Overview
This section outlines the process and types of waivers that Federal Prison Industries (FPI/UNICOR) may grant to allow federal agencies to purchase supplies from alternative sources rather than through the mandatory FPI Schedule.
Key Rules
- Waiver Authority: FPI has the sole authority to grant waivers allowing the purchase of Schedule items from non-FPI sources.
- General/Blanket Waivers: These apply to specific classes or categories of supplies that FPI has determined it cannot currently provide.
- Formal Waivers: Agencies must request these specifically when they wish to bypass FPI for items listed on the Schedule that are not already covered by a general waiver.
- Procedural Compliance: Agency waiver requests must be processed according to the specific instructions and procedures maintained on the UNICOR website.
Practical Implications
- Contracting Officers must verify if a general waiver exists or secure a formal waiver from FPI before proceeding with a commercial procurement for any item listed on the FPI Schedule.
- Failure to obtain a waiver when required constitutes a violation of mandatory source priority rules, potentially leading to unauthorized procurement actions.