1. Individual open market purchase actions cannot
determine a d e q u a c y s h o u l d i n c l u d e , b u t n o t
necessarily be limited to, the following:
exceed an activity's contracting authority
without prior approval from the cognizant
1. Funding
regional contracting management office.
2. Plain English (adequate purchase description or
2. Requirements may not be broken down into
specification or statement of work)
separate purchases to get around the dollar
3. Part number and corresponding CAGE code
amount thresholds.
4. Quantity
3. The same person may not perform the functions
5. Required delivery date or period of performance
of initiation of the requirement, award of the
and priority designator
purchase action, and receipt of material. When
local circumstances make the use of this
6. Place of delivery with proper consignment
instructions, if applicable
three-way separation impractical, at a
minimum, the same person should not perform
7. Previous buys and prices paid for the same or
the functions of award of the purchase action
similar item or, when no history exists, a price
and receipt of material.
estimate and the basis upon which the estimate
was established
SMALL BUSINESS-SMALL PURCHASE
8. Sole source justification, if required
SET-ASIDES
9. A point of contact for technical information
All open market purchases with an anticipated
10. Any unique requirements such as marking,
dollar value of ,000 or less are considered to be
packing, or transportation accounting codes
small business-small purchase set-asides and must be
made with small business concerns.
11. Document number
Small purchase set-aside procedures apply only
Funding of Purchase Request
to purchases in the United States, its territories and
possessions, Puerto Rico, and the Trust Territory of
The estimated cost shown on the PR is the amount
the Pacific Islands. The requirement for small
committed by the requiring activity to cover the
business-small purchase set-asides does not affect the
purchase of supplies or services. Responsibility for
responsibility of agencies to make purchases from
controlling the obligation of funds and the limitations
required sources of supply, such as federal prison
of such funds is vested exclusively in the allotment
industries, industries for the blind and other severely
holder or designated representative. However, this
handicapped, and mandatory federal supply schedule
d o e s n o t r e l i eve t h e c o n t r a c t i n g o ffi c e r f r o m
contracts.
complying with purchasing regulations contained in
Exceptions
the SUPARS. The NAVCOMPT Form 2276 contains
a certification by the approving signature block
The small business-small purchase set-aside can
stating, "I certify that the funds cited are properly
be dissolved and the purchase made from a large
chargeable for the item required." When any other
business concern when the contracting officer
determines there is no reasonable chance of obtaining
purchase request or requisition form is used, the
quotations from two or more responsible small
person signing or approving the request is also
business concerns (or at least one if the purchase is
making the certification, even though the statement
less than
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,000) that will be competitive in terms of
may not be printed on the form.
market price, quality, and delivery.
Controls
When the buyer or storekeeper proceeds with the
small business-small purchase set-aside and receives
Controls should be established at every activity
a quotation from only one responsible small business
that has contracting authority as may be required to
concern that is not a reasonable price or cannot meet
p r eve n t v i o l a t i o n s o f s t a n d a r d p r o c u r e m e n t
the required delivery date, purchase description or
regulations. These controls include, but are not
specification, the purchase may be completed by
limited to, the following:
soliciting one or more large business concerns.
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