FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 212: Acquisition of Commercial Products and Commercial Services › Subpart 212.5
DFARS 212.504 Applicability of certain laws to subcontracts for the acquisition of commercial products and commercial services.
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 lists laws that do not apply to subcontracts at any tier for commercial products, commercial services, or commercial components. It also identifies certain requirements of other laws that are eliminated for such subcontracts. This matters because it reduces the legal requirements that flow down to subcontractors in these acquisitions.
Applies to: Subcontracts at any tier for the acquisition of commercial products, commercial services, or commercial components.
Key terms: commercial products · commercial services · commercial components · subcontracts at any tier · simplified acquisition threshold
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) The following laws are not applicable to subcontracts at any tier for the acquisition of commercial products, commercial services, or commercial components:
(i) 10 U.S.C. 2391 note, Notification of Substantial Impact on Employment.
(ii) 10 U.S.C. 2631, Transportation of Supplies by Sea (except as provided in the clause at 252.247-7023, Transportation of Supplies by Sea).
(iii) 10 U.S.C. 3321(b), Prohibition on Contingent Fees.
(iv) 10 U.S.C. 3741-3750, Allowable Costs Under Defense Contracts.
(v) 10 U.S.C. 3841(d), Examination of Records of a Contractor.
(vi) 10 U.S.C. 3845, Contractor Inventory Accounting System Standards.
(vii) 10 U.S.C. 4651, note prec. (section 855, Pub. L. 117-81), Employment Transparency Regarding Individuals Who Perform Work in the People's Republic of China.
(viii) 10 U.S.C. 4654, Prohibition Against Doing Business with Certain Offerors or Contractors.
(ix) 10 U.S.C. 4656(a), Prohibition on Persons Convicted of Defense Related Felonies.
(x) 10 U.S.C. 4753(b), Requirement to Identify Suppliers.
(xi) 10 U.S.C. 4801 note prec., Notification of Proposed Program Termination.
(xii) 10 U.S.C. 4864, Miscellaneous Limitations on the Procurement of Goods Other Than United States Goods. 10 U.S.C. 4864 is not applicable to subcontracts valued at or below the simplified acquisition threshold.
(xiii) Section 8116 of the Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Pub. L. 111-118) (prohibits mandatory arbitration) and similar sections in subsequent DoD appropriations acts.
(xiv) Domestic Content Restrictions in the National Defense Appropriations Acts for Fiscal Years 1996 and Subsequent Years, unless the restriction specifically applies to commercial products and commercial services. For the restriction that specifically applies to commercial ball or roller bearings as end items, see 225.7009-3 (section 8065, Pub. L. 107-117).
(b) Certain requirements of the following laws have been eliminated for subcontracts at any tier for the acquisition of commercial products, commercial services, or commercial components:
(i) 10 U.S.C. 4654(d), Subcontractor Reports Under Prohibition Against Doing Business with Certain Offerors (see FAR 52.209-6).
(ii) 10 U.S.C. 4655, Prohibition on Limiting Subcontractor Direct Sales to the United States (see FAR 3.503 and 52.203-6).
(iii) 10 U.S.C. 4864, Miscellaneous Limitations on the Procurement of Goods Other Than United States Goods. 10 U.S.C. 4864 is not applicable to subcontracts at any tier valued at or below the simplified acquisition threshold.
Sections it refers to
- 252.247-7023 Transportation of Supplies by Sea.
- 225.7009-3 Exception.
- 52.209-6 Protecting the Government's Interest When Subcontracting With Contractors Debarred, Suspended, Proposed for Debarment, or Voluntarily Excluded.
- 3.503 Unreasonable restrictions on subcontractor sales.
- 52.203-6 Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government.
Sections that refer to it
- 212.505 Applicability of certain laws to contracts for the acquisition of COTS items.
← 212.503 Applicability of certain laws to Executive agency contracts for the acquisition of commercial products and commercial services. · 212.505 Applicability of certain laws to contracts for the acquisition of COTS items. →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 212
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Modifications to Printed Circuit Board Acquisition Restrictions (DFARS Case 2022-D011) ↗ · proposed 2026-07-02 · comments due 2026-08-31
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Certification Requirement for Military Recruitment Advertising (DFARS Case 2024-D022) ↗ · proposed 2026-06-25 · comments due 2026-08-24
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Small Purchase Exception for the Acquisition of U.S. Flags (DFARS Case 2024-D013) ↗ · proposed 2026-06-25 · comments due 2026-08-24
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Mitigating Risks Related to Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (DFARS Case 2021-D011) ↗ · proposed 2026-05-07 · comments due 2026-07-06
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Assessing Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041) ↗ · final rule 2025-09-10 · effective 2025-11-10
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Limitation on Certain Institutes of Higher Education (DFARS Case 2024-D023) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-08-25
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Preventing Conflicts of Interest for Certain Consulting Services (DFARS Case 2024-D007) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-10-24
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds (DFARS Case 2024-D002) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-10-01
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.