The Simplified Acquisition Procedure (SAP) streamlines the federal government’s purchase of products or services from small businesses. This procedure is intended to boost opportunities for socio-economically disadvantaged federal contractor businesses. This includes small, small disadvantaged, Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone), women-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.
SAP shortens contract evaluation and awarding, thus minimizing administrative costs and unnecessary burdens for both the government and industry. Contracts with total values at, or below, the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (SAT) are cheaper to bid and result in quicker contract awards than typical contract negotiations, according to the Federal Award Management Registration. With the SAP, the contracting officer is responsible for making award decisions.
The SAT is the maximum dollar amount that a product or service is charged or valued in an SAP. The threshold is variable - it not only changes year-to-year, but it can be dependent on other factors in each unique acquisition situation. It is important to stay up-to-date on the most current SAT.
The following chart from the Federal Award Management Registration demonstrates a variety of maximum acquisition value thresholds, though the actual values may have changed since this was published.
Some laws, clauses and regulations pertaining to acquisitions are not applicable to contracts that are valued at, or below, the SAT. For example, section 13.006 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) titled “Inapplicable Provisions and Clauses” states:
While certain statutes still apply, pursuant to Public Law 103-355, the following provisions and clauses are inapplicable to contracts and subcontracts at or below the simplified acquisition threshold:
(a) 52.203-5, Covenant Against Contingent Fees.
(b) 52.203-6, Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government.
(c) 52.203-7, Anti-Kickback Procedures.
(d) 52.215-2, Audits and Records-Negotiation, except as used with its Alternate I, when using funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5).
(e) 52.222-4, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards-Overtime Compensation.
(f) 52.226-7, Drug-Free Workplace, except for individuals.
(g) 52.223-9, Estimate of Percentage of Recovered Material Content for EPA-Designated Items.
The list above is not exhaustive, but serves as a resource for further insight into the SAP and the related regulations.
To learn more about the SAP and SAT, visit acquisition.gov and take a deep dive into the regulations, policies and procedures. That website will have the most up-to-date information regarding Simplified Acquisition.
Elizabeth Casalnova,
(267) 396-7901
elizabeth.casalnova@trinityit.biz