Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
Also called: FAR, FAR clauses, federal acquisition regulation, 48 CFR
The Federal Acquisition Regulation is the rulebook, codified at 48 CFR Chapter 1, that governs how executive-branch federal agencies buy goods and services, from market research to contract closeout.
The FAR is published on acquisition.gov and arranged in parts: Part 2 has the definitions and thresholds, Part 5 the publicizing rules, Part 12 commercial buying, Part 13 simplified acquisition, Part 14 sealed bidding, Part 15 negotiated procurement, Part 19 small business programs, Part 33 protests, and Part 52 the clauses that end up in your contract. Each agency adds a supplement (DFARS for defense, VAAR for the VA, and so on).
What to check: the clauses listed in your solicitation by number and read them in Part 52, the thresholds in FAR 2.101 that decide which procedure applies, and the FAR part the solicitation cites for its evaluation. When a contracting officer says a rule applies, ask for the FAR cite; it is a normal question.
What it is not: binding on states, counties or cities, which follow their own procurement codes, and not static. Federal Acquisition Circulars revise it several times a year.
See also: Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), Simplified acquisition threshold (SAT), Contracting officer (CO or KO), Section K
Questions that use this term
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