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Title 16 — ConservationRelease 119-73not60

§833f Purchase of Supplies and Services

Title 16 › Chapter 12C— FORT PECK PROJECT › § 833f

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

All purchases and contracts for supplies or services (not personal hires) made by the Bureau or the Secretary of the Army must be advertised before bids are opened. The ad must come early enough to give people notice and a fair chance to compete, as the Bureau or the Secretary decides. Advertising is not needed if there is an emergency needing immediate delivery or work, if parts or extra equipment or services are needed for something already supplied or contracted, or if the total purchase is $500 or less — then they can buy on the open market like ordinary business. When choosing among bids, they can look at things like the product’s quality and fit, the bidder’s money stability, skill and experience, honesty record, ability to provide repairs and maintenance, delivery time, and whether the bidder meets the specifications.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §833f

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all purchases and contracts made by the Bureau or the Secretary of the Army for supplies or for services, except for personal services, shall be made after advertising, in such manner and at such times, sufficiently in advance of opening bids, as the Bureau or Secretary of the Army, as the case may be, shall determine to be adequate to insure notice and opportunity for competition. Such advertisement shall not be required, however, when (1) an emergency requires immediate delivery of the supplies or performance of the services; or (2) repair parts, accessories, supplemental equipment, or services are required for supplies or services previously furnished or contracted for; or (3) the aggregate amount involved in any purchase of supplies or procurement of services does not exceed $500; in which cases such purchase of supplies or procurement of services may be made in the open market in the manner common among businessmen. In comparing bids and in making awards, the Bureau or the Secretary of the Army, as the case may be, may consider such factors as relative quality and adaptability of supplies or services, the bidder’s financial responsibility, skill, experience, record of integrity in dealing, and ability to furnish repairs and maintenance services, the time of delivery or performance offered, and whether the bidder has complied with the specifications.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Department of War designated Department of the Army and title of Secretary of War changed to Secretary of the Army by section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title II, 61 Stat. 501. section 205(a) of act
July 26, 1947, was repealed by section 53 of act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 641. section 1 of act Aug. 10, 1956, enacted “Title 10, Armed Forces” which in sections 3010 to 3013 continued military Department of the Army under administrative supervision of Secretary of the Army.

Transfer of Functions

Power marketing functions of Bureau of Reclamation, including

Construction

, operation, and maintenance of transmission lines and attendant facilities, transferred to Secretary of Energy by section 7152(a)(1)(E), (3) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and are to be exercised by Secretary through a separate Administration within Department of Energy.

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

For

Transfer of Functions

of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 833f

Title 16 — Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60