SpendQueryBeta

FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 15: Contracting by Negotiation

FAR 15.002 Types of negotiated acquisition.

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 describes two types of negotiated acquisitions: sole source and competitive. In sole source acquisitions, the request for proposals should be tailored to remove unnecessary information and requirements. In competitive acquisitions, the procedures are intended to minimize complexity while maintaining an impartial and comprehensive evaluation that leads to the best value for the Government.

Applies to: Contracting officers conducting negotiated acquisitions

Key terms: sole source acquisitions · competitive acquisitions · request for proposals (RFP) · best value · evaluation criteria

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

The text

(a) Sole source acquisitions. When contracting in a sole source environment, the request for proposals (RFP) should be tailored to remove unnecessary information and requirements; e.g., evaluation criteria and voluminous proposal preparation instructions.

(b) Competitive acquisitions. When contracting in a competitive environment, the procedures of this part are intended to minimize the complexity of the solicitation, the evaluation, and the source selection decision, while maintaining a process designed to foster an impartial and comprehensive evaluation of offerors' proposals, leading to selection of the proposal representing the best value to the Government (see 2.101).

Sections it refers to

← 15.001 Definitions. · 15.100 Scope of subpart. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 15

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

FAR 15.002 Types of negotiated acquisition · SpendQuery