(a) When awarding emergency response contracts during the term of a major disaster or emergency declaration by the President of the United States under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.5121, et seq.), preference shall be given, to the extent feasible and practicable, to local firms. Preference may be given through a local area set-aside or an evaluation preference.

(b) When using the authority under the Stafford Act, see the definitions of “micro-purchase threshold” and “simplified acquisition threshold” in 2.101 for the authority to use an increased micro-purchase threshold and simplified acquisition threshold.