Contracting Cone

FAR Based Strategies

Federal Supply Schedules – FAR 8.4
Commercial Items – FAR 12
Simplified Acquisitions – FAR 13
Contracting by Negotiation – FAR 15
IDIQ – FAR 16.5
Letter Contract – FAR 16.603
Agreements – FAR 16.7
Small Business – FAR 19
BAA – FAR 35.016
SBIR/STTR
Defense CSO Pilot Program

Non-FAR Based Strategies

Other Transactions (OT)
Procurement for Experimental
R&D Agreements

Contract Type Matrix

Schedule Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA)

Agencies can establish a Schedule BPA to simplify the acquisition of recurring needs for services or products that are on federal supply schedules. The Schedule BPA might cover a single product or service, or supplies or services the contractor might have on several different schedules. BPAs may be established with a single schedule contractor or with multiple schedule contractors for the same supplies or services. Multiple-award BPAs are preferred.

 

Common Applications

  • Commercial products and services
  • Information Technology (IT) product and services
  • Health IT services and solutions
  • Cyber services and solutions
  • Cloud services and solutions
  • Software licenses
  • Telecommunications and wireless services

 

Restrictions

  • Cannot use cost-type contracts
  • Requires best approach determination and finding for actions that meet threshold

 

Pros

Cons
Opportunity to combine repetitive GSA orders under a BPA reduces procurement lead time and administrative costs Limitation of firm-fixed-price (FFP) or time and materials (T&M) pricing arrangements may not be appropriate or suitable for complex requirements
Ability to establish agreements with multiple vendors maintains competition and reduces cost, schedule, and performance risk associated with a single vendor source GSA Schedule offering of only commercial services and products reduces flexibility in acquiring capabilities
Increases flexibility to plan for anticipated purchases without immediate funding, no required minimum guarantee, or maximum ceiling Standard schedule commercial rights and licenses increases burden on Government to ensure specialized rights are explicit.
Ability to negotiate further price discounts from established schedule rates, and potential volume, increases cost avoidance
Access to pre-vetted, qualified contractors reduces performance risk in execution
GSA streamlined procedures provides opportunity to quickly meet socioeconomic goals

 

References