Task and Delivery Order Contracting: Current Status and Use

The last decade has seen the increased use of task and delivery order contracting as contract awards have grown larger and various agencies have adopted multi-use vehicles that allow maximum flexibility for ordering agencies. With procurement change imminent, these vehicles will continue to be utilized but with greater restrictions and oversight. This is an opportunity to learn about how to properly use these contract vehicles and benefit from their many advantages while avoiding the problems that have been at issue.

Task order contracts are enormously adaptable contracting instruments used by a growing number of Government agencies allowing agencies to enter into contracts before their specific service/product requirements are known. A task order contract obligates a contractor to render services or deliver products as ordered from time to time. Thus, the award of the contract puts the contractor on standby. The contract statement of work is a general description of the service or product the contractor will be obligated to produce on demand. And after the contract award, the Government buyer will issue, when needed, task orders to specify specific, detailed requirements.

Task and delivery order contracting, by its very nature, can present agencies and contractors with as many problems and complexities (particularly in the areas of pricing and competitive requirements) as it does benefits and flexibility. To offer clear, thoroughly up-to-date information we have assembled this special program.

As the detailed Course Curriculum illustrates, the course will cover the complete range of legal and practical aspects of contract by task order (services and construction) and delivery order (goods). Specific areas of discussion will include guidelines for: (1) Determining when it is appropriate to use task or deliver order contracts; (2) Selecting the proper type of contractual instrument; (3) Determining the appropriate pricing arrangement and placing orders. The program will integrate existing case law into the new authorities and procedures contained in the statutes as implemented by the FAR.

The details are covered in the balance of this brochure: the exceptional Course Faculty, the comprehensive Course Curriculum and the Course Manual of originally prepared materials attendees will receive for use during the course and as a reference source to task and delivery order contracting.

Note: This course replaces the one-day course titled: GSA Regulations GWACs: Basic Course scheduled for March 18 and May 12. It includes the GSA and GWAC subjects.