contract, shall be included in solicitation documents when a bilateral IDPO is to be established. This clause provides that initial performance under the purchase order (by supplying the minimum purchase order quantity) obligates the contractor to provide the additional supplies, within the stated minimum and maximum quantities cited in the clause, as ordered by the ordering officer.
(ii) The clauses at FAR 52.216-18, Ordering; FAR 52.216-19, Order Limitations; FAR 52.216-22, Indefinite Quantity; and FAR 52.249-8, Default (Fixed-Price Supply and Service), shall be included in solicitations that contain the clause at DLAD 52.213-9003.
(3) Evaluation and award. A solicitation provision shall be included in RFQs that advises whether or not the Government will reject quotes as technically unacceptable from offerors that do not agree to the clause at DLAD 52.213-9003. Award shall be made, under the conditions specified in the solicitation, to that offeror that submits the low, technically acceptable quotation for either (a) the minimum requirement, or (b) the combined basic and IDPO requirements, depending on the conditions specified in the solicitation. When the award includes the IDPO clause, the price(s) for the minimum purchase order quantity and for the IDPO projected requirements shall be determined fair and reasonable at the time of award of the basic requirement.
IDPO orders shall be numbered in accordance with the uniform procurement instrument
identification numbering (PIIN) system. The initial purchase order and subsequent orders shall be distinguished by a "D" in the ninth position and a "5" in the tenth position of the PIIN. The initial purchase order shall be numbered with sub -PIIN number 0001. Subsequent orders shall be serially numbered with sub -PIIN numbers 0002 through 9999. Unless the contracting officer determines otherwise, the IDPO will be held in an open status in the SAMMS Active Contract File until the end of the ordering period or until the final payment has been made on all orders, whichever is later.
13.390-7 Contract administration.
When an IDPO is assigned to a contract administration office (CAO) for contract administration, a basic IDPO will be issued separate from the issuance of any IDPO orders. This action allows the CAO to enter basic contract information into the Mechanization of Contract Administration Services (MOCAS) system for use in processing all orders issued against that IDPO.
SUBPART 13.4 - FAST PAYMENT PROCEDURE
(90) The additional criteria set forth below shall be followed when determining the
applicability of fast payment procedures.
(1) Depot Shipments. Requirements which are shipped to a depot and marked for
stock are not authorized to use fast payment procedures.
(2) Direct Vendor Deliveries (DVDs). DVDs, including overseas shipments that go through a consolidation point and Foreign Military Sales requirements, are authorized to use fast payment procedures (see 25.7302-90). However, DVDs with source inspection or DVDs with subsistence requirements shipped through a consolidation point prior to shipment overseas are not authorized to use fast payment procedures.
(3) Reserved.
(91) The Commander or designee of the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia shall review and approve all contracts exceeding $25,000 which use fast payment procedures.
(90) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.213-9009, Fast Payment Procedure, in solicitations and contracts containing FAR 52.213-1.
SUBPART 13.5 - TEST PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN COMMERCIAL ITEMS
(a)(90) Circumstances when the contracting officer may reasonably expect that quotes or offers will include only commercial items include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) No sources of items other than commercial items are known to exist; or
(2) Sources of items other than commercial items are known to exist but are not expected to offer.
If the contracting officer reasonably expected that quotes or offers would only include commercial items but receives one or more offers of other than commercial items, the contracting officer may proceed with the acquisition under the procedures in Subpart 13.5.
(91) Contracting officers are authorized to issue purchase orders and blanket purchase agreement (BPA) calls (see FAR 13.303-5(b)(2)) in amounts greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $5,000,000 when the contracting officer determines, after the synopsis of the requirement, and after the evaluation of all offers or quotes in response to the synopsis, that the purchase order or BPA call is the appropriate contract vehicle. Each DLA contracting office may establish appropriate guidelines, based on the nature of the commodities it is responsible for acquiring, as to when a request for proposals may be more appropriate than a request for quotations, and may issue other guidance it determines necessary to protect the Government’s interest (e.g., identifying circumstances when use of a bilateral purchase order should be considered). Each DLA contracting office shall retain BPA call limitations it determines appropriate to its automated systems and that are consistent with both the nature of the items it is responsible for acquiring and the historical pricing practices of its suppliers.
(92) Some procedures in Part 13 are expressly limited to the simplified acquisition threshold or some lower threshold, or their use is expressly superseded by a reference to differing procedures in FAR Subpart 13.5. Examples of Part 13 procedures that would not be authorized for use when conducting an acquisition under Subpart 13.5 include:
(i) Micro-purchase procedures (FAR 13.2);
(ii) Simplified justification procedures for sole source buys (FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) and 13.106-3(b)(3)(i));
(iii) Fast payment procedures (FAR Subpart 13.4); and
(iv) Imprest fund procedures (FAR Subpart 13.305).
(c) Unless Part 12 expressly provides otherwise, procedures required in other FAR parts still apply to acquisitions of commercial items, including those conducted under Subpart 13.5. Some examples include the requirements to:
(1) Synopsize proposed contract actions expected to exceed $25,000 in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD) (FAR 5.101(a)(1)); and
(2) Announce contract awards valued over $3,000,000 (FAR 5.303(a)) [$5,000,000 for DoD (see DFARS 205.303(a)(i))].
Agency and/or local requirements for review under specified circumstances also still apply, unless explicitly waived. Additionally, if an exemption applies only to acquisitions that are not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, such an exemption is not applicable when using Subpart 13.5. One example of an exception that does not apply under Subpart 13.5 is the exception from the synopsis requirement when the contract action is expected to exceed $25,000 but not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold and will be made through FACNET (FAR 5.202(a)(13)). Another example is the new coverage at DLAD 7.102(91), which has been revised to require written acquisition plans for all proposed contract actions other than “those not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold,” instead of “those effected under FAR Part 13.”
(90) Acquisitions under Subpart 13.5 cannot be conducted in the same manner as those that were formerly called “small purchases,” which did not exceed $25,000 and therefore were never subject to synopsis requirements. Synopsis requirements are not waived for acquisitions conducted under Part 13 (including Subpart 13.5), and all questions or offers must be considered (see FAR 5.101(a)(1) and 13.106-2(a)(3), respectively). Therefore, acquisitions conducted under the authority of Subpart 13.5 are comparable to simplified acquisitions between $25,000 and $100,000, which also require synopsis.
13.501 Special documentation requirements.
(a) If an acquisition is conducted under circumstances that would be considered “other than full and open” if Part 6 applied, but is not conducted on a “sole source” basis, no justification and approval (J&A) is required. For example, if the exception for urgency applies but more than one source is solicited, no J&A is required. This is a different standard from the standard in FAR and DLAD Part 6, where any circumstance that is other than full and open requires a J&A. Acquisitions of commercial items described only by a single manufacturer’s name and part number are sole source acquisitions and do require a J&A pursuant to FAR Subpart 13.5. When multiple manufacturers and part numbers are identified in the purchase description, the acquisition is not sole source, and no J&A is required.