8-1.26 Indefinite-Quantity Construction Contracts

The Postal Service requires a large number of small repair and alteration, environmental, and other projects to be performed each year. Indefinite–quantity construction (IQC) contracts permit a large number of projects to be accomplished at one or more facilities through the issuance of delivery (work) orders against a single contract rather than through individual RFPs.

An RFP must be used to request proposals based on a unit price schedule prepared by the Postal Service. Offerors must be required to submit a multiplier that will apply equally to all prices listed in the unit price schedule. The multiplier submitted by the offeror must not be more than two decimal places (e.g., 1.22 or 0.97). Each indefinite-quantity contract is limited to a specific geographic area.

Limitations regarding contract term, dollar limitations, and delivery (work) order limits are issued by the VP, SM, or authorized designee. Delivery (work) orders are limited to the geographic area described in the contract. No new construction or building expansion work may be ordered under an IQC contract, except for site preparation or foundation work for a pre-engineered building purchased directly from the manufacturer. The contracting officer may request quotations from an IQC supplier for work items not covered by the unit price schedule and order such items, in addition to ordering covered work. However, not more than 25 percent of the cost of any delivery (work) order may be for such uncovered work.

Guidance for IQC contract preparation is contained in Handbook P-2, Design and Construction Purchasing Practices.

Liquidated damages are discussed in Sections 5-13, Terminate Contract, and 7-3, Bonds, Insurance, and Taxes. IQC contracts may contain Clause 2–10: Liquidated Damages, as well as other clauses relevant to liquidated damages, and the insertion of this language into contracts must be considered. For additional information on calculating the liquidated damages rate for construction projects see the guidelines in Handbook P-2, Design and Construction Purchasing Practices. When different completion periods for separate parts or stages of the work are specified in the contract, the clause may be revised to provide for liquidated damages for each separate part or stage in which delay will damage the Postal Service.

IQC construction supplier evaluation will be conducted in the same manner as regular contract construction supplier evaluation.