4.603 Policy
Source: FAR 4.603 on acquisition.gov
All unclassified federal contract actions above the micro-purchase threshold must be accurately reported in FPDS to ensure public transparency and proper agency credit.
Overview
FAR 4.603 establishes the policy for public accessibility and reporting of federal contract actions in accordance with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA). It mandates that all unclassified federal award data be made publicly available and requires executive agencies to use the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) to report all unclassified contract actions exceeding the micro-purchase threshold, as well as any modifications that alter previously reported data. The section also outlines specific reporting requirements for assisted and direct acquisitions, including the identification of funding agency and office codes, and clarifies that only the appropriated portion of mixed-funding contract actions should be reported in FPDS. These requirements ensure transparency, accurate reporting, and proper attribution of small business credit in interagency acquisitions.
Key Rules
- Public Accessibility of Award Data
- All unclassified federal award data must be accessible to the public.
- FPDS Reporting Requirement
- Executive agencies must use FPDS to report all unclassified contract actions above the micro-purchase threshold and any modifications that change previously reported data.
- Assisted and Direct Acquisition Reporting
- Agencies must report assisted or direct acquisitions, identify the funding agency/office codes, and ensure proper small business credit attribution.
- Reporting Mixed Funding
- Only the appropriated portion of contract actions with mixed funding should be reported in FPDS.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Ensure all required contract actions and modifications are reported in FPDS with accurate agency and office codes, and only report appropriated funds for mixed-funding actions.
- Contractors: Provide necessary information to support accurate reporting, especially in interagency acquisitions.
- Agencies: Maintain agency codes in FPDS, ensure public accessibility of data, and facilitate proper small business credit attribution.
Practical Implications
- This policy promotes transparency and accountability in federal contracting.
- Accurate and timely FPDS reporting is critical for compliance and for agencies to receive proper credit for small business goals.
- Common pitfalls include failing to update modifications, misreporting agency codes, or incorrectly reporting mixed-funding actions.
(a) In accordance with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-282), all unclassified Federal award data must be publicly accessible.
(b) Executive agencies shall use FPDS to maintain publicly available information about all unclassified contract actions exceeding the micro-purchase threshold, and any modifications to those actions that change previously reported contract action report data, regardless of dollar value.
(c) Agencies awarding assisted acquisitions or direct acquisitions must report these actions and identify the Program/Funding Agency and Office Codes from the applicable agency codes maintained by each agency at FPDS. These codes represent the agency and office that has provided the predominant amount of funding for the contract action. For assisted acquisitions, the requesting agency will receive socioeconomic credit for meeting agency small business goals, where applicable. Requesting agencies shall provide the appropriate agency/bureau component code as part of the written interagency agreement between the requesting and servicing agencies (see 17.502-1(a)(1)).
(d) Agencies awarding contract actions with a mix of appropriated and non-appropriated funding shall only report the full appropriated portion of the contract action in FPDS.