U.S. Code > Title 41 Public Contracts > CHAPTER 4—PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES (§§ 201_to_205—281_to_291) > SUBCHAPTER IV—PROCUREMENT PROVISIONS (§§ 251—266a) > § 253h. Task and delivery order contracts: general authority

§ 253h. Task and delivery order contracts: general authority

(a) Authority to award
Subject to the requirements of this section, section 253j of this title, and other applicable law, the head of an executive agency may enter into a task or delivery order contract (as defined in section 253k of this title) for procurement of services or property.
(b) Solicitation
The solicitation for a task or delivery order contract shall include the following:
(1) The period of the contract, including the number of options to extend the contract and the period for which the contract may be extended under each option, if any.
(2) The maximum quantity or dollar value of the services or property to be procured under the contract.
(3) A statement of work, specifications, or other description that reasonably describes the general scope, nature, complexity, and purposes of the services or property to be procured under the contract.
(c) Applicability of restriction on use of noncompetitive procedures
The head of an executive agency may use procedures other than competitive procedures to enter into a task or delivery order contract under this section only if an exception in subsection (c) of section 253 of this title applies to the contract and the use of such procedures is approved in accordance with subsection (f) of such section.
(d) Single and multiple contract awards
(1) The head of an executive agency may exercise the authority provided in this section—
(A) to award a single task or delivery order contract; or
(B) if the solicitation states that the head of the executive agency has the option to do so, to award separate task or delivery order contracts for the same or similar services or property to two or more sources.
(2) No determination under section 253 (b) of this title is required for an award of multiple task or delivery order contracts under paragraph (1)(B).
(3)
(A) No task or delivery order contract in an amount estimated to exceed $100,000,000 (including all options) may be awarded to a single source unless the head of the executive agency determines in writing that—
(i) the task or delivery orders expected under the contract are so integrally related that only a single source can reasonably perform the work;
(ii) the contract provides only for firm, fixed price task orders or delivery orders for—
(I) products for which unit prices are established in the contract; or
(II) services for which prices are established in the contract for the specific tasks to be performed;
(iii) only one source is qualified and capable of performing the work at a reasonable price to the government; or
(iv) because of exceptional circumstances, it is necessary in the public interest to award the contract to a single source.
(B) The head of the executive agency shall notify Congress within 30 days after any determination under subparagraph (A)(iv).
(4) The regulations implementing this subsection shall—
(A) establish a preference for awarding, to the maximum extent practicable, multiple task or delivery order contracts for the same or similar services or property under the authority of paragraph (1)(B); and
(B) establish criteria for determining when award of multiple task or delivery order contracts would not be in the best interest of the Federal Government.
(e) Contract modifications
A task or delivery order may not increase the scope, period, or maximum value of the task or delivery order contract under which the order is issued. The scope, period, or maximum value of the contract may be increased only by modification of the contract.
(f) Inapplicability to contracts for advisory and assistance services
Except as otherwise specifically provided in section 253i of this title, this section does not apply to a task or delivery order contract for the acquisition of advisory and assistance services (as defined in section 1105 (g) of title 31).
(g) Relationship to other contracting authority
Nothing in this section may be construed to limit or expand any authority of the head of an executive agency or the Administrator of General Services to enter into schedule, multiple award, or task or delivery order contracts under any other provision of law.