I have an IDIQ contract to supply contract personnel to perform Quality Assurance Testing. The IDIQ is a 5 year contract with an 8a firm and the 5 years will end Sept 2016. I currently have a task order in place that was issued for 2 years and ends Sept 2013. I simply need to issue another task order (nearly identical to the first) and wish to do it for the remaining 3 years of the IDIQ contract. Here's the catch...the PM has informed me we do not have sufficient funds for the entire 3 years, but do have enough for one year. According to the Blogs I've read along with FAR 702 there really are no restrictions to writing a task order with options. I would like the task order to have a base year to cover FY14, one option for an additional 12 months to cover FY15, and one more option to cover FY16 bringing me to the end of the IDIQ contract. Keep in mind, the task order will end on the last day of the IDIQ contract. Can someone provide me with some justification or a section in the FAR I can point to for our contracting department?

Thanks in advance.

Titlis,

Why does the PM not want to include options? Is there not going to be a requirement for the Quality Assurance Testing in FY15? If the requirement is going away, then inclusion of options may mislead offerors into thinking the requirement is bigger than it is. However, if the requirement is not, or may not be, going away, the PM must have a plan for how to do the testing, either by hiring organic resources or acquiring resources via contract. If the former, it would harm no one to have a contract option as a backup, available if there are delays in hiring. If the latter, then the PM must be planning to get funds somehow, sometime, and when funds are obtained, the availability of an option will provide the vehicle, and is clearly appropriate.

First, what do you mean by "FAR 702"?

Second, I assume that the contract is not a GSA MAS contract.

Now look in the contract for clause 52.216-22, "Indefinite Quantity." Look at the last sentence in paragraph (d). What date is inserted there?

What type of funds do you use, and are the future fiscal year services bona fide needs of those funds?