FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 14: Sealed Bidding › Subpart 14.4
FAR 14.403 Recording of bids.
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 requires the bid opening officer to complete and certify an abstract of offers (using Standard Form 1409, Optional Form 1419, or an automated equivalent) as soon as practicable after bid opening. It also makes abstracts of offers for unclassified acquisitions available for public inspection, but excludes certain sensitive information from disclosure. The section provides exceptions for certain defense acquisitions and requires recording of cancelled invitations.
Applies to: Contracting officers and bid opening officers involved in sealed bidding.
What it requires
- Complete and certify the abstract of offers as to its accuracy as soon after bid opening as practicable.
- Make abstracts of offers for unclassified acquisitions available for public inspection.
- Ensure abstracts do not contain information regarding failure to meet minimum standards of responsibility, apparent collusion of bidders, or other notations properly exempt from disclosure.
- If an invitation for bids is cancelled before the time set for bid opening, record that fact along with the number of bids invited and the number of bids received.
Key terms: Abstract of Offers · Standard Form 1409 · Optional Form 1419 · unclassified acquisitions · invitation for bids
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) Standard Form 1409, Abstract of Offers, or Optional Form 1419, Abstract of Offers—Construction (or automated equivalent), shall be completed and certified as to its accuracy by the bid opening officer as soon after bid opening as practicable. Where bid items are too numerous to warrant complete recording of all bids, abstract entries for individual bids may be limited to item numbers and bid prices. In preparing these forms, the extra columns and SF 1410, Abstract of Offers—Continuation, and OF 1419A, Abstract of Offers—Construction, Continuation Sheet, may be used to label and record such information as the contracting activity deems necessary.
(b) Abstracts of offers for unclassified acquisitions shall be available for public inspection. Such abstracts shall not contain information regarding failure to meet minimum standards of responsibility, apparent collusion of bidders, or other notations properly exempt from disclosure to the public in accordance with agency regulations implementing subpart 24.2.
(c) The forms identified in paragraph (a) of this section need not be used by the Defense Energy Support Center for acquisitions of coal or petroleum products or by the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia for perishable subsistence items.
(d) If an invitation for bids is cancelled before the time set for bid opening, this fact shall be recorded together with a statement of the number of bids invited and the number of bids received.
← 14.402-3 Postponement of openings. · 14.404 Rejection of bids. →
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.