MIPR (Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request)

What is a MIPR?

A Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request is the document the Department of Defense uses to move funds from one organization to another so that the receiving organization can buy goods or services on the first one's behalf. In plain terms, it is how one part of DoD hands money to another part that has the contract or the buying expertise to make a purchase happen.

How it works

MIPRs are central to assisted acquisitions, where a requiring activity does not run the buy itself but funds another agency or command that does. The requiring organization issues a MIPR citing the funds and the requirement; the servicing organization accepts it and then awards or places the order. This lets the government concentrate buying expertise and use existing contract vehicles rather than every office standing up its own procurement.

Why it matters to contractors

If your work is funded through a MIPR, the office you deal with day-to-day may not be the one whose money is paying for it, which can affect how requirements are set and how quickly funds and decisions flow. Understanding the funding path helps you anticipate delays and identify who really drives the requirement. The contracting officer who places the order still holds the contract authority.