GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ACQUISITION MANUAL (GSAM)

## Part 513—Simplified Acquisition Procedures

#### 513.003 Policy.

When you use an oral solicitation for an action over the micro-purchase threshold and the Service Contract Act applies, provide information on the Act and the applicable wage determination to potential contractors as part of the oral solicitation.

### Subpart 513.1—Procedures

#### 513.106-1 Soliciting competition.

(a) “Urgency”, as used in FAR 13.106-1(a)(1)(iii) and 13.106-1(b), includes situations which, if not corrected immediately, will result in unnecessary expenditure of funds, property damage, personal injury, or interruption of agency functions.

(b) To avoid unnecessarily restricting competition for urgent requirements, consider the following actions:

(1) Inviting prospective offerors to visit the site.

(2) Informing them orally of the exact requirements.

(3) Requesting them to prepare quotations.

#### 513.106-3 Award and documentation.

(a) File documentation and retention. You may use GSA Form 2010, Small Purchase Tabulation Source List/Abstract, to document written and oral quotations.

(b) Special situations. Document the basis for rejecting a lower quotation if quotes or offers were evaluated based on price alone.

### Subpart 513.3—Simplified Acquisition Methods

#### 513.301 Governmentwide commercial purchase card.

(a) GSA Order, Guidance on Use of the Credit Card for Purchases (CFO 4200.1), establishes procedures for using the Governmentwide commercial purchase card to make purchases and payments.

(b) Use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card is a payment method, not an acquisition method. You must comply with all procedures and documentation requirements that apply to the procurement action.

#### 513.302 Purchase orders. #### 513.302-70 Purchase order and related forms. (a) See GSA Order, Guidance on Use of the Credit Card for Purchases (CFO 4200.1), for forms required for purchase card actions.
(b) Use GSA Form 300 or 300-1 (pin-feed format), Order for Supplies and Services, instead of OF 347, Order for Supplies or Services, when making purchases payable through the National Electronic Accounting and Reporting (NEAR) System. (1) This form may also be used to make other purchases when a specific form is not prescribed. It may be used as a delivery or task order instead of SF 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items. (2) Prepare and process GSA Form 300 following the instructions at 553.370-300-I. Use GSA Form 300A or 300-A(1) (pin-feed format), order for Supplies or Services (continuation), if additional space is needed.
(c) Use GSA Form 1458, Motor Vehicle Shop Work Order, Repair and Purchase Order, instead of the OF 347 when making purchases in connection with the maintenance, servicing or repair of GSA fleet management vehicles.
(d) Use GSA Form 3186, Order for Supplies or Services or GSA Form 3186-B, Order for Supplies or Services (EDI), instead of OF 347, Order for Supplies or Services, when making simplified acquisitions or placing orders against established contracts through the FSS-19 system. (1) Use GSA Form 3186 for mail orders placed against established contracts. (2) Document the file for a delivery, task, or purchase order transmitted to contractors electronically using Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) procedures by generating a GSA Form 3186-B.
(e) Use GSA Form 8002B, Motor Vehicle Delivery Order, to order fleet management vehicles. Do not use this form as a purchase order for simplified acquisitions. Use GSA Form 8002A to notify the consignee of the status of motor vehicle requisitions.

(f) The contracting director is responsible for safeguarding books of Standard Form 44’s and establishing procedures to account for purchases. Do not authorize use of this form if the seller’s accounting system requires production of an invoice as a matter of routine. Consider other authorized methods, giving preference to use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card.

#### 513.303 Blanket purchase agreements (BPAs). #### 513.303-3 Preparation of BPAs. (a) Description of agreement. Describe limitations, if any, on the geographic area to be served. (b) Delivery tickets. Instruct the contractor to include the name of the individual placing the order on the delivery ticket. The individual receiving the item or service must sign and date the delivery or service ticket. Both the supplier and the receiving office must retain a copy of the delivery ticket.

(c) Invoices. If you have exhausted all efforts to get a supplier to accept one of the invoicing statements outlined in FAR 13.303-3(a)(6), you may deviate in order to permit the submission and payment of invoices for each delivery under the BPA. Document your efforts and the contractor’s refusal.

(d) Processing invoices. The designated billing office must time-stamp invoices to indicate the date of receipt. The ordering office must forward an invoice to the appropriate Finance Division within 5 workdays of its receipt or acceptance of the supplies or services. An exception applies if the BPA provides for the accumulation of invoices for a specified period. If this exception applies, the ordering office must forward the accumulated invoices within 5 workdays after the specified period for accumulation. Mark all invoices to indicate that purchases were made under a BPA.

#### 513.305 Imprest funds and third party drafts.

#### 513.305-2 Agency responsibilities.

Imprest fund cashiers must be designated and must operate in accordance with GSA Order, GSA Imprest Fund Operations Policy (CFO 4268.1), and FAR 13.305.

#### 513.305-3 Conditions for use.

An imprest fund cashier in Alaska may disburse up to $600 for an emergency transaction.

#### 513.305-4 Procedures.

(a) If the office maintains its own imprest fund, use SF 1164, Claim for Reimbursement for Expenditures on Official Business, or SF 1165, Receipt for Cash—Subvoucher, for a written order.

(b) The GSA Form 49 may be used if required by contracting activity directives. Include the endorsement required by FAR 13.305-4(d).

#### 513.307 Forms. You may use the GSA Form 3521, Blanket Purchase Agreement, to prepare a blanket purchase agreement.

#### 513.370 Certified invoice procedure.

#### 513.370-1 Applicability.

If advantageous to the Government, you may acquire supplies or services on the open market from suppliers using a vendor’s invoice instead of a purchase order.

#### 513.370-2 Limitations.

(a) Purchases are subject to FAR Part 13 and Part 513 and these limitations:

(1) The amount of any one purchase must not exceed the micro-purchase threshold.

(2) Neither the supplier nor the Government require a purchase order.

(3) The individual making the purchase does not have a Governmentwide commercial purchase card or the card is not accepted by the supplier.

(4) Appropriate invoices can be obtained from the supplier.

(b) For purchases of hand and measuring tools or stainless steel flatware, see also 525.570.

(c) If you use certified invoice procedures, you still must:

(1) Verify price reasonableness using the conditions contained in FAR 13.202(a).

(2) Certify that the quality and quantity of items/services furnished comply with the verbal agreement made with the supplier.

(d) Authorized individuals without warrants may solicit quotations. However, a contracting officer must approve in advance the placement of an order. Approval must be in writing on GSA Form 2010 or other documentation unless the geographic distance makes it impracticable. In those cases, the contracting officer may provide telephonic approval. The authorized individual must document the file accordingly.

#### 513.370-3 Invoices.

(a) If you use these procedures, you must require the suppliers to immediately submit properly prepared itemized invoices.

(b) Upon receipt of the invoice, the receiving office must take all the following actions:

(1) Time-stamp the invoice to indicate the date the invoice is received.

(2) Verify the accuracy of the invoiced amount.

(3) Verify that the supplies or services have been received and accepted. Whenever possible, require that inspection and acceptance or rejection occur within 7 calendar days of delivery or completion.

(c) Before certifying the invoice and forwarding it to the appropriate Finance Division, you or a designated representative must obtain a certification of receipt and acceptance from the individual that actually inspected and accepted the supplies or services.

(d) Within 5 workdays after receipt of the invoice or acceptance of the supplies or services, whichever is later, forward the invoice stamped with the Certified Invoice Stamp.

(1) Complete the accounting information, received and accepted dates, taxpayer identification number (TIN), type of business (corporation, sole proprietorship/partnership, or other), and certification, and affix the ACT number label.

(2) If a Certified Invoice Stamp is not available, place the following statement on the invoice along with the ACT number label, accounting information, TIN, and the type of business. (Note: In some organizations, the ACT number label is affixed by a budget or executive office within the service or staff office.)

“I certify that these goods and/or services were received on [Date] and accepted on [Date]. An oral purchase was authorized and no confirming order has been issued.”

Signature of Contracting/Ordering Officer Print name and telephone no. | Date invoice received

### Subpart 513.4—Fast Payment Procedure

#### 513.401 General.

GSA contracting activities are not authorized to use fast payment procedures.