Blanket Purchase Agreement

A Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is a simplified method of filling anticipated repetitive needs for open market supplies or services below the simplified acquisition threshold (SAT). Open market means items not available from required sources of supply, such as GSA schedule contracts, outlined in FAR Part 8.002.

BPAs can be single award or multiple award. Multiple award are preferred.

A BPA establishes a "contract vehicle" whereby a Contracting Officer can routinely purchase supplies or services in a streamlined fashion. However, the BPA by itself is not a contract (See Legal Cases below).

Once the BPA is established, “calls” or "Purchase Orders" are placed to order items off the BPAs.

Procedures to establish and place orders against BPAs are described at FAR 13.303 and DFARS 213.303 – Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs).

Legal Cases

In Crewzers Fire Crew Transport, Inc. v. U.S. (Feb. 6, 2014), the Federal Circuit reaffirmed that a blanket purchase agreement is not typically a binding contract on which the contractor can sue. The "mutuality of obligation" was negated in both directions, with the BPA expressly saying the agency was not obligated to make an award under the BPA and that the contractor was not obligated to accept any order proffered by the agency.