Electronic commerce is all around us.  Federal Government Contracting Officers are increasingly instructing potential contractors to submit responses electronically.  Did you know that the FAR addresses when the contracting officer can accept late electronic submissions?  The FAR states the contracting officer can accept the late submission if it was transmitted through an electronic commerce method authorized by the solicitation and it was received at the initial point of entry to the Government infrastructure not later than 5:00 p.m. one working day prior to the date specified for receipt of documents.  What does that mean to businesses?  If the Government's systems go down and you have not submitted your response by 5:00 p.m. one working day prior as indicated above and it arrives to the contracting officer past the time for receipt of documents, your response will be late.  Documents due on a Tuesday, would need to be submitted electronically by 5:00 p.m. on Monday.  Note, documents due on a Monday, would need to be submitted electronically by 5:00 p.m. on Friday.  FAR references include FAR 52.212-1(f)(2)(i)(A), FAR 52.214-7(b)(1)(i),and FAR 52.215-1(c)(3)(ii)(A)(1). Please contact Carol Murphy at carolm@wispro.org with questions.