FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 13: Simplified Acquisition Procedures
FAR 13.001 Definitions.
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 four terms used in FAR Part 13, which covers simplified acquisition procedures. It matters to contractors because these terms describe the payment and purchasing methods agencies may use when buying supplies and services under this part.
Applies to: Contractors and agency personnel involved in simplified acquisitions under FAR Part 13
Key terms: Authorized individual · Governmentwide commercial purchase card · Imprest fund · Third party draft
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As used in this part—
Authorized individual means a person who has been granted authority, in accordance with agency procedures, to acquire supplies and services in accordance with this part.
Governmentwide commercial purchase card means a purchase card, similar in nature to a commercial credit card, issued to authorized agency personnel to use to acquire and to pay for supplies and services.
Imprest fund means a cash fund of a fixed amount established by an advance of funds, without charge to an appropriation, from an agency finance or disbursing officer to a duly appointed cashier, for disbursement as needed from time to time in making payment in cash for relatively small amounts.
Third party draft means an agency bank draft, similar to a check, that is used to acquire and to pay for supplies and services. (See Treasury Financial Management Manual, Section 3040.70.)
← 13.000 Scope of part. · 13.002 Purpose. →
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.