Value Over Cost Act of 2025
The Value Over Cost Act of 2025 proposes to modify how federal purchases made through the Federal Acquisition Service’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) are evaluated. Specifically, the bill would allow (and in practice require, when the GSA Administrator determines it is in the government’s best interests) that MAS orders and contracts be evaluated for “best value” rather than solely selecting the lowest-cost option. This uses the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) best-value framework (FAR 15.101) as the standard for determining value. In all MAS procurements covered by the bill, agencies would still consider the option of selecting the lowest overall cost, but the Administrator could authorize or require choosing the best-value alternative when it serves the government’s best interests. The changes would apply to both civilian contracts (41 U.S.C. § 152(3)(B)) and defense contracts (10 U.S.C. § 3012(3)(B)). In short, the bill inserts “best value” as a formal, codified consideration within MAS purchasing, giving the GSA Administrator more discretion to prioritize factors beyond price when it’s deemed in the government’s best interests. This could shift some MAS awards toward higher-value outcomes, potentially balancing initial costs with long-term performance, risk, and lifecycle costs.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The act may be cited as the “Value Over Cost Act of 2025.”
- 2Civilian contracts: Amends 41 U.S.C. § 152(3)(B) to require MAS orders and contracts to result in either the lowest overall cost alternative or, when the GSA Administrator determines it is necessary to promote the government’s best interests, the best value to meet federal needs (per FAR 15.101).
- 3Defense contracts: Amends 10 U.S.C. § 3012(3)(B) with the same two-path requirement for MAS procurements—either the lowest overall cost or best value when required to promote the government’s best interests (per FAR 15.101).
- 4GSA Administrator role: The decision to pursue “best value” rests with the Administrator of General Services, who must determine when best value is necessary to promote the government’s interests.
- 5Reference to FAR framework: The bill ties the “best value” determination to the FAR’s best-value framework (FAR 15.101), ensuring a structured, value-focused approach rather than price alone.