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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 13: Simplified Acquisition Procedures › Subpart 13.5

FAR 13.500 General.

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 authorizes simplified acquisition procedures for buying commercial products or services when the total value is above the simplified acquisition threshold but not more than $9 million (or up to $15 million for certain emergency or contingency situations). It gives contracting officers more flexibility to award contracts faster and with less paperwork, which can benefit contractors by reducing administrative burden.

Applies to: Acquisitions of commercial products or commercial services above the simplified acquisition threshold up to $9 million (or $15 million in specified circumstances).

Key terms: simplified acquisition threshold · commercial products · commercial services · contingency operation · simplified acquisition procedures

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

The text

(a) This subpart authorizes the use of simplified procedures for the acquisition of supplies and services in amounts greater than the simplified acquisition threshold but not exceeding $9 million ($15 million for acquisitions as described in 13.500(c)), including options, if the contracting officer reasonably expects, based on the nature of the supplies or services sought, and on market research, that offers will include only commercial products or commercial services. Contracting officers may use any simplified acquisition procedure in this part, subject to any specific dollar limitation applicable to the particular procedure. The purpose of these simplified procedures is to vest contracting officers with additional procedural discretion and flexibility, so that commercial acquisitions in this dollar range may be solicited, offered, evaluated, and awarded in a simplified manner that maximizes efficiency and economy and minimizes burden and administrative costs for both the Government and industry (10 U.S.C. 3205-3208 and chapter 241 and 41 U.S.C. 3305, 3306, and chapter 37, Awarding of Contracts.

(b) When acquiring commercial products or commercial services using the procedures in this part, the requirements of part 12 apply subject to the order of precedence provided at 12.102(c). This includes use of the provisions and clauses in subpart 12.3.

(c) Under 41 U.S.C. 1903, the simplified acquisition procedures authorized in this subpart may be used for acquisitions that do not exceed $15 million when—

(1) The acquisition is for commercial products or commercial services that, as determined by the head of the agency, are to be used in support of a contingency operation; to facilitate the defense against or recovery from cyber, nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological attack; to support a request from the Secretary of State or the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development to facilitate provision of international disaster assistance; or to support response to an emergency or major disaster, or

(2) The acquisition will be treated as an acquisition of commercial products or commercial services in accordance with 12.102(f)(1).

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

  • 2.101 Definitions.
  • 12.203 Procedures for solicitation, evaluation, and award.
  • 13.000 Scope of part.
  • 13.003 Policy.
  • 13.303-5 Purchases under BPAs.
  • 18.201 Contingency operation.
  • 18.202 Defense or recovery from certain events.
  • 218.270 Head of contracting activity determinations.

← 13.404 Contract clause. · 13.501 Special documentation requirements. →

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 13.500 General · SpendQuery