Overview
FAR 41.601 prescribes the mandatory standard forms for utility service acquisitions not covered by areawide contracts and mandates the inclusion of official rate schedules in all utility-related contract actions.
Key Rules
- Mandatory Forms: When acquiring utility services outside of an areawide contract, purchase order, or interagency agreement, contracting officers must use SF 33 (Solicitation, Offer and Award), SF 26 (Award/Contract), or SF 1447 (Solicitation/Contract).
- Rate Schedule Incorporation: The contracting officer is strictly required to incorporate the applicable rate schedule into every contract, purchase order, and subsequent modification.
Practical Implications
- This section ensures that formal utility procurements maintain the same level of standardized documentation as other major federal acquisitions when specialized utility-specific vehicles are not available.
- The requirement to attach rate schedules to every modification ensures price transparency and provides a clear legal basis for auditing invoices against agreed-upon utility tariffs.