Overview
This section outlines the mandatory data elements, formatting requirements, and electronic transmittal procedures for posting contract synopses to the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE). It ensures that public notices provide sufficient detail for prospective contractors to make informed business decisions about participating in a procurement.
Key Rules
- Mandatory Data Elements: Every synopsis must include 18 specific data points, including Product or Service Codes (PSC), closing response dates, set-aside status, and contracting office ZIP codes.
- Description Standards: The "Description" field must be clear, concise, and non-restrictive of competition, including technical details such as National Stock Numbers (NSN), dimensions, quantities, and delivery schedules.
- Transmittal via GPE: All synopses must be transmitted electronically via the SAM.gov interface.
- Trade Agreement Notices: Specific mandatory phrases must be included if the acquisition is subject to the Buy American-Free Trade Agreements or the WTO Government Procurement Agreement.
- Noncompetitive Actions: For sole-source or noncompetitive procurements, the notice must identify the intended source and provide a justification for the lack of full and open competition.
- Set-Aside Identification: Contracting officers are required to explicitly state the type of small business or local area set-aside applicable to the acquisition.
- Public Access Instructions: If technical data or the solicitation itself is not available directly through the GPE, the synopsis must provide clear instructions on how to obtain those documents.
Practical Implications
- This section functions as a standardized checklist for Contracting Officers to ensure legal compliance and transparency, reducing the risk of protests based on inadequate notice.
- For contractors, these rules ensure that the information found on SAM.gov is uniform and contains the necessary technical and procedural details to determine if a specific opportunity justifies the cost of proposal preparation.