1. Required Sources of Supplies and Service
Far Part 8
Required Sources of Supplies and Service

2. Required Sources of Supplies and Services
Priorities for use of mandatory Government sources.
Federal Supply Schedules
Acquisition from Federal Prison Industries
Acquisition from Nonprofit Agencies Employing People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled
Acquisition of Helium
Acquisition of Printing and Related Supplies
Leasing of Motor Vehicles
This part deals with
In this part there is a lot of information and you can use a lot of common sense. Usually the government only has one of those right.

3. 8.002 - Priorities for use of mandatory Government sources
Supplies
Inventories of the requiring
Excess from other agencies
Federal Prison Industries
Purchase from a Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
Wholesale supply sources, such as stock programs of the General Services Administration (GSA), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the Department of Veterans Affairs, and military inventory control points.
In order or priority
Probably the most frequently used one would be the GSA schedule although YMMV

4. 8.002 - Priorities for use of mandatory Government sources
Services
Services that are on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
This  also applies when contractors purchase the supplies or services for Government use.
Federal Prison Industries

5. 8.1 – Excess Personal Property
When practicable, agencies must use excess personal property as the first source of supply for agency and cost-reimbursement contractor requirements. 
You can find this information through
Reviewing excess personal property catalogs and bulletins issued by the GSA
Personal contact with the GSA
Submission of supply requirements to the regional offices of GSA
Examination and inspection of reports and samples of excess personal property
We’ll talk more about federal prison industries and the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled

6. 8.4 - Federal Supply Schedules
The Federal Supply Schedule program is also known as the GSA Schedules Program or the Multiple Award Schedule Program
It is directed and managed by GSA and provides Federal agencies with a simplified process for obtaining commercial supplies and services at prices associated with volume buying.

7. 8.4 - Federal Supply Schedules
GSA schedule contracts require all schedule contractors to publish an “Authorized Federal Supply Schedule Pricelist” 
This list contains all supplies and services offered by a schedule contractor
GSA offers an on-line shopping service called GSA Advantage!
You can place orders against schedules and search for part numbers here

8. 8.404 – Use of Federal Supply Schedule
Parts 13 (Simplified Acquisition Procedures), Part 14 (Sealed Bidding), Part 15 (Contracting by Negotiation), and Part 19 (Small Business Programs) do not apply to orders placed against the federal supply schedules.
For orders over 500k the requiring agency shall make a determination that use of the Federal Supply Schedule is the best approach
I would imagine if you were buying a large volume of computers, it could be easy to get over 500k, but what times would you go over 500k otherwise

9. 8.404 - Use of Federal Supply Schedule & Acquisition Planning
Orders against the Federal Supply
Are not exempt from the development of acquisition plans
Must comply with all FAR requirements for a bundled contract
Must, whether placed by the requiring agency, or on behalf of the requiring agency, be consistent with the requiring agency’s statutory and regulatory requirements applicable to the acquisition of the supply or service

10. 8.405-1 – Ordering procedures for supplies not requiring a statement of work (SOW)
Orders at, or below, the micro purchase threshold:
May be placed with any Federal Supply Schedule contractor that can meet the agency’s needs
Ordering activities should attempt to distribute orders among contractors.
Orders exceeding the micro purchase threshold, but not the simplified acquisition threshold
Should be placed with the schedule contractor that can provide the best value.
Definition: Micro-purchase threshold means $3,000, except it means:(1) For acquisitions of construction subject to the Davis-Bacon Act, $2,000;
(2) For acquisitions of services subject to the Service Contract Act, $2,500; and
(3) For acquisitions of supplies or services that, as determined by the head of the agency, are to be used to support a contingency operation or to facilitate defense against or recovery from nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack, except for construction subject to the Davis-Bacon
(i) $15,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, inside the United States; and
(ii) $30,000 in the case of any contract to be awarded and performed, or purchase to be made, outside the United States.
Simplified is 150,000

11. 8.405-1 – Ordering procedures for supplies not requiring a statement of work
For proposed orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold
Each order shall be placed on a competitive basis
The ordering activity CO shall provide an RFQ with a description of the supplies to be ordered
The CO shall post the RFQ on e-Buy (GSA’s electronic RFQ system) to provide all contractors an opportunity to submit a quote

12. 8.405-2 – Ordering procedures for supplies requiring a statement of work
Orders at, or below, the micro-purchase threshold:
May be placed with any Federal Supply Schedule contractor that can meet the agency’s needs
Ordering activities should attempt to distribute orders among contractors.
Same as for without a Statement of Work. For orders at or below the micro purchase threshold.

13. 8.405-2 – Ordering procedures for supplies requiring a statement of work
Orders exceeding the micro purchase threshold, but not the simplified acquisition threshold
The ordering activity shall develop a statement of work
The ordering activity shall provide the RFQ (including the statement of work and evaluation criteria) to at least three schedule contractors that offer services that will meet the agency’s needs or document the circumstances for restricting consideration to fewer than three schedule contractors
The ordering activity shall specify the type of order(i.e., firm-fixed-price, labor-hour) for the services identified in the statement of work (should use firm fixed price when appropriate)

14. 8.405-2 – Ordering procedures for supplies requiring a statement of work
For orders exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold
Each order shall be placed on a competitive basis
The ordering activity contracting officer shall provide an RFQ that includes a SOW and evaluation criteria
The CO shall
Post the RFQ on e-Buy 
Provide the RFQ to as many schedule contractors as practicable
Should try and ensure that at least three contractors respond
Finally, the CO should ensure all quotes received are fairly considered and award is made in accordance with the evaluation criteria in the RFQ.

15. 8.405-3 – Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs)
Used to fill repetitive needs for supplies or services
BPAs shall address the frequency of ordering, invoicing, discounts, requirements (e.g., estimated quantities, work to be performed), delivery locations, and time.
No single-award BPA with an estimated value exceeding $103 million (including any options), may be awarded unless
It is determined that only one source can provide them
It is necessary in the public interest to award the BPA to a single source for exceptional circumstances
Gonna try and keep this short
Like Janitorial equipment, probably even up to servers.

16. – Order Placement
 Ordering activities may place orders orally, except for—
Supplies and services not requiring a statement of work exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold;
Services requiring a statement of work (SOW); and
Orders containing brand-name specifications that exceed $25,000.
Thought this was good information to bring in.

17. 8.5 – Acquisition of Helium
This subpart concerns the acquisition of liquid or gaseous helium by Federal agencies or by Government contractors or subcontractors for use in the performance of a Government contract.
Agencies and their contractors and subcontractors must purchase major helium requirements from Federal helium suppliers, to the extent that supplies are available.
The CO must forward the following information to the Bureau of Land Management within 45 days of the close of each fiscal quarter:
The name of any company that supplied a major helium requirement.
The amount of helium purchased.
The delivery date(s).
The location where the helium was used.

18. 8.6 - Acquisition from Federal Prison Industries, Inc.
Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI) is also referred to as UNICOR
FPI provides training and employment for prisoners through the sale of its supplies and services to Government agencies 
FPI diversifies its supplies and services to minimize adverse impact on private industry.
Supplies and services can be viewed at
 Before purchasing an item of supply listed in the FPI Schedule, conduct market research to determine whether the FPI item is comparable to supplies available from the private sector that best meet the Government’s needs in terms of price, quality, and time of delivery. 
Inmates earn from $.23-$1.15/ Hour
What do you think about prisoners doing this work while in the slamma?
One report [10] detailed a FPI operation at a California prison in which inmates de-manufactured computer cathode-type monitors. Industry standard practice for this mandates a mechanical crushing machine to minimize danger from flying glass, with an isolated air system to avoid releasing lead, barium, phosphor compounds to the workplace atmosphere. At the FPI facility prisoners smashed the CRTs with hammers. The report noted, "Smashing CRTs with hammers is not a common practice in the private sector, nor could it ever be considered a 'best practice.'"

19. 8.6 - Acquisition from Federal Prison Industries, Inc.
Purchase from FPI is not mandatory and a waiver is not required if—
The contracting officer makes a determination that the FPI item of supply is not comparable to supplies available from the private sector that best meet the Government’s needs in terms of price, quality, and time of delivery; and
The item is acquired in accordance with 8.602(a)(4);
Public exigency requires immediate delivery or performance;
Suitable used or excess supplies are available;
The supplies are acquired and used outside the United States;
Acquiring listed items totaling $3,000 or less;
Acquiring items that FPI offers exclusively on a competitive (non-mandatory) basis, as identified in the FPI Schedule; or
Acquiring services.

20. 8.7 – Acquisition from Nonprofit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled
Procurement priority in relation to Federal Prison Industries
Supplies:
Federal Prison Industries, Inc.
AbilityOne participating nonprofit agencies.
Commercial sources.
Services:
Federal Prison Industries, Inc., or commercial sources.

21. 8.8—Acquisition of Printing and Related Supplies
Government printing must be done by or through the Government Printing Office (GPO) unless—
The GPO cannot provide the printing service
The printing is done in field printing plants operated by an executive agency
The printing is acquired by an executive agency from allotments for contract field printing
The printing is specifically authorized by statute to be done other than by the GPO.

22. 8.11 – Leasing of Motor Vehicles
“Leasing” means the acquisition of motor vehicles, other than by purchase from private or commercial sources
CO shall:
 Ensure that vehicles requested are of maximum fuel efficiency and minimum body size, engine size, and equipment (if any) necessary to fulfill operational needs, and meet prescribed fuel economy standards
Certify that the requested passenger automobiles (sedans and station wagons) larger than small, subcompact, or compact vehicles are essential to the agency’s mission
Internal approvals have been received
The GSA has advised it cannot furnish the vehicle