General.
FAR 38.101 explains the basic structure and purpose of the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) program, which is GSA’s governmentwide ordering system for commercial supplies and commercial services. It describes how the program uses indefinite-delivery contracts awarded through competitive procedures, how schedule contractors offer stated prices for specified periods and geographic coverage, and how the schedule contracting office publishes schedule information for users. The section also identifies that some agencies are mandatory users of particular schedules, while other agencies may still place orders under schedules even if they are not required users, and contractors are encouraged to accept those orders. In addition, it recognizes that although GSA awards most schedule contracts, it may delegate schedule-award authority to other agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs for certain medical and subsistence items. Finally, it clarifies that when establishing schedules, GSA or a delegated agency must comply with applicable acquisition statutes and regulations, including FAR parts 5, 6, and 19 at the acquisition-planning stage, while those parts generally do not apply to orders and BPAs placed under existing schedule contracts except as specifically provided in FAR 8.404 and 8.405-5. In practice, this section tells contracting personnel when the schedule program rules apply, who may use the schedules, and where the competition and socioeconomic planning requirements belong in the acquisition process.