### §3205. Simplified procedures for small purchases

(a) Authorization.—In order to promote efficiency and economy in contracting and to avoid unnecessary burdens for agencies and contractors, the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall provide for—

(1) special simplified procedures for purchases of property and services for amounts not greater than the simplified acquisition threshold; and

(2) special simplified procedures for purchases of property and services for amounts greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not greater than $5,000,000 with respect to which the contracting officer reasonably expects, based on the nature of the property or services sought and on market research, that offers will include only commercial products or commercial services.

(b) Prohibition on Dividing Contracts.—A proposed purchase or contract for an amount above the simplified acquisition threshold may not be divided into several purchases or contracts for lesser amounts in order to use the simplified procedures required by subsection (a).

(c) Promotion of Competition.—In using simplified procedures, the head of an agency shall promote competition to the maximum extent practicable.

(d) Compliance With Special Requirements of Federal Acquisition Regulation.—The head of an agency shall comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions referred to in section 1901(e) of title 41.

(Added and amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. A, title XVIII, §1811(d)(1), (9), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4166, 4170.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Codification

The text of subsec. (g) of section 2304 of this title, which was transferred to this section and amended by Pub. L. 116–283, §1811(d)(9), was based on Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VII, §2723(a)(1)(C), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1187; Pub. L. 100–26, §7(d)(3)(A), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 281; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title VIII, §806(b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1592; Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, §701(d)(2)(A), Apr. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 114; Pub. L. 103–355, title I, §1001(2), title IV, §4401(a), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3249, 3347; Pub. L. 104–106, div. D, title XLII, §4202(a)(1), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 652; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title VIII, §850(f)(3)(B), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1850; Pub. L. 111–350, §5(b)(12)(D), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3843; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, §836(c)(2), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1864.

#### Prior Provisions

A prior section 3205, act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 173; Pub. L. 85–600, §1(3), Aug. 6, 1958, 72 Stat. 522; Pub. L. 85–861, §1(60), (65), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1462, 1463; Pub. L. 95–551, §2, Oct. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 2069, prescribed authorized strength of Regular Army in commissioned officers on active list, exclusive of certain categories, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 96–513, title II, §202, title VII, §701, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2878, 2955, effective Sept. 15, 1981.

#### Amendments

2021—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, §1811(d)(9)(A), (C), inserted heading, struck out par. (1) designation before "In order to", and redesignated subpars. (A) and (B) as pars. (1) and (2), respectively. Former pars. (2) to (4) redesignated subsecs. (b) to (d), respectively.

Pub. L. 116–283, §1811(d)(9), redesignated subsec. (g) of section 2304 of this title as subsec. (a) of this section.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283, §1811(d)(9)(B), (D), redesignated subsec. (a)(2) as (b), inserted heading, and substituted "subsection (a)" for "paragraph (1)".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283, §1811(d)(9)(B), (E), redesignated subsec. (a)(3) as (c) and inserted heading.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–283, §1811(d)(9)(B), (F), redesignated subsec. (a)(4) as (d) and inserted heading.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Effective Date

Section and amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as an Effective Date of 2021 Amendment note preceding section 3001 of this title.