4.605 Procedures
Source: FAR 4.605 on acquisition.gov
FAR 4.605 requires strict adherence to unique identifiers and accurate reporting in FPDS to ensure transparency and traceability in federal contracting.
Overview
FAR 4.605 outlines the procedures for reporting contract actions in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), focusing on the use of unique identifiers for procurement instruments and entities. It mandates that agencies ensure each Procurement Instrument Identifier (PIID) is unique governmentwide for at least 20 years and that contracting officers report the unique entity identifier (UEI) for successful offerors, matching the name and address as registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). The section also details limited circumstances under which a generic entity identifier may be used, such as for certain low-value contracts or when disclosure could endanger individuals or missions. Additional requirements include proper coding for contracts funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the use of Activity Address Codes (AAC) for office identification in FPDS reporting.
Key Rules
- Unique PIID Requirement
- Agencies must ensure each PIID reported to FPDS is unique governmentwide and remains so for at least 20 years from contract award.
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Reporting
- Contracting officers must report the UEI for the successful offeror, ensuring it matches the offeror’s SAM registration and contract documentation.
- Use of Generic Entity Identifiers
- Generic entity identifiers are only permitted in specific, limited scenarios (e.g., certain low-value contracts, contracts with individuals overseas, or when disclosure poses a risk), and do not override the requirement for a UEI if otherwise required.
- American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Reporting
- Contracting officers must follow FPDS instructions to identify actions funded by the Act.
- Office Codes
- Agencies must use the correct AACs for contracting and funding offices in FPDS reporting.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Ensure accurate and compliant reporting of PIIDs, UEIs, and office codes in FPDS; use generic identifiers only when authorized and document determinations as required.
- Contractors: Provide accurate UEI information as registered in SAM; comply with solicitation provisions regarding entity identification.
- Agencies: Maintain processes for unique PIID assignment and ensure office codes are properly assigned and reported.
Practical Implications
This section ensures data integrity and traceability in federal contract reporting, supporting transparency and accountability. Contractors must maintain accurate SAM registrations, and contracting officers must be diligent in following reporting protocols. Common pitfalls include mismatched UEI data, improper use of generic identifiers, and incorrect office coding, all of which can delay contract actions or result in compliance issues.
(a) Procurement Instrument Identifier (PIID). Agencies shall have in place a process that ensures that each PIID reported to FPDS is unique Governmentwide, for all solicitations, contracts, blanket purchase agreements, basic agreements, basic ordering agreements, or orders in accordance with 4.1601 to 4.1603, and will remain so for at least 20 years from the date of contract award. Other pertinent PIID instructions for FPDS reporting can be found at https://www.fpds.gov" target="_blank">https://www.fpds.gov.
(b) Unique entity identifier. The contracting officer shall identify and report a unique entity identifier for the successful offeror on a contract action. The unique entity identifier shall correspond to the successful offeror's name and address as stated in the offer and resultant contract, and as registered in the System for Award Management in accordance with the provision at 52.204-7, System for Award Management. The contracting officer shall ask the offeror to provide its unique entity identifier by using either the provision at 52.204-6, Unique Entity Identifier, the provision at 52.204-7, System for Award Management, or the provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Products and Commercial Services. (For a discussion of the Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, which is a different identifier, see subpart 4.18.)
(c) Generic entity identifier.
(1) The use of a generic entity identifier should be limited, and only used in the situations described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section. Use of a generic entity identifier does not supersede the requirements of provisions 52.204-6, Unique Entity Identifier or 52.204-7 System for Award Management (if present in the solicitation) for the contractor to have a unique entity identifier assigned.
(2) Authorized generic entity identifiers, maintained by the Integrated Award Environment (IAE) program office (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/105036" target="_blank">http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/105036), may be used to report contracts in lieu of the contractor's actual unique entity identifier only for—
(i) Contract actions valued at or below $40,000 that are awarded to a contractor that is-
(A) A student;
(B) A dependent of either a veteran, foreign service officer, or military member assigned outside the United States and its outlying areas (as defined in 2.101); or
(C) Located outside the United States and its outlying areas for work to be performed outside the United States and its outlying areas and the contractor does not otherwise have a unique entity identifier;
(ii) Contracts valued above $30,000 awarded to individuals located outside the United States and its outlying areas for work to be performed outside the United States and its outlying areas; or
(iii) Contracts when specific public identification of the contracted party could endanger the mission, contractor, or recipients of the acquired goods or services. The contracting officer must include a written determination in the contract file of a decision applicable to authority under this paragraph (c)(2)(iii).
(d) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act actions. The contracting officer, when entering data in FPDS, shall use the instructions at https://www.fpds.gov" target="_blank">https://www.fpds.gov to identify any action funded in whole or in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5).
(e) Office codes. Agencies shall by March 31, 2016—
(1) Use the Activity Address Code (AAC), as defined in 2.101, assigned to the issuing contracting office as the contracting office code, and
(2) Use the AAC assigned to the program/funding office providing the predominance of funding for the contract action as the program/funding office code.