To promote efficiency and economy in contracting and to avoid unnecessary burdens for agencies and contractors, the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall provide for special simplified procedures for purchases of property and services for amounts—

(1) not greater than the simplified acquisition threshold; and

(2) greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not greater than $5,000,000 for which the contracting officer reasonably expects, based on the nature of the property or services sought and on market research, that offers will include only commercial items.

The Administrator of General Services shall prescribe regulations that provide special simplified procedures for acquisitions of leasehold interests in real property at rental rates that do not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The rental rate under a multiyear lease does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold if the average annual amount of the rent payable for the period of the lease does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

A proposed purchase or contract for an amount above the simplified acquisition threshold may not be divided into several purchases or contracts for lesser amounts to use the simplified procedures required by subsection (a).

In using the simplified procedures, an executive agency shall promote competition to the maximum extent practicable.

An executive agency shall comply with the Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions referred to in section 1901(e) of this title.

(Pub. L. 111–350, § 3, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3752; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 836(b)(8), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1861.)