What is a 'Blanket Purchase Agreement' (BPA) and how is it used by federal agencies?

A Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is a simplified method of filling anticipated repetitive needs for supplies or services, established by an agency with a GSA Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) contractor or contractors. Federal agencies use BPAs to streamline the ordering process, reduce administrative costs, and achieve volume discounts for frequently purchased items or services. For example, an agency might establish a BPA for office supplies against a GSA Schedule contract to make recurring purchases without issuing a new purchase order each time.

Yes, your company could get a BPA if you hold an appropriate GSA MAS contract. BPAs can be established with a single vendor (a single-award BPA) or with multiple vendors (a multiple-award BPA). A BPA can help your company get more orders by providing a pre-negotiated agreement that makes it easier and faster for agency buyers to procure from you. Agencies typically set up BPAs for a defined period, such as a year with options to extend, and often include specific ordering procedures, pricing, and terms, all within the scope of the underlying GSA Schedule contract. All federal buys follow the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13.