[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 48, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 48CFR8.401]

[Page 122]
 
            TITLE 48--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
 
                CHAPTER 1--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION
 
PART 8_REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
                  Subpart 8.4_Federal Supply Schedules
 
Sec.  8.401  General.


    (a) The Federal Supply Schedule program, directed and managed by the 
General Services Administration (GSA), provides Federal agencies with a 
simplified process for obtaining commonly used commercial supplies and 
services at prices associated with volume buying (also see 8.002). 
Indefinite delivery contracts (including requirements contracts) are 
established with commercial firms to provide supplies and services at 
stated prices for given periods of time. Similar systems of schedule-
type contracting are used for military items managed by the Department 
of Defense. These systems are not included in the Federal Supply 
Schedule program covered by this subpart.
    (b) The GSA schedule contracting office issues publications, 
entitled Federal Supply Schedules, containing the information necessary 
for placing delivery orders with schedule contractors. Ordering offices 
issue delivery orders directly to the schedule contractors for the 
required supplies and services. Ordering offices may request copies of 
schedules by completing GSA Form 457, FSS Publications Mailing List 
Application, and mailing it to the GSA Centralized Mailing List Service 
(7CAFL), P.O. Box 6477, Fort Worth, TX 76115. Copies of GSA Form 457 
also may be obtained from this address.
    (c) GSA offers an on-line shopping service called ``GSA Advantage!'' 
that enables ordering offices to search product specific information 
(i.e., national stock number, part number, common name), review delivery 
options, place orders directly with contractors (or ask GSA to place 
orders on the agency's behalf), and pay contractors for orders using the 
Governmentwide commercial purchase card (or pay GSA). Ordering offices 
may access the ``GSA Advantage!'' shopping service by connecting to the 
Internet and using a web browser to connect to the Acquisition Reform 
Network (http://www.arnet.gov) or the GSA, Federal Supply Service (FSS) 
Home Page (http://www.fss.gsa.gov). For more information or assistance, 
contact GSA at Internet e-mail address: gsa.advantage@gsa.gov.
    (d) For administrative convenience, an ordering office contracting 
officer may add items not on the Federal Supply Schedule (also referred 
to as open market items) to a Federal Supply Schedule blanket purchase 
agreement (BPA) or an individual task or delivery order only if--
    (1) All applicable acquisition regulations pertaining to the 
purchase of the items not on the Federal Supply Schedule have been 
followed (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));
    (2) The ordering office contracting officer has determined the price 
for the items not on the Federal Supply Schedule is fair and reasonable;
    (3) The items are clearly labeled on the order as items not on the 
Federal Supply Schedule; and
    (4) All clauses applicable to items not on the Federal Supply 
Schedule are included in the order.

[62 FR 44817, Aug. 22, 1997, as amended at 67 FR 43515, June 27, 2002; 
67 FR 56119, Aug. 30, 2002]