Market Research Requirements

Market research is the cornerstone to compliance with FAR Subpart 8.4 (for orders exceeding the SAT) and DFARS 208.405-70. Contracting Officers must identify which Schedule contractors are capable of performing the required work. Market research is conducted to verify how many Schedule contractors are interested in the opportunity and to determine about how many are likely to respond.

It is important to record the number of vendors available per SIN in the acquisition plan under market research documentation. The Contracting Officer must, at a minimum, review the Schedule contracts to determine which Schedule contractors are capable of performing the required work.

Market Research Guidelines. For orders exceeding the SAT placed against Schedule contracts, the Contracting Officer has two options:

Issue a draft RFQ to learn which objectives are achievable and which vendors can provide solutions

Use eLibrary to find out which vendors provide the supplies/services required

Issue the notice to as many Schedule contractors as practicable, consistent with market research appropriate to the circumstances, and to reasonably ensure that quotes will be received from at least three Schedule contractors who are capable of doing the work

Notify all Schedule contractors (for the applicable SINs) that can provide the required work by posting the RFQ on eBuy or by using another suitable mechanism to “push” the notification to Schedule contractors

When fewer than three responses are received. The Contracting Officer may place the order, provided the Contracting Officer determines in writing that no additional contractors could be identified who can fulfill the requirement despite reasonable efforts to do so.

Note that if the Contracting Officer cannot document that sufficient market research was conducted to identify potential Schedule contractors capable of performing the work, and sufficient Schedule contractors were notified, the RFQ must be reissued.