2014 US Code
Title 41 - Public Contracts (Sections 101 - 8707)
Subtitle I - Federal Procurement Policy (Sections 101 - 4712)
Division C - Procurement (Sections 3101 - 4712)
Chapter 33 - Planning and Solicitation (Sections 3301 - 3312)
Sec. 3301 - Full and open competition

(a) In General.—Except as provided in sections 3303, 3304(a), and 3305 of this title and except in the case of procurement procedures otherwise expressly authorized by statute, an executive agency in conducting a procurement for property or services shall—

(1) obtain full and open competition through the use of competitive procedures in accordance with the requirements of this division and the Federal Acquisition Regulation; and

(2) use the competitive procedure or combination of competitive procedures that is best suited under the circumstances of the procurement.

(b) Appropriate Competitive Procedures.—

(1) Use of sealed bids.—In determining the competitive procedures appropriate under the circumstance, an executive agency shall—

(A) solicit sealed bids if—

(i) time permits the solicitation, submission, and evaluation of sealed bids;

(ii) the award will be made on the basis of price and other price-related factors;

(iii) it is not necessary to conduct discussions with the responding sources about their bids; and

(iv) there is a reasonable expectation of receiving more than one sealed bid; or

(B) request competitive proposals if sealed bids are not appropriate under subparagraph (A).

(2) Sealed bid not required.—Paragraph (1)(A) does not require the use of sealed-bid procedures in cases in which section 204(e) ¹ of title 23 applies.

(c) Efficient Fulfillment of Government Requirements.—The Federal Acquisition Regulation shall ensure that the requirement to obtain full and open competition is implemented in a manner that is consistent with the need to efficiently fulfill the Federal Government's requirements.

(Pub. L. 111–350, §3, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3745.)

Section 204 of title 23, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), was repealed and a new section 204 enacted by Pub. L. 112–141, div. A, title I, §1119(a), July 6, 2012, 126 Stat. 473, 489.

Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VIII, §836, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3449, provided that: "Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 19, 2014], the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy shall prescribe regulations providing that when the Federal Government makes a purchase of services and supplies offered under the Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative (managed by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy) but such Initiative is not used, the contract file for the purchase shall include a brief analysis of the comparative value, including price and nonprice factors, between the services and supplies offered under such Initiative and services and supplies offered under the source or sources used for the purchase."

Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VII, §2711(c), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1181, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [see Tables for classification] do not supersede or affect the provisions of section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a))."

Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VIII, §837, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3450, provided that:

"(a) In General.—The Administrator of General Services shall identify and develop a strategic sourcing initiative to enhance Governmentwide acquisition, shared use, and dissemination of software, as well as compliance with end user license agreements.

"(b) Governmentwide User License Agreement.—The Administrator, in developing the initiative under subsection (a), shall allow for the purchase of a license agreement that is available for use by all Executive agencies (as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code) as one user to the maximum extent practicable and as appropriate."

¹ See References in Text note below.