This section establishes special ordering procedures when considering use of LPTA.

(a) Evaluation of FSS contract price. GSA performs a technical evaluation in products and services prior to awarding the item on the FSS contract. This evaluation ensures orders placed against FSS contracts satisfy the requirements of Section 880 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232, 41 U.S.C. 3701).

(b) Evaluation of order/BPA price. The contracting officer may base their award determination on the level of effort and price as described in FAR 8.405-2(d) when purchasing services. If the contracting officer is purchasing supplies, price can still be the dominant factor. When purchasing more complex services or supplies, the contracting officer should engage in a best value tradeoff when evaluating the factors.

(1)Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from a medical context, such as gloves and masks, may be purchased using LPTA. PPE from a law enforcement context, such as body armor, should not be procured through LPTA.

(2)Information technology services should not be procured through LPTA.

(3)Professional services should not be procured on an LPTA basis.

(4)Cyber-security services should not be procured on an LPTA basis.

(c) Documentation. Ordering activities may use LPTA when evaluating quotes for FSS orders or BPAs without further justification other than documenting the evaluation methodology per FAR 8.405-2(f)(4). As used in this subpart, issuing an FSS order or BPA does not require the file documentation for LPTA described in GSAM 515.101-2 or GSAM 4 516.505, however the Contracting Officer should appropriately document their award decision as described in FAR 8.405-1(g)(5) and FAR 8.405-2(d).