Title 41, Public ContractsRelease 119-102
§152 Competitive Procedures
Title 41 › Subtitle I — Federal Procurement Policy › CHAPTER 1 — DEFINITIONS › SUBCHAPTER III — DIVISION C DEFINITIONS › § 152
Summary
Defines "competitive procedures" as ways a federal agency awards a contract by letting eligible firms compete. It also covers: architecture and engineering services under chapter 11 of title 40; selection of research proposals from solicitations with peer or scientific review; GSA schedule buys when open to all sources and orders give lowest cost; and procurements under sections 9 and 15 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638 and 644).
Full Legal Text
Title 41, §152
Public Contracts, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
In division C, the term “competitive procedures” means procedures under which an executive agency enters into a contract pursuant to full and open competition. The term also includes—
(1)procurement of architectural or engineering services conducted in accordance with chapter 11 of title 40;
(2)the competitive selection of basic research proposals resulting from a general solicitation and the peer review or scientific review (as appropriate) of those proposals;
(3)the procedures established by the Administrator of General Services for the multiple awards schedule program of the General Services Administration if—
(A)participation in the program has been open to all responsible sources; and
(B)orders and contracts under those procedures result in the lowest overall cost alternative to meet the needs of the Federal Government;
(4)procurements conducted in furtherance of section 15 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 644) as long as all responsible business concerns that are entitled to submit offers for those procurements are permitted to compete; and
(5)a competitive selection of research proposals resulting from a general solicitation and peer review or scientific review (as appropriate) solicited pursuant to section 9 of that Act (15 U.S.C. 638).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 15241:259(b).June 30, 1949, ch. 288, § 309(b), as added Pub. L. 98–369, title VII, § 2711(a)(3), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 1180; Pub. L. 98–577, § 504(a)(3), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 3086; Pub. L. 105–85, title X, § 1073(g)(1), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1906.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
41 U.S.C. § 152
Title 41, Public Contracts
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102