All executive agencies within the United States (including Hawaii and Alaska), in order to maximize the use of the Government's centralized supply system, shall requisition GSA stock items in accordance with the following:

(a) When the requirement is for Standard and optional forms, an item produced by the Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI), or an item listed in the procurement list published by the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped (NIB-NISH), the dollar thresholds and language indicated in paragraph (b) of this section are not applicable and acquisition of such items continues to be as set forth in the applicable sections of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Federal Property Management Regulations and other appropriate regulations. In order to identify FPI/NIB-NISH items stocked by GSA, they are marked with an asterisk in the GSA Supply Catalog NSN index,

(b) GSA will process all requisitions for stock items, regardless of total line item value, from activities electing to purchase from GSA. If an agency determines that alternative sources are more favorable, the following guidelines shall apply. However, the price alone of an item without other substantive consideration will not be considered as sufficient justification to use alternative sources. (These guidelines also apply to the procurement of special order program (SOP) established source, see §101-26.102-1.)

(1) When the total value of the line item requirement is less than $100, procurement from other sources is authorized.

(2) When the total value of the line item requirement is $100 or more, but less than $5,000, procurement from other sources is authorized: provided, that a written justification shall be prepared and placed in the purchase file stating that such action is judged to be in the best interest of the Government in terms of the combination of quality, timeliness, and cost that best meets the requirement. Cost comparisons shall include the agency administrative cost to effect a local purchase.

(3) For total line item requirements of $5,000 and over, agencies shall submit a requisition to GSA unless a waiver has been approved by GSA. Request for waivers shall be submitted in accordance with §101-26.100-2.

(c) Agencies shall not divide requisitions to avoid higher threshold documentation requirements.

(d) In authorizing procurements in accordance with paragraph (b)(2) of this section, agencies shall reimburse GSA for any cost arising out of breach of a GSA contract, where sufficient justification is not documented in their procurement files.

[56 FR 12457, Mar. 26, 1991]