(a) Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-119 establishes a Federal policy requiring the use of voluntary consensus standards in lieu of government-unique standards except where inconsistent with law or otherwise impractical.

(b) The HCA is authorized to submit the determination required by OMB Circular A-119 that a voluntary standard is inconsistent with law or otherwise impracticable. The HCA must submit the determination to OMB through the National Institute of Standards and Technology in accordance with the Circular with a copy provided to the SPE.

(a) The head of the contracting activity (HCA) may determine that offerors must demonstrate, in accordance with FAR 11.103(a), the market acceptability of their items to be offered.

(b) The contracting officer shall place a copy of this determination, signed by the HCA, in the solicitation file.

When contract personnel are to be used, the requiring official shall record on the requisition his or her determination whether harm to the Government might occur should contractor personnel fail to identify themselves as non-Government officials.

(a) A “brand name or equal” purchase description shall include the following type of information:

(1) Identification of the item by generic description.

(2) Make, model number, catalog designation, or other description, and identification of a commercial catalog where it is listed.

(3) Name of manufacturer, producer, or distributor of the item and complete address.

(4) All salient characteristics of the “brand name or equal” product or products which have been determined by the requisitioner to be essential to the Government's minimum requirements.

(b) [Reserved]

(a) Contracting officers shall insert the provision at 452.211-70, Brand Name or Equal, in solicitations, other than those for construction, where “brand name or equal” purchase descriptions are used.

(b) Contracting officers shall insert the clause at 452.211-71, Equal Products Offered, in solicitations, other than those for construction, where the provision at 452.211-70 is included.

(c) Contracting officers shall insert the clause at 452.211-72, Statement of Work/Specifications, when the description (statement of work) or specification(s) is included in Section J of the solicitation.

(d) Contracting officers shall insert the clause at 452.211-73, Attachment to Statement of Work/Specifications, when there are attachments to the description (statement of work) or specifications.