Micro-Purchase Threshold

The micro-purchase threshold is the dollar limit below which federal agencies can make purchases without formal competition. Currently set at $10,000 for most purchases (higher thresholds apply in certain situations).

How It Works

Micro-purchases can be made using a government purchase card (similar to a credit card) without soliciting quotes. This is the simplest way to sell to the government. The contracting officer simply finds a vendor and makes the purchase. For construction, the micro-purchase threshold is $2,000. The threshold is periodically adjusted for inflation.

Example

A federal office needs new keyboards for a department. At $7,500 total, this falls under the micro-purchase threshold. The purchasing agent finds a vendor and uses their government purchase card to buy them — no solicitation needed.

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