Excluded Parties List

Q. I can't find a location to print off a disbarred list. I looked on www.arnet.gov. Is it required that a procurement officer check the listing each time a contract is being awarded?

A. You are required to ensure that no party listed on the Federal Government's Excluded Parties List is awarded a contract funded with Federal funds. To ensure this does not happen, you are required to check the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) prior to award. The EPLS is updated continuously so you must check on a real-time basis before awarding a contract. The EPLS Website address is http://www.epls.gov/epls/search.do/

Q. Are micro-purchases also subject to the requirement to search for the vendor on the Excluded Parties Listing System website prior to purchase?

A. Under the government-wide non-procurement debarment and suspension regulations, 2 CFR part 180, and under the DOT's non-procurement debarment and suspension regulations, 2 CFR part 1200, grantees may not make awards to suspended or debarred contractors when the value of the contract equals or exceeds $25,000.  This dollar threshold is found in 2 CFR 180.220(b)(1) and 2 CFR 1200.220.  However, in addition to the above-cited regulations, 49 U.S.C. 5325(j) imposes a statutory requirement on grantees to award contracts made with FTA assistance only to responsible contractors.  The statute also mandates that before making award, a grantee must consider the integrity of the contractor.  By definition, debarred or suspended vendors listed on the Excluded Party Listing System (EPLS) are not responsible contractors. Thus, regardless of the dollar value of a contract, the EPLS should be consulted to ensure that the vendor is not listed.