FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 14: Sealed Bidding › Subpart 14.2
FAR 14.202-3 Bid envelopes.
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 says that postage or envelopes with 'Postage and Fees Paid' indicia must not be given to prospective bidders with the invitation for bids or otherwise. It also says that Optional Form 17, Offer Label, may be provided with each bid set to help identify and handle bids, and that the form is available from the General Services Administration.
Applies to: Contracting officers distributing invitations for bids and prospective bidders receiving bid sets
What it requires
- Do not distribute postage or envelopes bearing Postage and Fees Paid indicia with the invitation for bids or otherwise supply them to prospective bidders.
Key terms: Postage and Fees Paid indicia · invitation for bids · prospective bidders · Optional Form 17, Offer Label · bid set
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) Postage or envelopes bearing Postage and Fees Paid indicia shall not be distributed with the invitation for bids or otherwise supplied to prospective bidders.
(b) To provide for ready identification and proper handling of bids, Optional Form 17, Offer Label, may be furnished with each bid set. The form may be obtained from the General Services Administration (see 53.107).
← 14.202-2 [Reserved] · 14.202-4 Bid samples. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 14
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 14, 28, 36, and 52 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.