FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 19: Small Business Programs
FAR 19.001 Definitions.
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 defines key terms used in FAR Part 19, which governs small business programs. It explains what a 'concern' is, how 'fair market price' is determined, what 'industry' means, and who qualifies as a 'similarly situated entity' for subcontracting purposes. These definitions matter because they determine eligibility and compliance under small business contracting rules.
Applies to: Small business contractors and subcontractors under FAR Part 19
Key terms: Concern · Fair market price · Industry · Similarly situated entity · NAICS
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As used in this part—
Concern means any business entity organized for profit (even if its ownership is in the hands of a nonprofit entity) with a place of business located in the United States or its outlying areas and that makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes and/or use of American products, material and/or labor, etc. “Concern” includes but is not limited to an individual, partnership, corporation, joint venture, association, or cooperative. For more information, see 13 CFR 121.105.
Fair market price means a price based on reasonable costs under normal competitive conditions and not on lowest possible cost (see 19.202-6).
Industry means all concerns primarily engaged in similar lines of activity, as listed and described in the North American Industry Classification system (NAICS) manual.
Similarly situated entity means a first-tier subcontractor, including an independent contractor, that—
(1) Has the same small business program status as that which qualified the prime contractor for the award (e.g., for a small business set-aside contract, any small business concern, without regard to socioeconomic status); and (2) Is considered small for the size standard under the NAICS code the prime contractor assigned to the subcontract.
Sections it refers to
- 19.202-6 Determination of fair market price.
← 19.000 Scope of part. · 19.101 [Reserved] →
Rule changes for FAR Part 19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · final rule 2025-08-27 · effective 2025-10-01
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Small Business Participation on Certain Multiple-Award Contracts ↗ · proposed 2025-06-12
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Small Business Participation on Certain Multiple-Award Contracts ↗ · proposed 2025-01-15 · comments due 2025-03-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Subcontracting to Puerto Rican and Covered Territory Small Businesses ↗ · final rule 2025-01-03 · effective 2025-01-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Rerepresentation of Size and Socioeconomic Status ↗ · final rule 2025-01-03 · effective 2025-01-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Certification of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses ↗ · final rule 2024-12-16 · effective 2024-12-16
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · proposed 2024-11-29 · comments due 2025-01-28
- Federal Acquisition Regulation; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2024-08-29 · effective 2024-09-30
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.