bob7947 Posted February 2, 2016 Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Post #1 Started by jvanhorne, February 1, 2016, 02:08 PM:So the client, a small business selling unique patented medical equipment, finds itself stuck with an expired BPA type contract and an agency that can't get around to renewing that contract. In my naivete, I suggest offering to sell using simplified procedures since the largest unit price for the items is under $20k by requesting an order on a SF 1449. Turns out government customers only want to buy on some sort of BPA/FSS type contract. I thought Part 13 procedures were supposed to simplify small purchases. Am I mistaken? What have I missed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob7947 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Post #2, posted by ji20874 on February 1, 2016 at 08:41 PM: The agency personnel might think they would have to justify a sole-source for every purchase order using a SF-1449, and think their life will be easier by setting up a BPA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob7947 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Post #3, posted by Desparado on February 1, 2016 at 10:30 AM: The agency personnel may only have authority to purchase off of already established vehicles. Such was the case when I worked for the Army a few years back. Certain purchase card holders had authority to purchase up to $25k using their card, but only against already established contracting vehicles. Are your government customers contracting officers or just cardholders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvanhorne Posted February 4, 2016 Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 So an SF 1449 is pretty much a deal letter? That seem like a shame and a detriment to small businesses trying to get into government contracting. Basically that means get a BPA/FSS or sume such vehicle or don't bother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ji20874 Posted February 5, 2016 Report Share Posted February 5, 2016 Jon, No, I think you're looking at it the wrong way. There are many thousands, maybe even hundreds of thousands or more of SF-1449 purchase orders issued by Government agencies every year. The SF-1449 is not dead. Government purchasing agents make business decisions every day. Given a choice between buying a widget on (1) an order under an already-existing federal supply schedule; or (2) a purchase order under an open market procurement, and assuming pricing and other terms are more-or-less equal between the two, it is honorable and good business sense for the purchasing agent to choose the former rather than the latter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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