Overview
This section establishes the criteria under which contracting officers may authorize contractors to use Interagency Fleet Management System (IFMS) vehicles and services, primarily limiting this privilege to cost-reimbursement contracts.
Key Rules
- Authorization Criteria: Use must be in the Government’s interest, for official purposes only, and authorized by the contracting officer.
- Contract Type Restriction: Authorization is strictly limited to cost-reimbursement contracts; use for any other contract type requires specific approval from the GSA Administrator.
- Scope of Services: Authorized use includes the vehicles themselves and related support such as fuel, lubricants, maintenance, repair, storage, and short-term commercial rentals.
- Maintenance Approval: Contractors must obtain specific contracting officer approval before completely rebuilding major components of any contractor-owned or -leased equipment.
Practical Implications
- Cost-reimbursement contractors can leverage government-negotiated rates and infrastructure to reduce performance costs, provided they maintain rigorous "official use" documentation to prevent misuse.
- Fixed-price contractors are generally excluded from these benefits, creating a clear distinction in how logistics and transportation costs are handled based on the contract vehicle.