Contracting Cone

FAR Part 13 provides streamlined procedures for the acquisition of noncommercial products and services valued at or below the simplified acquisition threshold. These procedures may be used only when there are no commercial products or commercial services that can satisfy the agency’s needs, and the supplies or services are not available from a required source.

When using FAR Part 13, agencies must promote competition to the maximum extent practicable and must not divide requirements that exceed the simplified acquisition threshold merely to use simplified acquisition procedures. Acquisitions above the micro-purchase threshold but at or below the simplified acquisition threshold must generally be set aside for small business concerns.

For solicitation, evaluation, and award, FAR 13.201 directs contracting officers to follow the simplified procedures at FAR 12.201-1 for issuing requests for quotations. FAR 13.202 directs contracting officers to follow FAR 12.203 when establishing evaluation factors and evaluating quotations in an efficient and minimally burdensome manner. FAR 13.203 addresses award, including the requirement to determine price fair and reasonable and document the procedures used and number of quotations received.

For micro-purchases, FAR 13.401 directs contracting officers to follow the procedures in FAR Subpart 12.4. Micro-purchases generally do not require written provisions or clauses, although FAR 52.232-39 automatically applies to any micro-purchase, including those made with the Governmentwide commercial purchase card.

There are three main contracting strategies associated with simplified acquisitions:

Resources

• FAR Part 12 Acquisition of Commercial Items
• FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures
• FAR Subpart 13.5  Simplified Acquisition Procedures for Certain Commercial Products and Commercial Services
• DFARS Part 213 Simplified Acquisition Procedures
• Class Deviation – Micro-Purchase Threshold, Simplified Acquisition Threshold, and Special Emergency Procurement Authority, Defense Pricing and Contracting, Aug 2018