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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 41: Acquisition of Utility Services › Subpart 41.1

FAR 41.103 Statutory and delegated authority.

The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.

In plain English

This section explains which agencies have legal authority to buy utility services and for how long. GSA can contract for utility services for up to ten years and has delegated that authority to DOD and DOE, with limited delegation to the Department of Veterans Affairs for connection charges. Other agencies wanting utility contracts over one year but not more than ten years must request a delegation from GSA.

Applies to: Federal agencies acquiring utility services

What it requires

  • Contracting under delegated authority must be consistent with the requirements of this part
  • Agencies requesting a delegation of contracting authority from GSA must include a certification from the Senior Procurement Executive
  • The certification must state the agency has an established acquisition program
  • The certification must state the agency has personnel technically qualified to deal with specialized utilities problems

Key terms: utility services · delegated authority · statutory authority · Senior Procurement Executive · connection charges

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

(a) Statutory authority. (1) The General Services Administration (GSA) is authorized by 40 U.S.C. 501 to prescribe policies and methods governing the acquisition and supply of utility services for Federal agencies. This authority includes related functions such as managing public utility services and representing Federal agencies in proceedings before Federal and state regulatory bodies. GSA is authorized by 40 U.S.C. 501 to contract for utility services for periods not exceeding ten years.

(2) The Department of Defense (DOD) is authorized by 10 U.S.C. 3201(a) , and 40 U.S.C. 474(d)(3) to acquire utility services for military facilities.

(3) The Department of Energy (DOE) is authorized by the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7251, et seq.) to acquire utility services. DOE is authorized by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2204), to enter into new contracts or modify existing contracts for electric services for periods not exceeding 25 years for uranium enrichment installations.

(b) Delegated authority. GSA has delegated its authority to enter into utility service contracts for periods not exceeding ten years to DOD and DOE, and for connection charges only to the Department of Veteran Affairs. Contracting pursuant to this delegated authority shall be consistent with the requirements of this part. Other agencies requiring utility service contracts for periods over one year, but not exceeding ten years, may request a delegation of authority from GSA at the address specified in 41.301(a). In keeping with its statutory authority, GSA will, as necessary, conduct reviews of delegated agencies' acquisitions of utility services to ensure compliance with the terms of the delegation and applicable laws and regulations.

(c) Requests for delegations of contracting authority from GSA shall include a certification from the acquiring agency's Senior Procurement Executive that the agency has—

(1) An established acquisition program;

(2) Personnel technically qualified to deal with specialized utilities problems; and

(3) The ability to accomplish its own pre-award contract review.

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 41.102 Applicability. · 41.201 Policy. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 41

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

FAR 41.103 Statutory and delegated authority · SpendQuery