FAR 13.1—Subpart 13.1

General.

FAR 13.101 explains the basic operating rules for purchases made under simplified acquisition procedures. It covers four mandatory actions for contracting officers: following the economic purchase quantity policy in FAR 7.202 when practicable, using the Certificate of Competency process before rejecting a small business concern as nonresponsible, and arranging inspection of supplies or services under FAR 46.404. It also identifies four strong preferences or best practices: combining related items into one solicitation and using all-or-none or multiple-award approaches when appropriate, incorporating provisions and clauses by reference in RFQs and awards when the FAR allows, seeking trade and prompt payment discounts, and using bulk funding to the maximum extent practicable. In practice, this section is about making small purchases more efficient while still protecting competition, small business rights, quality assurance, and fiscal controls. It tells contracting officers how to streamline buying without skipping required responsibility determinations, inspection, or funding discipline. For contractors, it signals that even simplified buys still may involve bundled requirements, referenced clauses, discount opportunities, and inspection requirements.

Source list.

FAR 13.102 explains how contracting officers should build and use vendor source lists for simplified acquisition procedures. It covers the requirement to use the System for Award Management (SAM) as the primary source of vendor information, the option for offices to maintain additional vendor source files or listings, and the need to identify the socioeconomic status of vendors when that status is known to the contracting office. The section specifically lists the status categories that may be tracked: small business, small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, economically disadvantaged women-owned small business, women-owned small business eligible under the WOSB Program, HUBZone small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, and veteran-owned small business. It also explains that this status information may be used to help ensure small business concerns receive the maximum practicable opportunity to respond to solicitations issued under simplified acquisition procedures. In practice, this section supports market research, vendor outreach, and small business participation goals by giving contracting offices a lawful and practical way to identify and consider qualified sources.

Use of standing price quotations.

FAR 13.103 explains when simplified acquisition personnel may rely on standing price quotations instead of obtaining a fresh quotation for every individual purchase. The section covers two core topics: the general permission for authorized individuals to use standing quotations, and the conditions that make that practice acceptable—namely, that the pricing information must be current and that the Government must receive the benefit of maximum discounts before award. In practical terms, this provision supports faster, lower-burden buying under simplified acquisition procedures while still protecting the Government from stale pricing and missed savings. It is designed to let contracting personnel streamline repetitive buys from the same sources without sacrificing price reasonableness or competition-related value. For contractors, it means a supplier’s standing quote can be used repeatedly, but only if it remains up to date and reflects the best available discount structure. For contracting officers and other authorized buyers, it creates a simple but important control: do not treat a standing quote as automatically valid forever, and make sure the Government is capturing the best available pricing at the time of award.

Promoting competition.

FAR 13.104 explains the competition standard that applies when using simplified acquisition procedures. It requires the contracting officer to seek competition to the maximum extent practicable so the Government can obtain the most advantageous source, while still considering the administrative cost of the purchase. The section also prohibits two common anti-competitive practices: choosing sources based on personal preference and limiting solicitations to well-known or widely distributed brands. For simplified acquisitions not posted through the Governmentwide point of entry (GPE), it gives practical guidance on how to achieve adequate competition, including using local trade-area sources, ordinarily soliciting at least three sources when synopsis is required and no exception applies, and, when practicable, seeking two sources not used in the prior solicitation. Finally, it points readers to subpart 17.8 for reverse auctions, signaling that competition rules also apply in that context. In practice, this section is about balancing speed and simplicity with fair market access and reasonable competition.

Synopsis and posting requirements.

FAR 13.105 explains how simplified acquisition procedures interact with the FAR’s public notice and synopsis rules. It covers when a contracting officer must comply with the public display and synopsis requirements in FAR 5.101 and 5.203, when an exception in FAR 5.202 may excuse those notices, and when a combined synopsis and solicitation may be used for commercial products, commercial services, or supplies and services acquired under FAR 12.102(f)(1). It also points the reader to related posting requirements for brand name justifications and documentation under FAR 13.106-1(b) and FAR 13.501, as well as the special publicizing rules that apply to actions funded in whole or in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. In practice, this section tells contracting officers how to publicize simplified acquisitions correctly, when a separate solicitation is unnecessary, what information must still be provided to vendors, and which special posting rules apply in certain circumstances. The purpose is to preserve competition and transparency while allowing streamlined buying methods under FAR Part 13.

Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and documentation.