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FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 206: Competition Requirements › Subpart 206.3

DFARS 206.303-1 Requirements.

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 DFARS section implements a National Defense Authorization Act rule for sole-source 8(a) contracts. It states that no justification and approval is required for sole-source 8(a) contracts up to $100 million, but for contracts over $100 million, the contracting officer must justify the sole-source award in writing, obtain approval, and make the justification public after award.

Applies to: DoD contracting officers awarding sole-source 8(a) contracts

What it requires

  • For sole-source 8(a) contracts over $100 million, justify the use of a sole-source contract in writing in accordance with FAR 6.303-2.
  • For sole-source 8(a) contracts over $100 million, obtain approval of the justification in accordance with 206.304(a)(S-71).
  • For sole-source 8(a) contracts over $100 million, make the justification and related information public after award in accordance with FAR 6.305.

Key terms: sole-source contract · 8(a) authority · justification and approval · contracting officer

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

The text

(a) In accordance with section 823 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub. L. 116-92), no justification and approval is required for a sole-source contract under the 8(a) authority (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) for an amount not exceeding $100 million.

(b) In lieu of FAR 6.303-1(b), in accordance with section 823 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Pub. L. 116-92), contracting officers shall not award a sole-source contract under the 8(a) authority (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) for an amount exceeding $100 million unless—

(1) The contracting officer justifies the use of a sole-source contract in writing in accordance with FAR 6.303-2;

(2) The justification is approved in accordance with 206.304(a)(S-71); and

(3) The justification and related information are made public after award in accordance with FAR 6.305.

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 206.303 Justifications. · 206.303-2 Content. →

Rule changes for DFARS Part 206

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

DFARS 206.303-1 Requirements · SpendQuery