FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 13: Simplified Acquisition Procedures
FAR 13.000 Scope of part.
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 explains what FAR Part 13 covers: policies and procedures for buying supplies and services, including construction, research and development, and commercial products and services, when the total amount is at or below the simplified acquisition threshold. It also notes that Subpart 13.5 provides special authority for certain commercial acquisitions above that threshold but within stated dollar limits, including options. It matters because it tells you which rules apply to smaller purchases and points you to other parts for related situations.
Applies to: Acquisitions of supplies and services at or below the simplified acquisition threshold, and certain commercial acquisitions under Subpart 13.5
Key terms: simplified acquisition threshold · commercial products · commercial services · micro-purchase threshold · options
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
This part prescribes policies and procedures for the acquisition of supplies and services, including construction, research and development, commercial products, and commercial services, the aggregate amount of which does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (see 2.101). Subpart 13.5 provides special authority for acquisitions of commercial products and commercial services exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $9 million ($15 million for acquisitions as described in 13.500(c)), including options. See part 12 for policies applicable to the acquisition of commercial items exceeding the micro-purchase threshold. See 36.602-5 for simplified procedures to be used when acquiring architect-engineer services.
Rule changes for FAR Part 13
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, and 51 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Prohibition on Certain Semiconductor Products and Services ↗ · proposed 2026-02-17 · comments due 2026-04-20
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · final rule 2025-08-27 · effective 2025-10-01
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition ↗ · proposed 2025-01-15 · comments due 2025-03-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems From Covered Foreign Entities ↗ · final rule 2024-12-30
- Federal Acquisition Regulation; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2024-12-16 · effective 2025-01-03
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · proposed 2024-11-29 · comments due 2025-01-28
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems From Covered Foreign Entities ↗ · final rule 2024-11-12 · effective 2024-11-12
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.