FAR 8.002 - Priorities for use of Government supply sources

[dberkey]

For as long as I can remember I have seen scads of synopses daily at FedBizOpps (and the old Commerce Business Daily) for commercial items and services clearly available on GSA Schedule (Federal Supply Schedules). 8.002 requires the purchase be made from a schedule (if available) before going to "commercial sources" (open market). These are not buys exempted by the priority system in 8.002 in the name of national security or national emergency. How can this be? What am I missing?

GSA schedule competitions are not required to be posted at FB0 so it is a pretty secret process. Are Agencies really going through this priority process or documenting why not? I suspect neither.

[napolik]

For as long as I can remember I have seen scads of synopses daily at FedBizOpps (and the old Commerce Business Daily) for commercial items and services clearly available on GSA Schedule (Federal Supply Schedules). 8.002 requires the purchase be made from a schedule (if available) before going to "commercial sources" (open market). These are not buys exempted by the priority system in 8.002 in the name of national security or national emergency. How can this be? What am I missing?

GSA schedule competitions are not required to be posted at FB0 so it is a pretty secret process. Are Agencies really going through this priority process or documenting why not? I suspect neither.

I do not believe agencies are required to use the optional FSS or to document decisions not to use them.

This has been discussed in another thread. See here: http://www.wifcon.com/discussion/index.php?showtopic=176.