Federal Contracting Glossary
Task / Delivery Order
An individual order placed against a parent IDIQ, GWAC, or GSA Schedule, issued by an agency to a holder on pre-established terms.
Definition
A task order (for services) or delivery order (for supplies) is an individual order placed against the terms of a parent IDIQ, GWAC, or GSA Schedule. Because pricing and terms are pre-established at the vehicle level, orders can be awarded far faster than a stand-alone procurement — sometimes in days rather than months.
Orders are placed two main ways: a direct order/sole-source where the FAR permits, or a fair-opportunity competition among the vehicle holders (FAR 16.505 for IDIQs, FAR 8.405 for Schedules). Fair-opportunity competition is the norm for substantive work, and the contracting officer documents the rationale for how each order is placed.
How this affects your proposal
Most revenue on a vehicle comes from orders, not the underlying award. Building relationships with the ordering agencies and responding sharply to fair-opportunity competitions is what turns a contract vehicle spot into actual contracts.
Common questions about task / delivery order
Are task and delivery orders public?
Order award information above the micro-purchase and simplified thresholds is generally reported in federal systems such as FPDS/USASpending. Some order details are visible only to vehicle holders or are limited for sensitive requirements.
Can any agency order off any vehicle?
No. An agency can only order from a vehicle it is authorized to use. GWACs and the GSA Schedules are broadly available across the government, while agency-specific IDIQs are limited to the awarding agency and any designated users.
Related terms
IDIQ Contract
An Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity contract that lets an agency place task or …
Fair Opportunity Competition
A streamlined competition run among the holders of an IDIQ or GSA Schedule to award a s…
GSA Schedule (MAS)
A long-term, government-wide contract vehicle holding pre-negotiated prices and terms t…
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