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I'm working on preparing a multiple-award IDIQ for FFP commercial supplies, and there has been some discussion in my office about multi-year vs. multiple year and the inclusion of options for ordering periods. Each multiple-award IDIQ is intended to have a single five-year ordering period without options. Each delivery order would be funded using single-year appropriations. Each IDIQ would also have a minimum obligation that we reasonably expect will be fulfilled almost immediately after award. However, these IDIQ's raise two very important questions: 1. Would the IDIQ's be considered multiyear or multiple-year? 2. If they are multiple-year, are options required? Here's a summary of our discussion, and the general consensus we've reached. Any other insight is welcomed, regardless of whether it's conflicting or supporting. Multiyear vs. Multiple-year. Based on the definition of multiyear in FAR, a multiyear contract is for the purchase of supplies for more than one year. Further, "The key distinguishing difference between multi-year contracts and multiple year contracts is that multi-year contracts, defined in the statutes cited at 17.101, buy more than 1 year’s requirement (of a product or service) without establishing and having to exercise an option for each program year after the first." Under FAR 17.104(a), "Multi-year contracting is a special contracting method to acquire known requirements in quantities and total cost not over planned requirements for up to 5 years unless otherwise authorized by statute, even though the total funds ultimately to be obligated may not be available at the time of contract award. " Our discussion leads us to believe the IDIQ contracts we're preparing are not multiyear. First, they're IDIQs, and by virtue of an IDIQ, the quantity is unknown, and fails part of the criteria at FAR 17.104(a). However, the use of a minimum obligation could encroach on the multiyear definition. If we specified the minimum obligation were to be met sometime throughout the contract term, and delivery orders were funded using single year appropriations, we'd essentially be committed to spending money in future years that we don't have yet. An availability of funds clause could handle that situation, but it seems if we specified the minimum obligation would be met before the fiscal year end after contract award, we'd very clearly be out of multiyear territory. Options in a Multiple-Year Contract Our second topic of debate is the inclusion of options in a multiple-year contract. Our logic follows that if a contract exceeds one year in duration, and is not a multiyear contract, then it must be a multiple-year contract. Some of us argue against the necessity of options in a multiple-year contract, but others insist they are required. However, I cannot find any requirement in the FAR to affirmatively support either case. We all understand that anything is permitted unless it's prohibited in the FAR, but the idea of a multiple-year contract without options makes some people uncomfortable. We've reviewed FAR 17.202( (2), "Inclusion of an option is normally not in the Government’s interest when, in the judgment of the contracting officer -- An indefinite quantity or requirements contract would be more appropriate than a contract with options.", and this would seem to be a smoking gun to resolve this question. However, others have argued this statement demonstrates some other intent, such as an IDIQ should be multiyear (which we've already argued amongst ourselves that an IDIQ is not). My sentiment is that although options may present some advantages and disadvantages, they are not explicitly required in a multiple-year contract. Can anyone back me up? To summarize my questions: 1. Is our logic correct in classifying this IDIQ as a multiple-year contract? 2. Is there anything out there that requires the use of options to extend the ordering period of a multiple-year IDIQ? Thanks in advance to everyone who offers us some meaningful insight.