Electronic Transmittal (ET) No. 05-12
General Services Administration (GSA) Delegation of Contracting Authority to Enter into Utility Services Contracts

D-7800
ACM-1.10

 MEMORANDUM

To:        Director, PN, MP, LC, UC, GP
                 Attention: PN-3700, PN-3702, MP-820, LC-3100, LC-3103,
                  UC-440, GP-3800
               Director, Administrative Service Center
                  Attention: D-2940
               Director, Management Services
                 Attention: D-7800, D-7810

From:      Karla Smiley
                 Acquisition and Assistance Management Services  

Subject:  Electronic Transmittal (ET) No.05-12 – General Services Administration (GSA) Delegation of Contracting Authority to Enter into Utility Services Contracts

1. Background: FAR Part 41.103 requires a delegation of contracting authority to be issued prior to awarding contracts for utilities services. Reclamation has been awarding small utility contracts/purchase orders without obtaining a GSA delegation of contracting authority. FAR 41.103(c) requires a certification from the agency’s Senior Procurement Executive stating that the agency has :

1. An established acquisition program.
2. Personnel technically qualified to deal with specialized utilities problems.
3. The ability to accomplish its own pre-award contract review.

2. Purpose: Jerard Butler, the individual at GSA who is responsible for approving delegations of procurement authority pursuant to FAR 41.103, has stated that the requirements of FAR 41.103(c) are obsolete. Prior to entering into any contract/purchase order for utilities services for which Reclamation will have a need beyond a period of one year (even though only one year will be awarded at a time), acquisition personnel are required to request a delegation of contracting authority from GSA. The request should be emailed to: Jerard.Butler@GSA.gov and contain the following information:

1. The location where the utilities services will be used.
2. The type of service being obtained.
3. The estimated annual cost of the service.
4. The telephone number of the individual requesting the delegation of contracting authority.
5. The name of the utility anticipated to award the contract/purchase order.
6. Verification that the GSA web site: www.GSA.gov/energy has been researched and that no area-wide utility contract exists.

Delegations of contracting authority are usually issued within a few days of GSA receiving the request and are issued for a period of ten (10) years.

3. Effective Date: Immediately

4. Expiration Date: None

5. Action Required: Regional acquisition offices should distribute this memorandum to all acquisition personnel.

6. Point of Contact: Mark Comstock, D-7800, 303-445-2444.