(a) Definitions.—
(1) Executive agency.— The term “executive agency” has the same meaning given in section 133 of this title.
(2) Individual purchase.— The term “individual purchase” means a task order, delivery order, or other purchase.
(3) Multiple award contract.—
The term “multiple award contract” means—
(A) a contract that is entered into by the Administrator of General Services under the multiple award schedule program referred to in
section 2302(2)(C) of title 10;
(B) a multiple award task order contract that is entered into under the authority of sections 2304a to 2304d of title 10, or chapter 41 of this title; and
(C) any other indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract that is entered into by the head of an executive agency with 2 or more sources pursuant to the same solicitation.
(4) Sole source task or delivery order.— The term “sole source task or delivery order” means any order that does not follow the competitive procedures in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (c).
(c) Content of Regulations.—
(1) In general.—
The regulations required by subsection (b) shall provide that each individual purchase of property or services in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold that is made under a multiple award contract shall be made on a competitive basis unless a contracting officer—
(A)
waives the requirement on the basis of a determination that—
(i) one of the circumstances described in paragraphs (1) to (4) of
section 4106(c) of this title or
section 2304c(b) of title 10 applies to the individual purchase; or
(ii) a law expressly authorizes or requires that the purchase be made from a specified source; and
(B) justifies the determination in writing.
(2) Competitive basis procedures.—
For purposes of this subsection, an individual purchase of property or services is made on a competitive basis only if it is made pursuant to procedures that—
(A) require fair notice of the intent to make that purchase (including a description of the work to be performed and the basis on which the selection will be made) to be provided to all contractors offering the property or services under the multiple award contract; and
(B) afford all contractors responding to the notice a fair opportunity to make an offer and have that offer fairly considered by the official making the purchase.
(3) Exception to notice requirement.—
(A) In general.— Notwithstanding paragraph (2), and subject to subparagraph (B), notice may be provided to fewer than all contractors offering the property or services under a multiple award contract as described in subsection (a)(3)(A) if notice is provided to as many contractors as practicable.
(B) Limitation on exception.—
A purchase may not be made pursuant to a notice that is provided to fewer than all contractors under subparagraph (A) unless—
(i) offers were received from at least 3 qualified contractors; or
(ii) a contracting officer of the executive agency determines in writing that no additional qualified contractors were able to be identified despite reasonable efforts to do so.
Amendment Not Shown in Text
This section was derived from Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title VIII, § 863(a)–(e), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4547, which was set out as a note under section 253h of former Title 41, Public Contracts, prior to being repealed and reenacted by Pub. L. 111–350, §§ 3, 7(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3677, 3855. Section 863(b)(3)(A) of Pub. L. 110–417 was restated as subsec. (c)(3)(A) of this section and subsequently amended by Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title X, § 1075(e)(14), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4375. For applicability of that amendment to this section, see section 6(a) of Pub. L. 111–350, set out as a Transitional and Savings Provisions note preceding section 101 of this title. Section 863(b)(3)(A) of Pub. L. 110–417 was amended by striking “subsection (d)(2)(A)” and inserting “subsection (d)(3)(A)”. Such reference did not appear in the text of subsec. (c)(3)(A) as enacted. See Historical and Revision Notes below.
| Historical and Revision Notes |
| Revised Section |
Source (U.S. Code) |
Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 3302 |
41:253h note. |
Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title VIII, § 863(a)–(e), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4547. |
In subsection (b), the words “Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act” are omitted because of section 6(f) of the bill. The words “shall require” are substituted for “shall be amended to require” to reflect the permanence of the provision.
In subsection (c)(2)(A), the words “except as provided in paragraph (3)” are omitted as unnecessary.
In subsection (c)(3)(A), “subsection (a)(3)(A)” is substituted for “subsection (d)(2)(A)” for consistency in the revised title and to correct an error in the law.
In subsection (d)(1), the words “Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act” are omitted because of section 6(f) of the bill. The words “shall require” are substituted for “shall be amended to require” to reflect the permanence of the provision.