Contract types and vehicles
What is fair opportunity under an IDIQ?
Fair opportunity is the requirement that every holder of a multiple-award indefinite-delivery contract be given a fair chance to be considered for each order placed under it, above the micro-purchase threshold and subject to stated exceptions.
Also written as: fair opportunity to be considered, on-ramp, order competition.
FAR 16.505 imposes the duty and leaves the method flexible: the contracting officer need not follow a formal competition, but must give each awardee a fair opportunity unless one of the enumerated exceptions applies — urgency, only one source capable, a logical follow-on, a minimum guarantee, or a statutory requirement.
The flexibility is the point and the frustration. Fair opportunity can mean a full mini-proposal or an emailed statement of work with a three-day turnaround, and the vehicle's own terms decide which. Reading those ordering procedures at the time you compete for the vehicle tells you what your next five years of business development will actually look like.
Protest rights at the order level are narrower than at the contract level, which is a further reason the vehicle competition is the one to take seriously.
What this means when you bid
Before bidding a multiple-award vehicle, read its ordering procedures. They determine whether holding it produces work or just a certificate.
Where this definition comes from
Federal contracting is one of the few fields where the authoritative answer is free, public and one click away. These are the sources this page is built from — go and read them.
- FAR 16.505→
Ordering under indefinite-delivery contracts.
This page explains a term in plain English and cites the authority it comes from. It is not legal advice, and the regulation governs where this page and the regulation differ.
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Fair opportunity— common questions
- What is fair opportunity under an IDIQ?
- Fair opportunity is the requirement that every holder of a multiple-award indefinite-delivery contract be given a fair chance to be considered for each order placed under it, above the micro-purchase threshold and subject to stated exceptions.
- Why does fair opportunity matter when you are bidding?
- Before bidding a multiple-award vehicle, read its ordering procedures. They determine whether holding it produces work or just a certificate.
Related terms
- IDIQ — Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity contract
- Task order
- GWAC — Governmentwide Acquisition Contract
- Bid protest