Doing Business with the FDIC 

April 2022 

Division of 

Administration 

and 

Office of 

Minority and

Women 

Inclusion 

Federal 

Deposit

Insurance 

Corporation 
Table of Contents 

Purpose of this Brochure ....................................................................1 

Introducing the FDIC ..........................................................................1 

Brief History of the FDIC .............................................................................. 1 

Public Confidence Restored ........................................................................ 1 

FDIC in Action ............................................................................................... 1 

Behind the ”FDIC” Sign – Who does what? ................................................. 2 

Business Divisions and Offices .................................................................... 2 

Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI)....................................4 

Minority and Women Outreach Program:................................................... 4 

Acquisition Services Branch ................................................................5 

The Acquisition Process ......................................................................6 

Procurement on a Best Value Basis............................................................. 6 

Contract Types – What to Expect................................................................. 6 

Methods for Acquiring Goods and Services ................................................ 6 

How Does the Contracting Process Work?.................................................. 7 

Procurements Less than $5,000 .................................................................. 8 

Procurements Less than $100,000 .............................................................. 8 

Contracts Greater than $100,000................................................................. 8 

Noncompetitive Procurement..................................................................... 8 

Subcontracting with FDIC’s Prime Contractors .......................................... 8 

Legal Support Services to the FDIC ......................................................9 

FDIC Vendor Requirements - Get Registered ....................................... 11 

System for Award Management (SAM)...................................................... 11 

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Purpose of this Brochure 

This brochure is designed to assist firms seeking to do business with the 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). It outlines the FDIC’s mission, 

organization, operational requirements, contracting policies and procedures, 

and information about the Minority and Women Owned Program (MWOP). 

It discusses the specific ways a business should go about trying to fulfill our 

contracting needs. 

Introducing the FDIC 

The FDIC is the leading U.S. federal organization providing deposit 

insurance and performing bank supervision. It is an organization of 

dedicated employees, with one mission in mind - to maintain stability and 

confidence within the nation’s banking system. The FDIC is an independent 

government corporation that protects against the loss of insured deposits if 

an FDIC-insured bank or savings association fails. FDIC deposit insurance is 

backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. 

Brief History of the FDIC 

Congress created the FDIC with the Banking Act of 1933 to maintain stability 

and public confidence in the nation’s banking system. It was formed by 

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in direct responseto the financial chaos 

the nation was experiencing as a result of the 1929 stock market crash 

and the Great Depression. Between October 1929 and March 1933, more 

than 9,000 banks had ceased operations and for all practical purposes, the 

nation’s banking system shut down completely. 

Public Confidence Restored 

The intent of the Banking Act was to provide a federal guarantee of deposits 

in U.S. depository institutions so that customers’ funds, within established 

limits, would be safe and available to them in the event of a bank failure. 

Since that time, FDIC has been insuring deposits and promoting safe 

and sound banking practices. The FDIC sign - posted in insured financial 

institutions across the country has become a symbol of confidence. Since the 

start of FDIC insurance on January 1, 1934, not one depositor has lost one 

cent of insured funds as a result of a financial institution failure. 

FDIC in Action 

When a federally insured bank fails, including a savings and loan, the FDIC 

responds immediately. It has a very important job that involves paying 

depositors up to the insurance limit and recovering as much money as 

possible from the failed institution’s assets. 

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Deposit Insurance - The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per 

depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category. 

The FDIC has several options for resolving failed institutions. In most cases, 

the FDIC arranges for another healthy bank to assume the deposits of 

the failed institution, along with the current loans and other assets. This 

option is the least disruptive – “customers” of the failed institution become 

“customers” of the assuming institution. In rare instances, if the FDIC is not 

able to find an assuming institution, then payments are made directly to 

insured depositors. It is important to note that no matter which option the 

FDIC uses, funds within the insurance limit are always fully protected. 

The FDIC is also responsible for managing the insurance fund used to 

protect the failed institution’s depositors and for minimizing all losses not 

protected by deposit insurance (i.e., those over the insurance limit). This 

deals with the institution’s assets. These assets include primarily loans, real 

estate and securities. In most cases, the failed institution’s assets are sold to 

other institutions or businesses as soon as the troubled institution is closed. 

However, it may be necessary for the FDIC to retain and manage some of the 

less desirable assets. Proceeds from asset sales are used to reimburse the 

insurance fund and pay uninsured depositors, to the extent possible. 

Behind the ”FDIC” Sign – Who does what? 

All FDIC employees contribute to its mission on a daily basis in one 

functional area or another. The FDIC is organized by Divisions and Offices 

located at Headquarters, six Regional Offices, and approximately 90 smaller 

Field Offices. (https://www.fdic.gov/contact/headquarters-directory/) 

Functional responsibilities can be divided into two general areas – “business 

divisions” and “partnering divisions and offices.” The “business divisions” 

include those with specialized missions that collectively are responsible 

for carrying out the overall mission of the FDIC. The “partnering divisions 

and offices” provide the administrative, financial, and facilities support to 

“business divisions” as they carry out their responsibilities. 

Business Divisions and Offices 

FDIC Divisions and Offices require the use of outside contractors to provide a 

variety of services to support the overall mission of the FDIC. The majority of 

contracts awarded are to support the following divisions and offices: 

Division of Administration (DOA) – provides all administrative services 

including human resources management, training and consulting services, 

contracting, leasing, facilities management and security services supporting 

the physical and administrative infrastructure of the Corporation. 

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Division of Resolutions and Receiverships (DRR) – handles the resolution 

of failing FDIC-insured institutions and provides prompt, responsive and 

efficient administration (including asset sales initiatives) in order to maintain 

confidence and stability in our financial system and to minimize losses. 

Chief Information Officer Organization (CIOO) – encompasses the Office of 

Chief Information Security Officer and the Division of Information Technology 

(DIT) to provide scalable, efficient technology that enables continuous 

access to data securely from any place at any time, including acquisition of 

hardware, software and systems development and implementation. 

Division of Risk Management Supervision (RMS) – promotes stability and 

public confidence in the nation’s financial system through examining and 

supervising insured financial institutions, leading sound policy development, 

evaluating resolution plans, and monitoring and mitigating systemic risks. 

Division of Depositor and Consumer Protection (DCP) – performs bank 

evaluations in communities all around the country and operates the deposit 

insurance program, promotes and ensures compliance with fair lending 

and other consumer protection laws and regulations, and increases public 

understanding of and confidence in the deposit insurance system. 

Corporate University (CU) – supports the Corporation’s mission and business 

objectives through high-quality, cost effective, continuous learning and 

development. CU provides opportunities for employees to enhance their 

sense of corporate identity while learning more about FDIC’s major program 

areas of supervision, compliance, resolutions, and insurance. 

Legal Division – supports the development of contracting policies and 

procedures and provides assistance when legal issues arise from statutory 

interpretation and compliance. In addition, Legal provides assistance on 

complex contracting issues, such as claims and disputes, and other matters 

referred by the Contracting Officer. 

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Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) 

The Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) was established under 

the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (DFA) 

section 342, and has nationwide responsibility for FDIC’s Minority and 

Women Outreach Program. OMWI participates in policy and procedure 

development and contracting solicitations and determinations to ensure 

a fair representation to the maximum extent possible of minority- and 

women-owned businesses (MWOBs) in the FDIC’s procurements for goods 

and services. 

OMWI is responsible for implementing procedures to verify whether 

contractors are making a good faith effort to ensure the fair inclusion of 

minorities and women in its workforce. 

Minority and Women Outreach Program: 

FDIC firmly believes in promoting fair and consistent treatment of all firms 

interested in contracting with the FDIC and in providing opportunities, to 

the maximum extent possible, for Minority and Women Owned Businesses 

(MWOBs). The responsibilities and activities of OMWI are an important part of 

these efforts. 

OMWI Outreach continually reaches out to qualified MWOBs that can 

compete for contract opportunities. OMWI does that by: 

• participating in conventions, seminars, and professional meetings 

composed of, or attended predominately by MWOBs and 

• conducting technical assistance such as outreach seminars, meetings, 

workshops, and other functions to identify MWOBs, and raise awareness 

regarding opportunities to contract with the FDIC. 

The goals of our outreach program are to raise awareness and expand 

the number of MWOBs available for FDIC contracting requirements. 

Businesses can participate either as primes, subcontractors, joint ventures 

or teaming partners. 

You may contact OMWI staff at MWOBOutreach@fdic.gov for any questions 

about doing business with the FDIC. 

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Acquisition Services Branch 

The Acquisition Services Branch (ASB), in the Division of Administration, has 

a Headquarters Office in Arlington, VA, and a Regional Office in Dallas, Texas. 

ASB is responsible for procuring all goods and services with diverse needs 

and specialized requirements. Services could range from loan servicing, 

to construction/renovation, asset management and disposition, and 

information technology systems required by the FDIC. The FDIC does 

not use appropriated funds, and is not subject to the Federal Acquisition 

Regulation (FAR). The FDIC has established its own contracting policies 

and procedures for procuring its goods and services. The FDIC acquisition 

management process is governed by the Acquisition Policy Manual. Like 

federal and commercial firms, the FDIC uses competitive solicitations 

to obtain goods and services. We draft solicitations which identify the 

requirement and provide instructions for submitting proposals. ASB 

evaluates proposals received, decides which proposal/contractor offers 

the best value (considering technical, price and other factors as necessary), 

and then awards the contract. In addition, we develop and supplement 

solicitation lists from many other sources. While the FDIC is not required to 

use SAM.GOV to issue solicitation notices, in some instances, we may use 

this virtual marketplace to post and search for procurement opportunities. 

We also obtain sources from OMWI, various program offices, and outreach 

conferences. Administration of the contract continues for the life of the 

procurement and includes performance monitoring, inspection and 

acceptance of good or services, invoice processing and closeout. 

Please visit the following web site: 

http://www.fdic.gov/buying/goods/acquisition/index.html 

to view the various contractual instruments including the Acquisition Policy 

Manual (APM), the official policy document along with its implementing 

and supplementing document entitled Procedures, Guidance and 

Information (PGI). 

The FDIC differs from other federal agencies in the solicitation and 

contracting documents we use. In addition we have different standards in 

determining eligibility of contractors. Prior to any contract award greater 

than $100,000 for services, all contractors and subcontractors must meet 

certain minimum contractor integrity and fitness standards as defined in the 

Contractor Conflicts of Interest Regulation, 12 C.F.R. Part 366. This regulation 

provides guidance to contractors and subcontractors on conflicts of interest, 

ethical responsibilities, and use of confidential information. 

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The Acquisition Process 

An understanding of the FDIC acquisition process is important, both in terms 

of developing an effective marketing strategy, as well as avoiding mistakes 

which could prove costly. 

Procurement on a Best Value Basis 

Overall, the procurement process takes advantage of a competitive and 

commercial marketplace to deliver on a timely and cost effective basis, 

goods and services the FDIC needs and which offer best value to FDIC 

Divisions and Offices. Best value decisions are based on internal business 

judgements considering a series of qualitative and quantitative decisions 

among factors such as capability, capacity, past performance, and price. 

Contract Types – What to Expect 

The Contracting Officer is responsible for selecting the type of contract that 

represents the most suitable business arrangement for procuring goods and 

services on behalf of the FDIC. There are two basic types of contracts (pricing 

arrangements) used by FDIC: fixed price contracts and level of effort (time & 

materials) contracts. 

A fixed price contract can be expressed as a firm fixed price where the 

contractor is paid for successfully performing the work, or a fixed unit price 

where the price is established in the contract and applied against a quantity 

ordered to determine the ultimate price to be paid based on successful 

performance. 

A level of effort contract can be expressed as either a time and materials 

(T&M) or labor hour (LH) contract. In both cases, the contractor receives 

compensation (direct labor rates) based on hours worked and accepted by 

FDIC. The T&M contract also provides reimbursement for material costs. 

Methods for Acquiring Goods and Services 

In addition to individual contract awards, the FDIC uses the following 

methods to procure its goods and services: 

FDIC Purchase Card (P-Card) - for requirements NOT exceeding $5,000. 

When procurements exceed $5,000, competition is required. The goals of 

the P-Card program are to achieve savings in administrative time, reduce 

paperwork, and quickly purchase and receive goods and services needed for 

mission support. 

GSA Federal Supply Schedules - a General Services Administration 

managed program used for both simplified and formal acquisitions. 

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Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPA) - used to acquire goods on an 

anticipated, repetitive basis through the placement of future orders. 

SBA 8(a) Program Contracts - The Small Business Administration 8(a) 

Business Development Program is a business assistance program for small 

disadvantaged businesses. 

Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) - under which a variety of task orders for 

specific projects or tasks can be ordered by the Contracting Officer. A BOA 

has a broad Statement of Work (SOW) that describes the overall scope and 

purpose. Each task order will have a specific, definitive SOW. A BOA has a 

ceiling (maximum) dollar value associated with it, and task orders can be 

issued up to the ceiling value during the period of performance of the BOA. 

Receivership Basic Ordering Agreements (RBOA) - A Receivership Basic 

Ordering Agreement (RBOA) functions the same way as the BOA, but does 

not have a ceiling value, but does have a broad SOW that identifies the types 

of services that may be required. Each task order under an RBOA will have a 

specific, definite SOW associated with the specific work to be accomplished 

under the task order. Each task order establishes a ceiling value. 

How Does the Contracting Process Work? 

The FDIC acquisition process is based on a “cradle to grave” approach where 

a Contracting Officer maintains control and responsibility for a procurement 

action from the pre-procurement phase through contract administration and 

closeout. The basic phases of the contracting process include: 

Pre-solicitation – identifying the requirement, performing market research, 

preparing the statement of work and solicitation package. 

Solicitation – identifying prospective offerors, distributing the solicitation 

package and receiving proposals. 

Evaluation – evaluating the technical and price proposals submitted by 

offerors that responded to the solicitation package. 

Award – making the best value decision for the award, obtaining all preaward approvals, and executing the contract with the successful offeror. It 

also includes notifying the unsuccessful offerors and conducting de-briefings 

upon request. 

Administration – administering all activities necessary to ensure the 

contractor adheres to the terms and conditions of the contract. It involves 

monitoring contractor performance, processing and paying invoices, 

executing modifications, handling claims and closing out the contract.

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Procurements Less than $5,000 

When a requirement is less than $5,000, competitive pricing is not required 

and awards may be made directly with the FDIC Purchase Card (P-Card). This 

method is the preferred method by FDIC for acquiring low-dollar goods and 

administrative services largely due to its cost effectiveness and cost savings. 

Procurements Less than $100,000 

Simplified procurement procedures are used for contracting requirements 

that are not complex in nature and less than $100,000. These procedures 

can utilize oral (telephone) or written requests for quotations. A minimum 

of three firms are generally solicited for these types of procurements. Award 

decisions are generally based on price alone or price with a pass/fail on 

technical delivery requirements. 

Contracts Greater than $100,000 

Formal contracting procedures are generally used for requirements that are 

complex and greater than $100,000. Due to the higher dollar amounts and 

complexity level, formal Requests for Proposals and contracts are used under 

these procedures. Generally, a minimum of three firms are solicited. Award 

decisions are based on a detailed technical evaluation, financial capability 

review and price evaluation. 

Noncompetitive Procurement 

Noncompetitive contracting procedures are used when it is determined 

that only one firm can provide the goods or services required. Even though 

the FDIC policy is to procure goods and services on a competitive basis, 

unique situations may and do arise in which competitive procurement is 

impracticable. These generally involve urgent or specialized requirements. 

Subcontracting with FDIC’s Prime Contractors 

Firms solicited for goods and/or services for the FDIC should submit their 

response, offering their best possible technical and price solution for the 

requirement. 

This includes forming the best possible team to perform the contract. 

Many of our requirements can be performed by one firm referred to as 

a prime contractor. In other cases, a firm may need to supplement their 

own technical expertise with that of another firm. This is done through 

subcontracting arrangements. The best contractor teaming arrangement 

must be considered by each offeror on a solicitation by solicitation basis. 

Before searching for subcontractors, prospective offerors are encouraged 

to read the solicitation and statement of work carefully. A list of prime 

contractors supporting FDIC in work related to failed financial institutions 

can be found at the following website: https://www.fdic.gov/about/doingbusiness/awards-contractor-contact-info-financial-services.pdf 

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Legal Support Services to the FDIC 

Minority and Women Owned Legal Firms (MWOLF’s) and legal support 

services (LSS) providers interested in providing legal services to the FDIC 

are directed to the FDIC’s Legal Division. LSS providers generally include 

court reporters, e-discovery specialists, expert witnesses as well as trial 

preparation firms. LSS providers provide support to both FDIC in-house 

counsel and FDIC outside law firms. The Outside Counsel Deskbook and the 

Legal Support Services Deskbook describe the policies and procedures that 

must be followed by MWOLFs, experts and, LSS providers engaged by the 

FDIC Legal Division. 

The FDIC has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in outside legal 

contracting. As a part of the FDIC’s Minority and Women Outreach program, 

the Legal Division actively seeks to consider for engagement firms owned 

by minorities or women. These minority- and women-owned legal services 

providers are those that are at least 51% owned and controlled (through 

day-to-day management) by one or more persons who are members of 

one or more of the following groups: Black American, Native American 

Indian, Hispanic American and, Asian American. “Women-owned firms” 

are those that are at least 51% owned and controlled (through day-to-day 

management) by non-minority women. 

The FDIC supports all efforts on the part of our outside counsel to employ 

and engage diverse legal services providers. The Legal Division supports the 

maximum participation of LSS providers in FDIC legal contracting and the 

FDIC’s diversity and inclusion efforts through a full time Outreach Program 

Coordinator who, among other things, assists firms with all aspects of the 

application and engagement process. The Outreach Program Coordinator 

also represents the FDIC at minority and diversity bar association and 

stakeholder conferences and events nationwide. 

The Legal Division works to ensure the inclusion of minorities and women 

to the maximum extent possible in legal contracting opportunities. (See 12 

C.F.R. Part 361) The FDIC provides assistance to minority- or women-owned 

businesses and minorities and women within other businesses with request 

for waivers of conflicts of interest or other matters relating to the retention of 

experts and LSS providers. If interested in such assistance, contact the Office 

of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), at MWOBOutreach@FDIC.gov. 

For information on Minority and Women Owned Law Firm contracting 

opportunities please refer to the Brochure entitled, Information for 

Prospective Outside Counsel available at: https://www.fdic.gov/about/doingbusiness/outside-counsel/ocbrochure.html 

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Washington Office 

FDIC Legal Division 

Attn: Legal Services and Special 

Contracts Group 

3501 Fairfax Drive 

Room VS-E-6066 

Arlington, VA  22226 

(703) 562-2326 

(703) 562-2499 (fax) 

Southwest Service Center 

FDIC Legal Division 

Legal Services and Special 

Contracts Group (LSG) 

600 North Pearl Street, Suite 700 

Dallas, TX  75201 

(972) 761-8429 

(800) 568-9161 

(972) 455-7094 (fax) 

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FDIC Vendor Requirements - Get Registered 

System for Award Management (SAM) 

SAM is the primary registrant database for the U.S. Federal Government. 

SAM collects, stores, and disseminates data in support of agency acquisition 

missions. To complete your registration, go to http://www.sam. gov. There 

are user guides on www.sam.gov and a helpdesk to assist you with your 

registration. The FDIC will only award contracts to businesses that are 

registered in SAM. 

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