FAR Part 8

Question 1

Part 8

Answer 1

Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Question 2

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Overview of Part 8

Purpose:

Answer 2

Establishes priorities for acquiring supplies and services to reduce
costs (FAR 8.000).

KeySections:
* 8.1: Excess Personal Property (FAR 8.101).
* 8.4: Federal Supply Schedules (FAR 8.402).
* 8.5: Acquisition of Helium (FAR 8.501).
* 8.6: Acquisition from Federal Prison Industries (FAR 8.602).
* 8.7: Acquisition from Nonprofit Agencies (FAR 8.703).
* 8.8: Acquisition of Printing and Related Supplies (FAR 8.802).
* 8.11: Leasing of Motor Vehicles (FAR 8.1100).

Question 3

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Subpart 8.1 - Excess Personal Property

Purpose:

Answer 3

Encourage agencies to use excess personal property first (FAR
8.102).

Benefits: Reduces costs by utilizing existing resources, minimizes new purchases (FAR 8.103).

Question 4

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Subpart 8.4 - Federal Supply Schedules

Purpose:

Answer 4

Streamline procurement through pre-negotiated contracts (FAR
8.402).

Benefits: Reduces lead times and administrative costs, ensures competitive pricing (FAR 8.405).

Question 5

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Subpart 8.5 - Acquisition of Helium

Purpose:

Answer 5

Ensure stable helium supply through government contracts (FAR
8.501).

Benefits: Stabilizes prices, reduces procurement complexity, secures supply (FAR 8.502).

Question 6

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Subpart 8.6 - Acquisition from Federal Prison Industries, Inc.

Purpose:

Answer 6

Support rehabilitation through procurement (FAR 8.602).

Benefits: Provides cost-effective supplies, supports social responsibility and inmate rehabilitation (FAR 8.603).

Question 7

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Subpart 8.7 - Acquisition from Nonprofit Agencies

Purpose:

Answer 7

Streamline procurement from nonprofits employing the blind or
severely disabled (FAR 8.703).

Benefits: Simplifies procurement, supports social programs, reduces administrative burden (FAR 8.704).

Question 8

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Subpart 8.8 - Acquisition of Printing and Related Supplies

Purpose:

Answer 8

Simplify the acquisition of printing services (FAR 8.802).

Benefits: Centralized contracts, compliance with regulations, reduced administrative costs (FAR 8.803).

Question 9

Part 8 - Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Subpart 8.11 - Leasing of Motor Vehicles

Purpose:

Answer 9

Provide cost-effective vehicle leasing options (FAR 8.1100).

Benefits: Reduces capital expenditure, offers flexibility in vehicle management (FAR 8.1101).

Question 10

Priorities for Using Government Supply Sources

For supplies, agencies should use, in the following order:

Answer 10

Agency inventories

Excess from other agencies

Federal Prison Industries, Inc.

Supplies which are on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

Wholesale supply sources, such as stock programs of the GSA, the Defense Logistics Agency, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and military inventory control points

Small business concerns

Optional use Federal Supply Schedules

Commercial sources (including educational and nonprofit institutions)

Question 11

Priorities for Using Government Services Sources

For services, agencies should use, in the following order:

Answer 11

Services which are on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

Mandatory Federal Supply Schedules

Optional use Federal Supply Schedules

Federal Prison Industries, Inc.

Commercial sources (including educational and nonprofit institutions)

Question 12

Personal Property and Excess Personal Property

When practicable, agencies must

Answer 12

excess personal property as the first source of supply for agency and cost- reimbursement contractor requirements.

Agency personnel must make positive efforts to satisfy agency requirements by obtaining and using excess personal property
(including that suitable for adaptation or substitution) before initiating a contract action.

Question 13

Personal Property and Excess Personal Property

Personal Property

Answer 13

Property of any kind, or interest in it, except real property, records of the federal government, and the following categories of naval vessels: battleships, cruisers,
aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines.

Question 14

Acquisition of Excess Personal Property

Excess personal property

Answer 14

Property under control of an agency or activity that the agency or activity has declared is excess to its needs

Catalogs and bulletins of available excess personal property are available through the General Services Administration.

Procuring agencies may also obtain personal property through the agency or activity which has the property under its control.

Question 15

Federal Supply Schedules and Policy for Their Use

Federal Supply Schedules provide federal agencies with

Answer 15

a simplified process for obtaining commercial supplies and services at prices associated with volume buying.

Also known as the GSA Schedules Program or the Multiple Award Schedule Program.

Indefinite delivery contracts are awarded to provide supplies and services at stated prices for given periods of time.

Department of Defense (DoD) manages similar systems of schedule-
type contracting for military items. GSA has delegated authority to the VA to procure medical supplies under the VA Federal Supply Schedules program.

Question 16

Federal Supply Schedules and Policy for Their Use

GSA Advantage

Answer 16

is an online shipping service through which ordering agencies may place orders against Federal Supply Schedules

http://www.gsaadvantage.gov/

Question 17

Federal Supply Schedules and Policy for Their Use

eBuy

Answer 17

allows ordering activities to post requirements, obtain quotes, and issue orders electronically.

Question 18

Blanket purchase agreement (BPA)

Answer 18

A method for the government to fil purchase requirements for related supplies, material, equipment, or services by establishing accounts with established sources of supply

Includes certain conditions and provisions that have been negotiated and agreed to in advance

Allows the government to make frequent purchases or calls, verbally or in writing, and receive one monthly bill for all supplies or services purchased

Question 19

A blanket purchase agreement is not

Answer 19

a contract. BPAs are considered a type of “charge account” with certain qualified vendors.

An individual BPA is considered complete when the amount purchased under it equals the total dollar limitation, fi any, or when the stated time limitation (period of performance) expires.

Question 20

For a single BPA:

Answer 20

Users may place the order directly under the established BPA when the need for the supply or service arises

Question 21

For multiple BPAs

Answer 21

Provide an RFQ to all BPA holders offering the required supplies or
services, with a description and the basis for selection,

Afford all BPA holders responding an opportunity to submit a quote

Fairly consider all responses received and make award in accordance
with the selection procedures.

Question 22

BPA for hourly work

Answer 22

The ordering activity shall develop a statement of work for
requirements covered

All orders under the BPA shall specify a price to be paid for performance

Question 23

The time limit for a BPA is generally not

Answer 23

more than 5 years

Question 24

Federal Supply Schedules and Policy for Their Use

Answer 24

FAR Parts 13, 14, 15, and 19 do not apply to orders placed against Federal Supply Schedules contracts.

Orders placed against a Multiple Award Schedule are considered to be issued using full and open competition.

Ordering activities shall not seek competition outside of the Federal Supply Schedules or synopsize the requirement.

Question 25

Federal Supply Schedules and Policy for Their Use

GSA has already determined

Answer 25

the prices of supplies and services under Schedule contracts to be fair and reasonable.

By placing an order against a Schedule contract using these
procedures, the ordering activity has concluded that the order represents the best value and results in the lowest overall cost
alternative to meet the government’s needs.

Question 26

Ordering Procedures

Answer 26

Supplies or services ordered at a fixed price
Statement of work is not required

Services priced at an hourly rate
Statement of work is required

Question 27

Ordering Procedures

Performance based acquisition

Answer 27

A contract distinguished by its use of measurable performance standards and quality assurance plans

Performance-based statements should be used for agency requirements to the maximum extent practicable.
The ordering activity shall evaluate all responses received using the evaluation criteria provided ot the Schedule contractors.

Question 28

Ordering Activity Responsibilities

Ordering activities are responsible for:

Answer 28

Order placement
* Certain orders under certain conditions may be placed orally

Inspection and acceptance

Seeking appropriate remedies when the contractor delivers a supply or service that does not conform ot requirements

Terminating individual orders for cause or convenience

Issuing final decisions on disputes arising from performance of an order or referring the dispute to the Schedule
contracting officer

Question 29

Federal Prison Industries, Inc, also referred to as UNICOR, is a

Answer 29

self-supporting, wholly owned government corporation of the District of Columbia.

FPI provides training and
employment for prisoners confined in federal penal and correctional institutions through the sale of its supplies and services to government agencies.

FPI diversifies its supplies and services to prevent private industry from experiencing unfair competition from prison workshops or activities.

Supplies manufactured and services performed by FPI are listed in the FPI Schedule.

UNICOR
http://www.unicor.gov

Question 30

Before purchasing an item of supply listed in the FPI Schedule,

Answer 30

conduct market research to determine whether the FPl item is comparable to
supplies available from the private sector that best meet the government’s needs in terms of price, quality, and time of delivery.

If the FPI item is comparable, purchase the item from FPI following the UNICOR ordering procedures.

If the FPl item is not comparable in one or more of the areas of price,
quality, and time of delivery, acquire the item using competitive procedures, set-aside procedures, or FSS.

Question 31

AbilityOne is

Answer 31

the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled. The National Industries for the Blind (NIB) and the National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH) are central nonprofit agencies that were established under the AbilityOne Program.

The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled maintains a Procurement List of all supplies and services required to be purchased from AbilityOne participating nonprofit
agencies.

AbilityOne procurement list http://www.abilityone.gov/procurement_list/

Question 32

The Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled requires the government

Answer 32

to purchase supplies or services on the Procurement List from AbilityOne participating nonprofit agencies fi they are available within the period required.

Question 33

Ordering offices shall purchase supplies and services in the following order of priorities:

Supplies

Answer 33

1 Federal Prison Industries, Inc.

2. AbilityOne participating nonprofit agencies
3. Commercial sources

Question 34

Ordering offices shall purchase supplies and services in the following order of priorities:

Services

Answer 34

1 AbilityOne participating nonprofit agencies

2. Federal Prison Industries, Inc., or commercial sources

Question 35

Generally, agencies shall satisfy requirements for supplies and services from or through the sources and publications listed here in descending order of priority:

Answer 35

Supplies:
* Agency inventories;* Excess from other agencies;
* Federal Prison Industries, Inc.;
* Supplies on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled; and
*Wholesale supply sources, such as stock programs of the General Services Administration (GSA), Defense Logistics Agency, Department of Veterans Affairs, and military inventory control points.

Services:
* Services on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled.

Question 36

The Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program is also known as the GSA Schedules Program or the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program.

The program, directed and managed by the GSA, provides federal agencies with

Answer 36

a simplified process for obtaining commercial supplies and services at prices associated with volume buying.

Indefinite delivery contracts are awarded to provide
supplies and services at stated prices for given periods of time.

The Department of Defense (DOD) manages similar systems of schedule-type contracting for military items; however, DOD systems are not covered by this subpart.

Question 37

GSA offers two online tools to support using the FSS program

Answer 37

GSAAdvantage! is an online shopping service through which ordering activities may search specific information (i.e., national stock number, part number, common name), review delivery options, place orders directly with Schedule contractors, and pay for orders using the governmentwide commercial purchase card.

GSA’s electronic request for quotation (RFQ) system, e-Buy, complements GSAAdvantage! and allows ordering activities to post requirements, obtain quotes, and issue orders electronically.

Question 38

For administrative convenience, an ordering activity contracting officer may add items not on the FSS (also referred to as open market items) to a FSS blanket purchase agreement (BPA) or an individual task or delivery order. The contracting officer must do the following:

Answer 38

Follow all applicable acquisition regulations pertaining to the purchase of the items not on the Schedule (e.g., publicizing (part 5), competition requirements (Part 6), acquisition of commercial items (part 12), contracting methods (Parts 13, 14, and 15), and small business programs (part
19));

Determine the price for the items is fair and reasonable;

Clearly label the items on the order as items not on the Federal Supply Schedule; and

Include all contract clauses applicable to the items in the order.

Question 39

Ordering activities are responsible for:

Answer 39

Order placement, and certain orders under certain conditions may be placed verbally,

Inspection and acceptance,

Seeking appropriate remedies when the contractor delivers a supply or service that does not conform to the order requirements,

Terminating individual orders for cause or convenience, and

Issuing final decisions on disputes arising from performance of an order or referring the dispute to the Schedule contracting officer.

Question 40

Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), also referred to as UNICOR, is a

Answer 40

self-supporting, wholly owned government corporation of the District of Columbia.

FPI provides training and employment for prisoners confined in federal penal and correctional institutions through the sale of its supplies and services to government agencies.

FPI diversifies its supplies and services to prevent private industry from experiencing unfair competition from prison workshops or activities.

Supplies manufactured and services performed by FPI are listed in the FPI Schedule, which can be accessed at the UNICOR website.