GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ACQUISITION MANUAL (GSAM)

## Part 511—Describing Agency Needs

#### 511.002 Policy.

FAR 11.002(b) and GSA Order ADM 8000.1C, GSA Metric Program, establish policy for using the metric system in procurements.

### Subpart 511.1—Selecting and Developing Requirements Documents

#### 511.104 Use of brand name or equal purchase descriptions.

(a) A brand name or equal purchase description must avoid specifying characteristics that do not materially affect the intended end use and which unnecessarily restrict competition.

(b) When the contracting officer uses a brand name or equal purchase description, best practice is to cite the known acceptable brand name products in current manufacture, rather than only a single brand name product. For example, cite the acceptable brand name products identified during market research.

(c) The contracting officer may require samples for “or equal” offers, but not for “brand name” offers.

(d) The contracting officer shall provide for full consideration and evaluation of “or equal” offers against the salient characteristics specified in the purchase description and shall not reject offers for minor differences in design, construction, or features that do not affect the suitability of the product for its intended use.

### Subpart 511.2—Using and Maintaining Requirements Documents #### 511.204 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses. (a) Federal specifications. The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 552.211-72, Reference to Specifications in Drawings, in solicitations and contracts citing Federal or agency specifications that contain drawings.

(b) Supply contracts that exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (1) The contracting officer shall include the clause at 552.211-73, Marking, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (2) The contracting officer shall include the clause at 552.211-75, Preservation, Packaging, and Packing, in solicitations and contracts for supplies expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The contracting officer may also include the clause in contracts estimated to be at or below the simplified acquisition threshold when appropriate. The contracting officer shall use Alternate I in solicitations and contracts for— (i) Federal Supply Schedule 70 and the Consolidated Products and Services Schedule containing information technology Special Item Numbers; or (ii) Federal Supply Schedules for recovery purchasing (see 538.7102).
(3) The contracting officer shall insert a clause substantially the same as the clause at 552.211-76, Charges for Packaging, Packing, and Marking, in solicitations and contracts for supplies to be delivered to GSA distribution centers. (4) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-85, Consistent Pack and Package Requirements, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (5) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-86, Maximum Weight Per Shipping Container, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (6) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-87, Export Packing, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (7) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-88, Vehicle Export Preparation, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.
(8) The contracting officer shall include the clause at 552.211-89, Non-Manufactured Wood Packaging Material for Export, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities overseas and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (9) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-90, Small Parts, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (10) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-91, Vehicle Decals, Stickers, and Data Plates, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to both civilian and military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.
(11) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-92, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) using Passive Tags, in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to military activities and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (12) The contracting officer shall include the clause 552.211-93, Unique Item Identification (UID), in solicitations and contracts for supplies when deliveries may be made to military activities and a single item exceeds $5,000.00 in cost. (c) Supply contracts. The contracting officer shall include the clause at 552.211-77, Packing List, in solicitations and contracts for supplies, including purchases over the micropurchase threshold. Use Alternate I in solicitations and contracts for— (1) FSS Schedule 70 and the Consolidated Products and Services Schedule containing information technology Special Item Numbers; or (2) Federal Supply Schedules for recovery purchasing (see 538.7102).

### Subpart 511.4—Delivery or Performance Schedules

#### 511.401 General.

(a) Other than multiple award schedules. Preferred practice is to state time of delivery in solicitations and contracts as “required” time of delivery or shipment, expressed in specific periods from receipt by the contractor of a notice of award or an order.

(b) Multiple award schedules.

(1) In multiple award schedule solicitations, preferred practice is to state delivery times as “desired.” Require offerors to indicate a definite number of days for delivery.

(2) In negotiations, the contracting officer should secure the best possible delivery time regardless of the “desired” delivery time(s) in the solicitation. For example, some offers comply with the Government’s desired delivery time, but others cite substantially shorter delivery times. In such cases, the contracting officer should negotiate with the former offerors to bring their offers in line with the latter. Contracting officers should negotiate variable delivery time offers (e.g., 30-90 days) to keep the timespan to a minimum. If the span applies to several items or several quantity breaks for one item, the contracting officer may segregate the items or item quantity breaks into smaller groups and assign more specific delivery times.

(c) Unusually short delivery times. A requisitioning office that requests an unusually short delivery time must provide satisfactory written justification. A sound justification is particularly important where the time specified is so short that it may limit competition and possibly result in higher prices. Examples of justifications include:

(1) Furniture is required to outfit quarters scheduled for occupancy on a specific date.

(2) Construction material is required to meet job progress schedules.

(3) Supplies are required at a port to meet scheduled ship departures.

(d) Early delivery. When the requisitioning office needs a portion of the total delivery early, the contracting officer should consider whether to—

(1) Require that portion by the early date and the balance later;

(2) Include the portion required early and the balance as separate items in the same solicitation; or

(3) Procure the two portions separately.

(e) Multiple delivery time requirements. If a solicitation contains a mix of items that require different delivery times, the contracting officer must specify the delivery periods separately. When practical, the contracting officer can group items with similar delivery time requirements according to delivery times in the solicitation.

#### 511.404 Contract clauses. In supply contracts, the contracting officer shall use the clauses as specified in this section. (a) Shelf-life items. The contracting officer shall use the following clauses in solicitations and contracts that require delivery of shelf-life items within a specified number of months from the date of manufacture or production: (1) The contracting officer shall insert 552.211-79, Acceptable Age of Supplies, if the required shelf-life period is 12 months or less, and lengthy acceptance testing may be involved. For items having a limited shelf-life, substitute Alternate I when required by the director of the portfolio concerned. (2) The contracting officer shall insert 552.211-80, Age on Delivery, if the required shelf-life period is more than 12 months, or when source inspection can be performed within a short time period. (b) Stock replenishment contracts. The contracting officer shall insert 552.211-81, Time of Shipment, in solicitations and stock replenishment contracts that do not include the Availability for Inspection, Testing, and Shipment/Delivery clause at 552.211-83 and require shipment within 45 calendar days after receipt of the order. If shipment is required in more than 45 days, the contracting officer shall use Alternate I. (c) Indeterminate testing time. The contracting officer shall insert 552.211-83, Availability for Inspection, Testing, and Shipment/Delivery, in solicitations and contracts that provide for source inspection by Government personnel and that require lengthy testing for which time frames cannot be determined in advance. If the contract is for stock items, the contracting officer shall use Alternate I. (d) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 552.211-94, Time of Delivery, in solicitations and contracts for supplies for the Stock Program when neither of the FAR delivery clauses (FAR 52.211-8 or 52.211-9) is suitable.

### Subpart 511.6—Priorities and Allocations #### 511.600 Scope of subpart. Pursuant to the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) Delegation 3, the Department of Commerce (DOC) has delegated to GSA the authority to use the DPAS under certain conditions. DPAS Delegation 3 restricts use of DPAS authority to GSA supply system procurement in support of the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy (DoE), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved programs.
#### 511.601 [Reserved] #### 511.602 General. (a) The purpose of the DPAS is to assure the timely availability of industrial resources to meet current national defense, energy, and civil emergency preparedness program requirements and to provide an operating system to support rapid industrial response in a national emergency. The primary statutory authority for the DPAS is Title I of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, with additional authority from the Selective Service Act of 1948 and the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. Executive Orders 12919 and 12742 delegate to the DOC authority to administer the DPAS. Within the DOC, the Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security (SIES) is assigned responsibility for DPAS implementation, administration, and compliance. (b) The DPAS is published in the Code of Federal Regulations at 15 CFR part 700. This regulation provides an overview, a detailed explanation of operations and procedures, and other implementing guidance, including information on special priorities assistance and compliance. (c) Orders placed under DPAS are “rated orders.” Rated orders must receive preferential treatment only as necessary to meet delivery requirements. Rated orders are identified by a rating symbol of either “DX” or “DO” followed by a program identification symbol. All “DO” rated orders have equal priority with each other and take preference over unrated orders. All “DX” rated orders have equal priority with each other and take preference over “DO” rated orders and unrated orders. A program identification symbol indicates which approved program is supported by the rated order. (d) The authority delegated to GSA shall not be used to support the procurement of any items that— (1) Are commonly available in commercial markets for general consumption; (2) Do not require major modification when purchased for approved program use; (3) Are readily available in sufficient quantity so as to cause no delay in meeting approved program requirements; or (4) Are to be used primarily for administrative purposes (including Federal Supply Classification (FSC) classes, groups, or items), such as for personnel or financial management. The Commissioner, FAS, shall issue additional guidance, as may be necessary, to ensure effective implementation of its delegated DPAS authority.
#### 511.603 Procedures. (a) A DPAS rating may be placed against an entire contract at time of award or an individual order issued under an existing, otherwise unrated, contract. FAR 11.604 requires contracting officers to insert the provision at 52.211-14, Notice of Priority Rating for National Defense, Emergency Preparedness, and Energy Program Use, in solicitations when the contract or order to be awarded will be a rated order and to insert the clause at 52.211-15, Defense Priority and Allocation Requirements, in contracts that are rated orders. (b) In addition to the FAR provision and clause referenced in paragraph (a) of this section, the contract or order must include the following (see 15 CFR 700.12):
(1) The appropriate priority rating symbol (i.e., either “DO” or “DX”) along with the program identification symbol. When GSA contracting officers place DO rated orders, they must use program identification symbol “K1”. When placing a DX-rated order for other agencies, GSA contracting officers must use the requesting agency program identification symbol from the DoD Master Urgency List and may only do so when GSA is acting as the procuring agent for DoD or DoE and has received a “DX” rated contract or order from either department.

(2) A required delivery date. The words “as soon as possible” or “immediately” do not constitute a required delivery date. Use of either a specific date or a specified number of days ARO (after receipt of order) is acceptable. (3) The written signature on a manually placed order, or the digital signature or name on an electronically placed order of an individual authorized to place rated orders. (4) A statement that reads substantially as follows: “This is a rated order certified for national defense use, and you are required to follow all the provisions of the Defense Priorities and Allocations System regulation (15 CFR part 700)”. (c) Multiple and Single Award Schedule contracts are not rated at time of award.