§ 3410.703 - Responsibilities of the Department of Education with respect to use of the metric system.

(a) Consistent with the Federal Acquisition Regulation System, contracting officers of the Department shall—

(1) Accept, without prejudice, products and services dimensioned in metric units if they are offered at competitive prices and meet the needs of the Department; and

(2) Ensure that acquisition planning considers these products and services.

(b) Consistent with the policy in the Metric Conversion Act, as amended, and in 3410.701, if the metric system is the accepted system of weights and measures in a particular industry, the Department ensures that solicitations include specifications and purchase descriptions stated in metric units of measurement.

(c) If the metric system is not the accepted system of weights and measures in a particular industry, the Department ensures that solicitations for procurements in excess of the small purchase threshold permit offerors to propose products or services in metric units of measurement, except when to do this would be detrimental to the purpose of the affected program.