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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 15: Contracting by Negotiation › Subpart 15.6

FAR 15.604 Agency points of contact.

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 agencies to provide potential offerors with information about unsolicited proposals, including definitions, submission procedures, and points of contact. It also clarifies that only the cognizant contracting officer can bind the Government on unsolicited proposals. For contractors, this means you can get guidance before investing effort in a detailed proposal, but you must work with the contracting officer for any binding commitment.

Applies to: Agencies and potential offerors of unsolicited proposals

What it requires

  • Agencies must make available to potential offerors at least the listed information (definitions, requirements, guidance, points of contact, information sources, procedures, and proprietary marking instructions).

Key terms: unsolicited proposal · cognizant contracting officer · proprietary information · Broad Agency Announcements · Small Business Innovation Research programs

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

The text

(a) Preliminary contact with agency technical or other appropriate personnel before preparing a detailed unsolicited proposal or submitting proprietary information to the Government may save considerable time and effort for both parties (see 15.201). Agencies must make available to potential offerors of unsolicited proposals at least the following information:

(1) Definition (see 2.101) and content (see 15.605) of an unsolicited proposal acceptable for formal evaluation.

(2) Requirements concerning responsible prospective contractors (see subpart 9.1), and organizational conflicts of interest (see subpart 9.5).

(3) Guidance on preferred methods for submitting ideas/concepts to the Government, such as any agency: upcoming solicitations; Broad Agency Announcements; Small Business Innovation Research programs; Small Business Technology Transfer Research programs; Program Research and Development Announcements; or grant programs.

(4) Agency points of contact for information regarding advertising, contributions, and other types of transactions similar to unsolicited proposals.

(5) Information sources on agency objectives and areas of potential interest.

(6) Procedures for submission and evaluation of unsolicited proposals.

(7) Instructions for identifying and marking proprietary information so that it is protected and restrictive legends conform to 15.609.

(b) Only the cognizant contracting officer has the authority to bind the Government regarding unsolicited proposals.

Sections it refers to

  • 15.201 Exchanges with industry before receipt of proposals.
  • 2.101 Definitions.
  • 15.605 Content of unsolicited proposals.
  • 15.609 Limited use of data.

Sections that refer to it

← 15.603 General. · 15.605 Content of unsolicited proposals. →

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 15.604 Agency points of contact · SpendQuery