Ordering Procedures
WHO CAN BUY? | ORDER FORMS | ORDER LIMITATIONS | OPEN MARKET ITEMS | COMPETITION | LABOR RATES | SPECIAL LABOR RATES | SECURITY ISSUES | EXTRA COSTS | TERMS AND CONDITIONS | BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Question: It has been said that the GSA Schedule program is the preferred source for ordering agencies needing to procure Technology Professional Services. Is this statement true and why?
Answer: This statement is true for a number of reasons. First, Director for Defense Procurement in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Technology, in a letter dated March 6, 1997, urged all of the Department of Defense "to take full advantage of GSA Schedule contracts if you need supplies or services that are covered under them. Use of these contracts meets DOD goals to simplify the acquisition process while at the same time increasing the contracting officer's authority and ability to make sound business judgments."
Other reasons include:
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Work can begin in very short periods of time - weeks, or even days after the delivery order is placed.
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Order size limits via the GSA Schedules program have been eliminated.
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Various types of Technology Professional Services can now be procured via GSA Schedules.
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GSA Schedule awards are rarely protested.
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The flexibility of the GSA Schedule program assures that the ordering agency can easily procure the latest technology and highest levels of skill under a Delivery Order.
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Teledyne Brown, as a GSA Schedule vendor, has been accepted as a proven and reliable supplier.
Question: Who can buy Technology Professional Services from Teledyne Brown under the GSA Schedules Program?
Answer: All federal agencies and activities in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches; government contractors authorized in writing by a federal agency pursuant to 48 CFR 51.1; mixed ownership government corporations (as defined in the Government Corporation Contract Act); the government of the District of Columbia; and other activities and organizations authorized by statute or regulation to use GSA as a source of supply.
Question: Is a special form used for ordering Technology
Professional Services under a Teledyne Brown GSA Schedule contract?
Answer: No. Our GSA Schedule contracts are ordinary
indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. The
procurement officer of the ordering agency places a Delivery Order with
Teledyne Brown using the same form as its own IDIQ contracts, for
example, Optional Form 347, or DD 1155, or another form that it
normally uses. The end-user requisitions the services from the
procurement officer using the same forms as used for any other IDIQ
Delivery Order.
Question: Are there any order limitations, and what is the
upper limit for a Delivery Order on Teledyne Brown's GSA contracts?
Answer: There are no order limitations. There is no upper
limit for an order. The ordering agency may wish to discuss special
terms and conditions with us for Delivery Orders exceeding $500,000.
Time Limits
Question: Are there time limits to the tasks under a Teledyne
Brown GSA Schedule contract?
Answer: The base period of our GSA IT Schedule contract
expires on February 18, 2003.
Question: If a task requires other direct costs (ODCs) such as
travel, small equipment, incidental hardware or software, etc., can the
ODCs be purchased under the same Delivery Order?
Answer: Yes. Labor is ordered from a Teledyne Brown GSA
Schedule contract by identifying our contract number and labor
category. The ODC items are listed and priced separately on the same
Delivery Order.
Question: What competition is required prior to awarding
Teledyne Brown a GSA Schedule Delivery Order?
Answer: The ordering agency, in making its best-value
determination, may consider prices contained in any GSA automated
information system, or check at least two other price lists for
comparison purposes. In determining the best value, the agency may
consider special features offered by Teledyne Brown, such as pertinent
knowledge and/or experience, special skills and techniques, applicable
record of performance in a particular area, access to special Teledyne
Brown Engineering capabilities, or special requirements that make us
the best-suited vendor to satisfy those requirements.
Question: Are the labor rates in Teledyne Brown's GSA Schedule
contracts approved?
Answer: Yes. The award of a GSA Schedule contract to Teledyne
Brown establishes that our labor rates are fair and reasonable.
Question: Are there special labor rates available for work
performed on government sites?
Answer: Yes. We give a discount from our regular GSA Schedule
labor rates for work that we perform on government sites when our
personnel are engaged full-time for a minimum time period and the
government furnishes all facilities and support equipment.
Question: Can security requirements be satisfied under a
Teledyne Brown GSA Schedule contract?
Answer: Yes. The ordering agency can state any necessary
security clause in the Delivery Order. The administration of security
matters is performed by the ordering agency, not GSA.
Question: Is the ordering agency ever obligated to pay GSA for
the use of a Teledyne Brown GSA Schedule contract?
Answer: Never. Our GSA Schedule rates represent the entire
labor cost to the ordering agency.
Question: The government is required by law to only contract
pursuant to an extensive list of terms and conditions. Are the
requirements satisfied when the ordering agency uses a GSA Schedule
contract?
Answer: Yes. Our GSA Schedule contracts includes all terms and
conditions required by law for the purchase of Information Technology
Professional Services.
Question: Are Blanket Purchase Agreements available under a
Teledyne Brown GSA Schedule contract?
Answer: Yes. If an ordering agency has extensive requirements
for our Technology Professional Services, then it may be appropriate to
execute a Blanket Purchase Agreement to save time and minimize the
overall amount of paperwork required.