Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 34 CFR part 85, requires that Arkansas school districts restrict subawards and contracts with certain parties that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities.
Listed below are the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) and Public Users Manual websites to be used by school districts in identifying parties that have been excluded. This website has listed a FAQ and Manual to provide assistance in performing searches on EPLS.
The EPLS is an electronic, web-based system that identifies the parties excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain types of Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits. The EPLS was established to ensure that agencies solicit offers from, award contracts, grants, or financial or non-financial assistance and benefits to, and consent to subcontracts with responsible contractors only and not allow a party to participate in any affected program if any Executive department or agency has debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded (to the extent specified in the exclusion action) that party from participation in an affected program.
For purchases or contracts that are expected to equal or exceed $25,000 using federal funds, the district must verify that the vendor is not suspended or debarred or otherwise excluded by checking the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA), prior to entering into the contract or purchase order.
Keep a printout from the EPLS website to document that the school district verified the contractor’s status and complied with the requirements.
EPLS Website:
https://www.epls.gov
Public Users Manual Website:
https://www.epls.gov/EPLS%20Public%20Users%20Manual.pdf