FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 217: Special Contracting Methods › Subpart 217.74

DFARS 217.7401 Definitions.

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 defines key terms used in DFARS subpart 217.74, including contract action, definitization, qualifying proposal, and undefinitized contract action. It matters to contractors because it explains what counts as a contract action and what an undefinitized contract action is, which affects how and when contract terms and prices get finalized.

Applies to: DoD contractors and contracting actions under DFARS subpart 217.74

Key terms: contract action · definitization · qualifying proposal · undefinitized contract action

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

The text

As used in this subpart—

Contract action means an action which results in a contract.

(1) It includes contract modifications for additional supplies or services.

(2) It includes task orders and delivery orders.

(3) It does not include change orders, administrative changes, funding modifications, or any other contract modifications that are within the scope and under the terms of the contract, e.g., engineering change proposals, value engineering change proposals, and over and above work requests as described in subpart 217.77. For policy relating to definitization of change orders, see 243.204-70.

Definitization means the agreement on, or determination of, contract terms, specifications, and price, which converts the undefinitized contract action to a definitive contract.

Qualifying proposal means a proposal that contains sufficient information to enable DoD to conduct meaningful analyses and audits of the information contained in the proposal.

Undefinitized contract action means any contract action for which the contract terms, specifications, or price are not agreed upon before performance is begun under the action. Examples are letter contracts, orders under basic ordering agreements, and provisioned item orders, for which the price has not been agreed upon before performance has begun. For policy relating to definitization of change orders, see 243.204-70.

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 217.7400 Scope. · 217.7402 Exceptions. →

Rule changes for DFARS Part 217

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

DFARS 217.7401 Definitions · SpendQuery