(a)(1) The contracting officer shall include in the solicitation a statement that the charges in the contract shall not exceed the contractor's charges for the same service that is—

(i) Available to the general public; or

(ii) Otherwise tendered to the Government.

(2) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.247-17, Charges.

(b) The contracting officer shall include in the solicitation a tabulation listing each required service and the basis for the rate (price); e.g., unit of weight or per work-hour, leaving sufficient space for offerors to insert the rates offered for each service.

(c) The following guidelines apply to the composition of a tabulation of transportation or of transportation-related services and their rate (price) bases:

(1) Combination of pricing bases. If various types of services with different bases for assessing charges are required under the same contract, show each service separately and the applicable basis for that service.

(2) Hourly rate basis. If charges are based on an hourly rate, state the method for charging for fractions of an hour; e.g., (i) a period of 30 minutes or less is charged at one-half the hourly rate and (ii) the hourly rate applies to any portion of an hour that exceeds 30 minutes.

(3) Shipments of varying weights. If charges are based on weight and shipments will vary in weight, request rates on a graduated weight basis. Include a table of graduated weights for offerors to insert rates.

(4) Multiple origins and/or destinations. Specify whether rates are requested for each origin and/or each destination or for specific groups of origins and/or destinations.

(5) Multiple shipments from one origin. If multiple shipments will be tendered at one time to the contractor for delivery to two or more consignees at the same destination, request the rate applicable to the aggregate weight. If such shipments are for delivery to various destinations along the route between origin and last destination, request the rate applicable to the aggregate weight and a stopoff charge for each intermediate destination.

(i) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.247-18, Multiple Shipments, when multiple shipments are tendered at one time to the contractor for transportation from one origin to two or more consignees at the same destination.

(ii) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.247-19, Stopping in Transit for Partial Unloading, when multiple shipments are tendered at one time to the contractor for transportation from one origin to two or more consignees along the route between origin and last destination.

(6) Estimated quantities or weights. The contracting officer shall insert in solicitations the provision at 52.247-20, Estimated Quantities or Weights for Evaluation of Offers, when quantities or weights of shipments between each origin and destination are not known, stating estimated quantity or weight for each origin/destination pair.

(7) Additional services. If services in addition to those covered in the basic rate are anticipated; e.g., inside delivery, state the conditions under which payment will be made for those services.