FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 215: Contracting by Negotiation › Subpart 215.3

DFARS 215.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors.

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 requires contracting officers to evaluate how much small businesses will participate in certain contracts, and to consider factors like capital assets made in the U.S., manufacturing readiness, supply chain risk, and sustainment in source selections. It also mandates that Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) assessments of price, supplier, and item risk be part of the award decision. For contractors, this means your proposal must show your commitment to small business performance and may be evaluated on these additional factors.

Applies to: Contracting officers conducting source selections for certain Department of Defense acquisitions, and offerors responding to those solicitations.

What it requires

  • In acquisitions requiring a small business subcontracting plan (except lowest price technically acceptable), address the extent of small business participation in source selection.
  • Evaluate how offerors identify and commit to small business performance, whether as a joint venture, teaming arrangement, or subcontractor.
  • Keep proposals on small business performance separate from subcontracting plans and structured to allow consideration of offers from small businesses.
  • When evaluating small businesses specifically identified in proposals, list those small businesses in any subcontracting plan submitted under FAR 52.219-9.

Key terms: small business subcontracting plan · lowest price technically acceptable · source selection · major defense acquisition program · Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS)

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

The text

(c)(i) In acquisitions that require use of the clause at FAR 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan, other than those based on the lowest price technically acceptable source selection process (see FAR 15.101-2), the extent of participation of small businesses (to include service-disabled veteran-owned small business concerns, HUBZone small business concerns, small disadvantaged business concerns, and women-owned small business concerns) in performance of the contract shall be addressed in source selection. The contracting officer shall evaluate the extent to which offerors identify and commit to small business performance of the contract, whether as a joint venture, teaming arrangement, or subcontractor.

(A) See PGI 215.304(c)(i)(A) for examples of evaluation factors.

(B) Proposals addressing the extent of small business performance shall be separate from subcontracting plans submitted pursuant to the clause at FAR 52.219-9 and shall be structured to allow for consideration of offers from small businesses.

(C) When an evaluation assesses the extent that small businesses are specifically identified in proposals, the small businesses considered in the evaluation shall be listed in any subcontracting plan submitted pursuant to FAR 52.219-9 to facilitate compliance with 252.219-7003(e).

(ii) In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 4293, consider the purchase of capital assets (including machine tools) manufactured in the United States, in source selections for all major defense acquisition programs as defined in 10 U.S.C. 4201.

(iii) See 247.573-2(c) for additional evaluation factors required in solicitations for the direct purchase of ocean transportation services.

(iv) In accordance with section 812 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, consider the manufacturing readiness and manufacturing-readiness processes of potential contractors and subcontractors as a part of the source selection process for major defense acquisition programs.

(v) Include an evaluation factor regarding supply chain risk (see subpart 239.73) when acquiring information technology, whether as a service or as a supply, that is a covered system, is a part of a covered system, or is in support of a covered system, as defined in 239.7301. For additional guidance see PGI 215.304(c)(v).

(vi) Ensure source selections emphasize sustainment factors and objective reliability and maintainability evaluation criteria in competitive contracts for the—

(A) Technical maturation and risk reduction phase of weapon system design (see guidance at PGI 207.105(b)(14)(ii)(2));

(B) Engineering and manufacturing development phase of a weapon system, including embedded software (10 U.S.C. 4328); or

(C) Production and deployment phase of a weapon system, including embedded software (10 U.S.C. 4328).

(vii) See 226.7202 for an additional evaluation factor required in solicitations when using the Demonstration Project for Contractors Employing Persons with Disabilities.

(viii)(A) When procuring supplies or services, the contracting officer shall ensure Supplier Performance Risk System (SPRS) assessments of price risk and supplier risk are considered as a part of the award decision. See 204.7603.

(B) When procuring an end product identified by a material identifier that is available as described at PGI 204.7603, the contracting officer shall also consider SPRS assessments of item risk in the award decision.

Sections it refers to

  • 52.219-9 Small Business Subcontracting Plan.
  • 15.101-2 Lowest price technically acceptable source selection process.
  • 252.219-7003 Small Business Subcontracting Plan (DoD Contracts).
  • 239.7301 Definitions.
  • 207.105 Contents of written acquisition plans.
  • 226.7202 Policy and procedures.
  • 204.7603 Procedures.

Sections that refer to it

  • 219.704 Subcontracting plan requirements.
  • 247.206 Preparation of solicitations and contracts.

← 215.303 Responsibilities. · § 215.305 215.305 Proposal evaluation. →

Rule changes for DFARS Part 215

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

DFARS 215.304 Evaluation factors and significant subfactors · SpendQuery