Final answer:
Acquisitions for supplies and services between $3,500 and $150,000 are reserved for small business concerns by default, unless specific conditions are met to override this reservation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acquisitions for supplies and services exceeding $3,500, but not exceeding $150,000, are automatically reserved exclusively for small business concerns unless the contracting officer:
a) Determines that there are no qualified small business concerns.
b) Receives a waiver from the head of the contracting activity.
c) Includes a justification for other than full and open competition in the contract file.
d) Documents a preference for large business concerns.
In other words, when acquiring supplies and services within this specified range, the default is to give the opportunity to small business concerns. However, there are certain circumstances where this default can be overridden.
The contracting officer may determine that there are no qualified small business concerns, or they may receive a waiver from the head of the contracting activity.
Additionally, if there is a justification for other than full and open competition, it must be included in the contract file. Lastly, if the contracting officer has documented a preference for large business concerns, it can also override the automatic reservation for small businesses.