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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 15: Contracting by Negotiation › Subpart 15.2

FAR 15.204-5 Part IV—Representations and Instructions.

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 tells the contracting officer how to organize the representations and instructions part of a solicitation. It creates Section K for offeror representations and certifications, Section L for proposal preparation instructions, and Section M for evaluation factors and their relative importance. For contractors, it explains where to find what you must certify, how to format your proposal, and how your proposal will be judged.

Applies to: Contracting officers preparing solicitations and offerors responding to them

Key terms: representations · certifications · instructions · evaluation factors · certified cost or pricing data

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

The text

The contracting officer shall prepare the representations and instructions as follows:

(a) Section K, Representations, certifications, and other statements of offerors. Include in this section those solicitation provisions that require representations, certifications, or the submission of other information by offerors.

(b) Section L, Instructions, conditions, and notices to offerors or respondents. Insert in this section solicitation provisions and other information and instructions not required elsewhere to guide offerors or respondents in preparing proposals or responses to requests for information. Prospective offerors or respondents may be instructed to submit proposals or information in a specific format or severable parts to facilitate evaluation. The instructions may specify further organization of proposal or response parts, such as—

(1) Administrative;

(2) Management;

(3) Technical;

(4) Past performance; and

(5) Certified cost or pricing data (see Table 15-2 of 15.408) or data other than certified cost or pricing data.

(c) Section M, Evaluation factors for award. Identify all significant factors and any significant subfactors that will be considered in awarding the contract and their relative importance (see 15.304(d)). The contracting officer shall insert one of the phrases in 15.304(e).

Sections it refers to

  • 15.408 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
  • 15.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors.

Sections that refer to it

  • 15.204-1 Uniform contract format.
  • 15.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors.
  • 35.007 Solicitations.

← 15.204-4 Part III—List of Documents, Exhibits, and Other Attachments. · 15.205 Issuing solicitations. →

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 15.204-5 Part IV—Representations and Instructions · SpendQuery