Overview
This section identifies the standardized specification formats available for various utility services and outlines the authority of contracting officers to customize these formats to meet specific agency needs. It also designates the mandatory location for these specifications within a formal solicitation or contract.
Key Rules
- Available Formats: Standardized specifications are available for five primary utility types: electric, water, steam, sewage, and natural gas.
- Source of Formats: These templates are maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA) and can be obtained via the address referenced in FAR 41.301(a).
- Discretionary Use: Agencies have the discretion to use or modify these formats as needed; they are not strictly mandatory "as-is" templates.
- Customization Authority: Contracting officers may add technical details, including equipment ownership, maintenance/repair obligations, and maps or drawings of delivery points.
- Mandatory Placement: All utility specifications and their associated attachments must be placed in Section C of the utility service solicitation and contract.
Practical Implications
- Contracting officers do not need to draft utility requirements from scratch, but they must ensure that site-specific technicalities—such as where the government’s ownership of infrastructure ends and the utility’s begins—are clearly detailed to avoid future maintenance disputes.
- By requiring specifications in Section C, the FAR ensures a consistent structure across government utility contracts, making it easier for providers to locate technical requirements and performance standards.