FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 201: Federal Acquisition Regulations System › Subpart 201.1
DFARS 201.101 Purpose.
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 states the purpose of the defense acquisition system: to manage U.S. investments in technologies, programs, and product support for national security, supporting both current and future armed forces. It also sets the primary objective of DoD acquisition as acquiring quality supplies and services that meet user needs at a fair and reasonable price. For contractors, it signals that DoD buying is driven by mission capability and cost reasonableness.
Applies to: The defense acquisition system and DoD acquisition
Key terms: defense acquisition system · national security strategy · investment strategy · mission capability · fair and reasonable price
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(1) The defense acquisition system, as defined in 10 U.S.C. 3001(a), exists to manage the investments of the United States in technologies, programs, and product support necessary to achieve the national security strategy prescribed by the President pursuant to section 108 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3043) and to support the United States Armed Forces.
(2) The investment strategy of DoD shall be postured to support not only the current United States armed forces, but also future armed forces of the United States.
(3) The primary objective of DoD acquisition is to acquire quality supplies and services that satisfy user needs with measurable improvements to mission capability and operational support at a fair and reasonable price.
Rule changes for DFARS Part 201
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2024-09-26 · effective 2024-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2024-07-29 · effective 2024-07-29
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.