Award Types

Single-Award BPAs

If the ordering activity establishes one BPA, authorized users may place the task order directly under the established BPA when the need for the supply or service arises.

When establishing a single BPA, the ordering activity should address the following:

• The frequency of orders, invoices, discounts, delivery locations, and time
• Supplies or services to be ordered, and type of pricing, such as hourly rate services
• A Firm Fixed Price (FFP), Labor Hour (LH), or Time and Materials (T&M) pricing arrangement for individual task or delivery orders, as allowed in the GSA Schedule contract vv Confirmation that a single BPA contractor can meet estimated requirements
• Declaration that the government seeks to obtain the best value from a single Schedule contractor, and considering quantity discounts, administrative savings and other benefits related to reduced acquisition leadtime
• Authorized users

To issue a single-award BPA, the ordering activity must first issue a BPA RFQ. The ordering activity must evaluate all quotes submitted and select the contractor who provides the best value. When the ordering activity needs to purchase against the BPA, a task order RFQ is issued to the single BPA holder. The contractor submits a quote, which is evaluated by the ordering activity. The ordering activity decides if placing an order would be in its best interest.

One advantage of a Single-award BPA is all future orders are simplified because the ordering activity can go to a single vendor for all items covered by the BPA. Another advantage is vendors are enticed to provide better pricing and terms by leveraging the full value of the requirement to attract maximum competition.

Multiple-Award BPAs

Multiple-award BPAs are established with more than one Schedule contractor. Multiple-award BPAs are appropriate when the ordering activity determines that more than one BPA is necessary to meet its needs, or when the requirement is less defined. Multiple-award BPAs require ordering activities to make two best-value evaluations: Who receives the BPA? Who receives the task order?

The number of BPAs to be established is within the discretion of the ordering activity establishing the BPAs and should be based on a strategy that is expected to maximize the effectiveness of the BPAs. In determining how many BPAs to establish, the ordering activity should consider:

• The scope and complexity of the requirement(s)
• The need to periodically compare multiple technical approaches or prices
• The administrative costs of Multiple BPAs
• The technical qualifications of the Schedule contractor(s)

If the ordering activity establishes Multiple BPAs before placing an order exceeding the micro-purchase threshold, the ordering activity must forward the requirement, or SOW, and the evaluation criteria, to an appropriate number of Schedule BPA holders in accordance with (IAW) the BPA ordering procedures. The ordering activity must evaluate the responses received, make a “Best Value” determination, and place the order with the Schedule BPA holder that represents the best value.