[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 20, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 20CFR435.44]

[Page 1123-1124]
 
                      TITLE 20--EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS
 
               CHAPTER III--SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
 
  PART 435_UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS 
 
                    Subpart C_Post-Award Requirements
 
Sec. 435.44  Procurement procedures.

    (a) All recipients must establish written procurement procedures. 
These procedures must provide, at a minimum, that paragraphs (a)(1), 
(2), and (3) of this section apply.
    (1) Recipients avoid purchasing unnecessary items.
    (2) Where appropriate, an analysis is made of lease and purchase 
alternatives to determine which would be the most economical and 
practical procurement for the Federal Government.
    (3) Solicitations for goods and services provide for all of the 
following:
    (i) A clear and accurate description of the technical requirements 
for the material, product or service to be procured. In competitive 
procurements, such a description may not contain features, which unduly 
restrict competition.
    (ii) Requirements which the bidder/offeror must fulfill and all 
other factors to be used in evaluating bids or proposals.
    (iii) A description, whenever practicable, of technical requirements 
in terms of functions to be performed or performance required, including 
the range of acceptable characteristics or minimum acceptable standards.
    (iv) The specific features of ``brand name or equal'' descriptions 
that bidders are required to meet when such items are included in the 
solicitation.
    (v) The acceptance, to the extent practicable and economically 
feasible, of products and services dimensioned in the metric system of 
measurement.
    (vi) Preference, to the extent practicable and economically 
feasible, for products and services that conserve natural resources and 
protect the environment and are energy efficient.
    (b) Positive efforts must be made by recipients to utilize small 
businesses, minority-owned firms, and women's business enterprises, 
whenever possible. Recipients of Federal awards must take all of the 
following steps to further this goal:
    (1) Ensure that small businesses, minority-owned firms, and women's 
business enterprises are used to the fullest extent practicable.
    (2) Make information on forthcoming opportunities available and 
arrange time frames for purchases and contracts to encourage and 
facilitate participation by small businesses, minority-owned firms, and 
women's business enterprises.
    (3) Consider in the contract process whether firms competing for 
larger contracts intend to subcontract with small businesses, minority-
owned firms, and women's business enterprises.
    (4) Encourage contracting with consortiums of small businesses, 
minority-owned firms and women's business enterprises when a contract is 
too large for one of these firms to handle individually.
    (5) Use the services and assistance, as appropriate, of such 
organizations as the Small Business Administration and the Department of 
Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency in the solicitation and 
utilization of small businesses, minority-owned firms and women's 
business enterprises.
    (c) The type of procuring instruments used (e.g., fixed price 
contracts, cost reimbursable contracts, purchase orders, and incentive 
contracts) may be determined by the recipient but must be appropriate 
for the particular procurement and for promoting the best interest of 
the program or project involved. The ``cost-plus-a-percentage-of-cost'' 
or ``percentage of construction cost'' methods of contracting may not be 
used.
    (d) Contracts may be made only with responsible contractors who 
possess the potential ability to perform successfully under the terms 
and conditions of the proposed procurement. Consideration must be given 
to such matters as contractor integrity, record

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of past performance, financial and technical resources or accessibility 
to other necessary resources. In certain circumstances, contracts with 
certain parties are restricted by agencies' implementation of Executive 
Orders 12549 and 12689, ``Debarment and Suspension'' (3 CFR, 1986 Comp., 
p. 189 and 3 CFR, 1989 Comp., p. 235).
    (e) Recipients must, on request, make available for SSA, pre-award 
review and procurement documents, such as request for proposals or 
invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc., when any of the 
following conditions apply:
    (1) A recipient's procurement procedures or operation fails to 
comply with the procurement standards in this part.
    (2) The procurement is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition 
threshold fixed at 41 U.S.C. 403(11) (currently $100,000) and is to be 
awarded without competition or only one bid or offer is received in 
response to a solicitation.
    (3) The procurement, which is expected to exceed the simplified 
acquisition threshold, specifies a ``brand name'' product.
    (4) The proposed award over the simplified acquisition threshold is 
to be awarded to other than the apparent low bidder under a sealed bid 
procurement.
    (5) A proposed contract modification changes the scope of a contract 
or increases the contract amount by more than the amount of the 
simplified acquisition threshold.