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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 13: Simplified Acquisition Procedures › Subpart 13.3

FAR 13.302-2 Unpriced purchase orders.

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 an unpriced purchase order as an order for supplies or services where the price is not set when the order is issued. It can only be used in specific situations, such as when it's impractical to get pricing upfront or for certain repairs or sole-source items. The order must have a monetary limit, and the contracting office must follow up to ensure timely pricing and review the invoice for reasonableness before payment.

Applies to: Government contractors receiving unpriced purchase orders

What it requires

  • Ensure a realistic monetary limitation is placed on each unpriced purchase order
  • Follow up on each order to ensure timely pricing
  • Review the invoice price and, if reasonable, process the invoice for payment

Key terms: unpriced purchase order · monetary limitation · obligation · firm price · contracting officer

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

The text

(a) An unpriced purchase order is an order for supplies or services, the price of which is not established at the time of issuance of the order.

(b) An unpriced purchase order may be used only when—

(1) It is impractical to obtain pricing in advance of issuance of the purchase order; and

(2) The purchase is for—

(i) Repairs to equipment requiring disassembly to determine the nature and extent of repairs;

(ii) Material available from only one source and for which cost cannot readily be established; or

(iii) Supplies or services for which prices are known to be competitive, but exact prices are not known (e.g., miscellaneous repair parts, maintenance agreements).

(c) Unpriced purchase orders may be issued on paper or electronically. A realistic monetary limitation, either for each line item or for the total order, shall be placed on each unpriced purchase order. The monetary limitation shall be an obligation subject to adjustment when the firm price is established. The contracting office shall follow up on each order to ensure timely pricing. The contracting officer or the contracting officer's designated representative shall review the invoice price and, if reasonable (see 13.106-3(a)), process the invoice for payment.

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 13.302-1 General. · 13.302-3 Obtaining contractor acceptance and modifying purchase orders. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 13

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

FAR 13.302-2 Unpriced purchase orders · SpendQuery