FAR 8.705—Procedures.

General.

FAR 8.705-1 explains how agencies must buy supplies on the AbilityOne Procurement List and who the required source is for those purchases. It covers the general rule that ordering offices must obtain listed supplies and services from the central nonprofit agency or its designated AbilityOne participating nonprofit agencies, the special exception for items identified as available through DLA, GSA, or VA supply distribution facilities, the process to follow if a distribution facility cannot supply the item, and the separate obligation for DLA and GSA supply distribution facilities to source listed supplies through the central nonprofit agency or its designated participating nonprofit agency. In practice, this section implements the mandatory-source structure of the AbilityOne program and tells buyers where to place orders before considering any other source. It matters because it controls ordering channels, prevents improper direct buys from nonauthorized sources, and helps ensure compliance with the statutory priority for AbilityOne products. For contracting and supply personnel, the key operational issue is not just whether an item is on the Procurement List, but also whether it is routed through a distribution facility or directly through the designated nonprofit agency.

Direct-order process.

FAR 8.705-2 explains the direct-order process under the AbilityOne Program, where a central nonprofit agency may give ordering offices written permission to place orders directly with a specific AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency for designated supplies or services. It covers who can authorize direct ordering, the fact that the authorization must be in writing, how long that authorization lasts, how it can be ended, and the requirement for the central nonprofit agency to state the normal delivery or performance lead time. It also tells the ordering office to build that lead time into its orders. In practice, this section streamlines ordering by allowing agencies to bypass an extra routing step while still preserving program oversight and ensuring the nonprofit agency has realistic time to deliver or perform. The section matters because it balances ordering efficiency with the AbilityOne Program’s need for controlled distribution, predictable scheduling, and compliance with nonprofit agency capabilities.

Allocation process.

FAR 8.705-3 explains the allocation process used when the AbilityOne direct order process is not authorized. It covers how an ordering office must request an allocation from the central nonprofit agency named in the Procurement List, what information must be included in requests for supplies and services, when the request must be sent, what happens after an allocation is received, and how orders are issued and recorded. The section also addresses timing requirements, including the need to allow enough lead time for reply, ordering, and performance, and the duty to notify the central nonprofit agency if an order will be delayed more than 15 days or canceled. In practice, this section ensures the AbilityOne system can assign work to the designated nonprofit agency and that ordering offices provide enough detail and follow-through to support timely performance. It also makes clear that orders may be placed without dollar limitation, must be recorded as obligations when issued, and must include both the allocation-request information and any additional performance instructions needed for successful execution.

Compliance with orders.

FAR 8.705-4 explains how ordering offices and the AbilityOne system must handle performance problems after an order has been placed. It covers four main subjects: the central nonprofit agency’s duty to warn ordering offices about lead-time changes, the ordering office’s duty to consider and grant feasible schedule revisions, the process for dealing with nonperformance by an AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency, and the steps for canceling an order only after trying to resolve the problem and reallocate the requirement. It also addresses when a purchase exception may be granted to allow commercial sourcing, including the special approval requirement for exceptions valued at $25,000 or more. In practice, this section is designed to protect continuity of supply, reduce avoidable cancellations, preserve AbilityOne priorities where possible, and create a clear escalation path when an order cannot be performed as planned. For contracting officers and ordering offices, it means they must actively communicate, document efforts to resolve issues, and use the central nonprofit agency and the Committee as the formal channels for resolution before turning to commercial sources.