USFCR Academy Live: Uniform Contract Format

Join us on Wednesday, March 25, at 2:00 PM for a live webinar on the uniform contract format. Sign up on our webinar page and get a head start with this blog post. 

Although solicitations will have different documents attached, each will follow a uniform contract format. The uniform contract format is explained in FAR 15.204-1. It defines how contracting officers should write solicitations in a consistent format for quick and easy navigation. 

Solicitations for federal contracts will be posted on SAM. Clients of USFCR can find them faster and get notifications using the Advanced Procurement Portal (APP).

There are 13 sections of the uniform solicitation format, defined as letters A-M of the alphabet. Each section falls into one of the four parts.

Part 1 The Schedule (A-H)

This part of the solicitation describes the requirements for the deliverables.

Part 2: Contract Clauses

This part consists of just section I, which contains a listing of all the FAR clauses that are required by law or by a particular regulation is expected to be included in this solicitation. All FAR clauses can be looked up on Aqcusition.gov. The USFCR Academy also covers important clauses in our Academy Live webinars.

Part 3: List of Documents, Exhibits, and Other Attachments

This part consists of section J, and it contains all the descriptions of the attached documents related to this notice. If something listed in this section is not on SAM, email the point of contact.

Part 4: Representations and Instructions

This part, consisting of sections K-M, includes all information needed for an offeror to properly submit their information and quote.

Did You Know?

The Instructions to Offeror are not found in the first few pages of the solicitation document. According to the uniform contract format, vendors should be looking at part 4, section L, to gain clarification into the required information for offerers to be considered.

FACT

The use of uniform contract format will be used except for the following: 

• Construction and architecture
• Sustenance contracts
• Supplies or special contracts requiring special contract formats as prescribed in the FAR

Back to Basics

One of the evaluation factors vendors will see is past performance. Vendors can gain past performance through the following:

• Federal contracts
• Subcontracting on federal contacts
• State and local contracts
• Commercial sector