§427. Simplified acquisition procedures

(a) Requirement

In order to promote efficiency and economy in contracting and to avoid unnecessary burdens for agencies and contractors, the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall provide for special simplified procedures for contracts for acquisition of property and services that are not greater than the simplified acquisition threshold.

(b) Prohibition on dividing purchases

A proposed purchase or contract for an amount above the simplified acquisition threshold may not be divided into several purchases or contracts for lesser amounts in order to use the simplified acquisition procedures required by subsection (a) of this section.

(c) Promotion of competition required

In using simplified acquisition procedures, the head of an executive agency shall promote competition to the maximum extent practicable.

(d) Consideration of offers timely received

The simplified acquisition procedures contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall include a requirement that a contracting officer consider each responsive offer timely received from an eligible offeror.

(e) Special rules for use of simplified acquisition procedures

(1) Effect of interim FACNET capability

The simplified acquisition procedures provided in the Federal Acquisition Regulation pursuant to this section may not be used by a procuring activity of an agency for contracts in amounts greater than $50,000 and not greater than the simplified acquisition threshold until a certification has been made pursuant to section 426a(a)(1) of this title that the procuring activity has implemented an interim FACNET capability.

(2) Effect of full FACNET capability

(A)(i) In the case of a procuring activity described in clause (ii), the simplified acquisition procedures provided in the Federal Acquisition Regulation pursuant to this section may be used by the activity for contracts in amounts greater than $50,000 and not greater than the simplified acquisition threshold.

(ii) Clause (i) applies to any procuring activity-

(I) that has not certified, pursuant to section 426a(a)(1) of this title, that it has implemented interim FACNET capability; and

(II) that is in an agency that has excluded the procuring activity from the agency's full FACNET certification under section 426a(a)(2) of this title on the basis that implementation of full FACNET capability would not be cost effective or practicable in that activity.

(B) The simplified acquisition procedures provided in the Federal Acquisition Regulation pursuant to this section may not be used by an agency after December 31, 1999, for contracts in amounts greater than $50,000 and not greater than the simplified acquisition threshold until a certification has been made pursuant to section 426a(a)(2) of this title that the agency has implemented a full FACNET capability.

(f) Interim reporting rule

Until October 1, 1999, procuring activities shall continue to report under section 417(d) of this title procurement awards with a dollar value of at least $25,000, but less than $100,000, in conformity with the procedures for the reporting of a contract award greater than $25,000 that were in effect on October 1, 1992.

(Pub. L. 93–400, §31, as added Pub. L. 103–355, title IV, §4201(a), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3342 .)

Effective Date

For effective date and applicability of section, see section 10001 of Pub. L. 103–355, set out as an Effective Date of 1994 Amendment note under section 251 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 252b of this title; title 10 section 2302b.