FAR 13.303-7—Completion of BPAs.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 13.303-7 addresses when an individual blanket purchase agreement (BPA) is finished and no longer available for additional purchases. It covers two completion triggers: reaching the BPA’s total dollar limitation, if one was set, or the expiration of the BPA’s stated time period. The section is short, but it is important because it tells contracting officers and users when a BPA has run its course and should not be used for further orders. In practice, this helps prevent unauthorized purchases, over-obligation, and use of an expired ordering vehicle. It also supports proper BPA administration, including tracking spending against any ceiling and monitoring expiration dates so the agency can close out or renew the BPA as appropriate.
Key Rules
Dollar limit ends BPA
If the BPA has a total dollar limitation, the BPA is complete when purchases made under it equal that limit. No further purchases should be placed against the BPA once the ceiling is reached.
Time period ends BPA
If the BPA has a stated period of performance or validity period, the BPA is complete when that period expires. The BPA cannot be used for new purchases after expiration, even if the dollar limit has not been reached.
Completion is automatic
The BPA becomes complete by operation of its own terms; no separate formal finding is required under this section. The key is whether the dollar cap or the expiration date has been reached.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Set and monitor any dollar limitation and expiration period for the BPA, ensure the BPA is not used after it is complete, and take follow-on action if continued purchasing is needed.
Ordering Activity / BPA Users
Track purchases against the BPA ceiling and expiration date, stop placing orders once the BPA is complete, and route future needs to a new BPA or other appropriate contracting action.
Contractor
Honor the BPA only within its stated dollar limit and time period, and decline or seek clarification on orders that would exceed the BPA’s completed status.
Practical Implications
A BPA can end in two different ways, so users must watch both the spending ceiling and the expiration date; missing either one can lead to improper orders.
Once the BPA is complete, it should not be treated as an open ordering vehicle. Any continued buying requires a new BPA, modification, or another procurement method.
A BPA with no dollar limit still ends when its time period expires, so expiration tracking is just as important as funding tracking.
Common mistakes include assuming unused funds mean the BPA is still active, or continuing to order after the expiration date because the relationship with the vendor is still in place.
Contracting offices should maintain clear records of cumulative purchases and expiration dates so they can close out BPAs on time and avoid unauthorized commitments.
Official Regulatory Text
An individual BPA is considered complete when the purchases under it equal its total dollar limitation, if any, or when its stated time period expires.