FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 217: Special Contracting Methods › Subpart 217.1
DFARS 217.170 General.
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 sets rules for DoD multiyear contracts. Before awarding one, the agency head must compare its cost to annual procurement using present value analysis and only award if the multiyear approach is cheaper. It also requires congressional notifications before certain multiyear awards and before terminating any multiyear contract.
Applies to: DoD agencies and components awarding or terminating multiyear contracts
What it requires
- Before awarding a multiyear contract, compare its cost to an annual procurement approach using present value analysis.
- Do not award the multiyear contract unless the analysis shows it will result in the lower cost.
- Provide written notice to congressional defense committees at least 30 days before terminating any multiyear contract.
- Ensure every multiyear contract complies with FAR 17.104(c), unless an exception is approved through the budget process in coordination with the cognizant comptroller.
Key terms: multiyear contract · present value analysis · annual procurement · congressional defense committees · cancellation ceiling
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) Before awarding a multiyear contract, the head of the agency must compare the cost of that contract to the cost of an annual procurement approach, using a present value analysis. Do not award the multiyear contract unless the analysis shows that the multiyear contract will result in the lower cost (10 U.S.C. 3501(l)(7); section 8008(a) of Pub. L. 105-56 and similar sections in subsequent DoD appropriations acts).
(b) The head of the agency must provide written notice to the congressional defense committees at least 30 days before termination of any multiyear contract (section 8010 of Division C, Title VIII, of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (Pub. L. 113-235) and similar sections in subsequent DoD appropriations acts).
(c) Every multiyear contract must comply with FAR 17.104(c), unless an exception is approved through the budget process in coordination with the cognizant comptroller.
(d)(1) DoD must provide notification to the congressional defense committees at least 30 days before entering into a multiyear contract for certain procurements, including those expected to—
(i) Employ an unfunded contingent liability in excess of $20 million (see 10 U.S.C. 3501(l)(1), 10 U.S.C. 3531(d)(1), and section 8008(a) of Pub. L. 105-56 and similar sections in subsequent DoD appropriations acts);
(ii) Employ economic order quantity procurement in excess of $20 million in any one year of the contract (see 10 U.S.C. 3501(l)(1) and section 8008(a) of Pub. L. 105-56 and similar sections in subsequent DoD appropriations acts);
(iii) Involve a contract for advance procurement leading to a multiyear contract that employs economic order quantity procurement in excess of $20 million in any one year (see 10 U.S.C. 3501(l)(1) and section 8008(a) of Pub. L. 105-56 and similar sections in subsequent DoD appropriations acts); or
(iv) Include a cancellation ceiling in excess of $200 million (see 10 U.S.C. 3531(d)(4) and 10 U.S.C. 3501(g)(1)).
(2) A DoD component must submit a request for authority to enter into a multiyear contract described in paragraphs (d)(1)(i) through (iv) of this section as part of the component's budget submission for the fiscal year in which the multiyear contract will be initiated. DoD will include the request, for each candidate it supports, as part of the President's budget for that year and in the Appendix to that budget as part of proposed legislative language for the appropriations bill for that year (section 8008(b) of Pub. L. 105-56).
(3) If the advisability of using a multiyear contract becomes apparent too late to satisfy the requirements in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, the request for authority to enter into a multiyear contract must be—
(i) Formally submitted by the President as a budget amendment; or
(ii) Made by the Secretary of Defense, in writing, to the congressional defense committees (see section 8008(b) of Pub. L. 105-56).
(4) Agencies must establish reporting procedures to meet the congressional notification requirements of paragraph (d)(1) of this section. The head of the agency must submit a copy of each notice to the Principal Director, Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy (DPCAP), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment) (OUSD(A&S)), and to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (Program/Budget) (OUSD(C)(P/B)).
(5) If the budget for a contract that contains a cancellation ceiling in excess of $200 million does not include proposed funding for the costs of contract cancellation up to the cancellation ceiling established in the contract—
(i) The notification required by paragraph (d)(1) of this section shall include—
(A) The cancellation ceiling amounts planned for each program year in the proposed multiyear contract, together with the reasons for the amounts planned;
(B) The extent to which costs of contract cancellation are not included in the budget for the contract; and
(C) A financial risk assessment of not including budgeting for costs of contract cancellation (10 U.S.C. 3501(g) and 10 U.S.C. 3531(d)); and
(ii) The head of the agency shall provide copies of the notification to the Office of Management and Budget at least 14 days before contract award.
Sections it refers to
- 17.104 General.
← 217.103 Definitions. · 217.171 Multiyear contracts for services. →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 217
- 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: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds (DFARS Case 2024-D002) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds (DFARS Case 2024-D002) ↗ · proposed 2025-01-17 · comments due 2025-03-18
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2025-01-17 · effective 2025-01-17
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Disclosure of Information Regarding Foreign Obligations (DFARS Case 2018-D064) ↗ · proposed 2024-11-15 · comments due 2025-01-14
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Data Universal Numbering System to Unique Entity Identifier Transition (DFARS Case 2022-D023) ↗ · final rule 2024-09-26 · effective 2024-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Assessing Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041) ↗ · proposed 2024-08-15 · comments due 2024-10-15
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.