53.214 Sealed bidding
Source: FAR 53.214 on acquisition.gov
FAR 53.214 mandates the use of specific standard and optional forms for each stage of the sealed bidding process to ensure consistency and compliance.
Overview
FAR 53.214 prescribes the specific forms required for use in sealed bidding contracts (excluding construction and architect-engineer services). It details which Standard Forms (SF) and Optional Forms (OF) must be used at various stages of the sealed bidding process, including solicitation, bid recording, contract award, amendments, and bid handling. The section references related FAR provisions for each form’s use and allows agencies to provide additional instructions for certain forms. This ensures uniformity and compliance in documentation throughout the sealed bidding process.
Key Rules
- SF 26 (Award/Contract)
- Used for awarding sealed bid contracts for supplies or services when bids were solicited on SF 33; Block 18 is exclusive to sealed-bid procurements.
- SF 30 (Amendment/Modification)
- Used to amend invitations for bids as required by FAR 14.208(a).
- SF 33 (Solicitation, Offer and Award)
- Used for soliciting bids and awarding contracts unless SF 26 is used for the award.
- SF 1447 (Solicitation/Contract)
- Used for simplified contract formats and may substitute for SF 26 or SF 33; agencies may issue further instructions.
- SF 1409 & SF 1410 (Abstract of Offers)
- Used for recording bids as specified in FAR 14.403(a).
- OF 17 (Offer Label)
- Provided with invitations for bids to aid in bid identification and handling.
- OF 336 (Continuation Sheet)
- Used as a continuation sheet in solicitations as needed.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Must use the prescribed forms at each stage of the sealed bidding process and follow related FAR citations for proper application.
- Contractors: Should be familiar with the forms to ensure proper submission and handling of bids.
- Agencies: May provide additional instructions for certain forms and must ensure compliance with form usage requirements.
Practical Implications
- This section standardizes the documentation process for sealed bidding, reducing errors and ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Contractors must use the correct forms to avoid bid rejection or administrative delays.
- Common pitfalls include using the wrong form for a given stage or failing to follow agency-specific instructions.
The following forms are prescribed for use in contracting by sealed bidding (except for construction and architect-engineer services):
(a) https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/awardcontract" target="_blank"> SF 26 (Rev. 12/2022), Award/Contract. https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/awardcontract" target="_blank"> SF 26 is prescribed for use in awarding sealed bid contracts for supplies or services in which bids were obtained on https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/solicitation-offer-and-award" target="_blank">SF 33, Solicitation, Offer and Award, as specified in 14.408-1(d)(1). Block 18 may only be used for sealed-bid procurements.
(b) https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/amendment-solicitationmodification-contract" target="_blank"> SF 30, Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract. https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/amendment-solicitationmodification-contract" target="_blank">SF 30, prescribed in 53.243, shall be used in amending invitations for bids, as specified in 14.208(a).
(c) https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/solicitation-offer-and-award" target="_blank">SF 33 (Rev. 12/2022), Solicitation, Offer and Award. https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/solicitation-offer-and-award" target="_blank">SF 33 is prescribed for use in soliciting bids for supplies or services and for awarding the contracts that result from the bids, as specified in 14.201-2(a)(1), unless award is accomplished by https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/awardcontract" target="_blank"> SF 26.
(d) https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/solicitationcontract" target="_blank"> SF 1447 (Rev. 12/2022), Solicitation/Contract. https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/solicitationcontract" target="_blank">SF 1447 is prescribed for use in soliciting supplies or services and for awarding contracts that result from the bids. It shall be used when the simplified contract format is used (see 14.201-9) and may be used in place of the https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/awardcontract" target="_blank">SF 26 or https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/solicitation-offer-and-award" target="_blank">SF 33 with other solicitations and awards. Agencies may prescribe additional detailed instructions for use of the form.
(e) [Reserved]
(f) https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/abstract-offers-0" target="_blank"> SF 1409 (Rev. 9/88), Abstract of Offers, and https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/abstract-offers-continuation" target="_blank">SF 1410 (9/88), Abstract of Offers-Continuation. https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/abstract-offers-0" target="_blank">SF 1409 and https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/abstract-offers-continuation" target="_blank">SF 1410 are prescribed for use in recording bids, as specified in 14.403(a).
(g) https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/offer-label" target="_blank"> OF 17 (Rev. 12/93), Offer Label. https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/offer-label" target="_blank">OF 17 may be furnished with each invitation for bids to facilitate identification and handling of bids, as specified in 14.202-3(b).
(h) https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/continuation-sheet" target="_blank"> OF 336 (Rev.3/86), Continuation Sheet. https://www.gsa.gov/forms-library/continuation-sheet" target="_blank">OF 336 may be used as a continuation sheet in solicitations, as specified in 14.201-2(b).