The General Services Administration Acquisition Manual (GSAM) consolidates the General Services Administration (GSA) agency acquisition rules and guidance.

Distinguishing Regulatory Material

The GSAM incorporates the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) as well as internal agency acquisition policy. GSAR material is shaded. The shading helps users to distinguish and identify those parts that are regulatory from those that apply internally to GSA.

The shaded parts are those subject to section 22 of the Office Federal Procurement Policy Act, as amended (41 U.S.C. 418b). GSA must publish these rules in the Federal Register and codify them in 48 CFR Chapter 5 in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3051 et seq.) and the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). The rules that require publication fall into two major categories:

(1)  Those that affect GSA’s business partners (e.g., prospective offerors, contractors).

(2)  Those that apply to acquisition of leasehold interests in real property. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) does not apply to leasing actions. GSA establishes regulations for lease of real property under the authority of 40 U.S.C. 490 note.

Separating regulatory material from internal directives decreases the number of rules subject to publication in the Federal Register. It also provides greater flexibility and responsiveness because an internal directive is easier and quicker to update or change.

Addressed to the Contracting Officer

Both the GSAR and GSAM address the contracting officer, except where specifically indicated. “You” means the contracting officer.

Compliance with Internal Directives

Non-shaded material is nonregulatory, but occasionally includes requirements that are mandatory for GSA personnel. These requirements are necessary to ensure uniformity or for other reasons.

Consolidation of Acquisition Directives

To the extent practicable, acquisition directives have been integrated into one document to eliminate the burden of checking multiple sources for related acquisition guidance.