What is UNICOR?
The Federal Prison Industries (FPI) program (now operating under the trade name UNICOR) was established in 1934 by an Executive Order issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. On January 1, 1935, FPI officially began operations as a wholly-owned corporation of the United States Government. Eighty years after its establishment, the program continues to operate at no cost to taxpayers and benefits communities across the Nation creating safer prisons and reducing inmate recidivism.
Federal Acquisition Regulation Compliant
DIG has a Contract Manufacturing Agreement (CMA) with FPI; under the CMA, DIG products are assembled by FPI and are made available to federal agencies through several different channels.
Through the FPI channel, federal agencies can benefit in terms of “ease of procurement” which simplifies the procurement process as well as collaborating with FPI/DIG to develop federal agencies’ requirements. FPI and DIG have the necessary technical expertise to define federal agencies’ energy requirements and FPI/DIG will make that expertise available to federal agencies.
Further, through FPI/DIG, every acquisition is in compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and specifically, the Buy American Act and various Trade Agreement Acts and the Competition in Contracting Act.
“You can go straight to FPI for your products, services or energy projects by utilizing MIPRs, or purchase orders at FAR 8.6 or Interagency Agreements at FAR 17.5. It’s that simple, and there are no dollar limits when procuring from FPI.” – Federal Contracting Officer
Budget Execution
Federal Prison Industries is a federal revolving fund, as such, federal agencies may transfer funds to FPI for their bona fide requirements secure in knowing that the funds may be carried into the next fiscal year by FPI; transferring the funds to FPI for a bona fide requirement is an obligation of funds by the transferring agency.