FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 1: Federal Acquisition Regulations System › Subpart 1.4

FAR 1.401 Definition.

The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.

In plain English

This section defines what counts as a 'deviation' from the FAR. It matters to contractors because it describes the kinds of changes, omissions, or inconsistent practices in solicitations, contract clauses, policies, or procedures that are considered departures from the FAR.

Applies to: Acquisition actions and contracting policies or procedures covered by the FAR

Key terms: Deviation · solicitation provision · contract clause · modification · alternate

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

Deviation means any one or combination of the following:

(a) The issuance or use of a policy, procedure, solicitation provision (see definition in 2.101), contract clause (see definition in 2.101), method, or practice of conducting acquisition actions of any kind at any stage of the acquisition process that is inconsistent with the FAR.

(b) The omission of any solicitation provision or contract clause when its prescription requires its use.

(c) The use of any solicitation provision or contract clause with modified or alternate language that is not authorized by the FAR (see definition of “modification” in 52.101(a) and definition of “alternate” in 2.101).

(d) The use of a solicitation provision or contract clause prescribed by the FAR on a substantially as follows or substantially the same as basis (see definitions in 2.101 and 52.101(a)), if such use is inconsistent with the intent, principle, or substance of the prescription or related coverage on the subject matter in the FAR.

(e) The authorization of lesser or greater limitations on the use of any solicitation provision, contract clause, policy, or procedure prescribed by the FAR.

(f) The issuance of policies or procedures that govern the contracting process or otherwise control contracting relationships that are not incorporated into agency acquisition regulations in accordance with 1.301(a).

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 1.400 Scope of subpart. · 1.402 Policy. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 1

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

FAR 1.401 Definition · SpendQuery