FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 218: Emergency Acquisitions › Subpart 218.1
DFARS 218.170 Additional acquisition flexibilities.
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 lists additional acquisition flexibilities available to DoD, mostly tied to urgent, emergency, or overseas situations. It matters to contractors because it identifies specific circumstances where DoD may use faster or less restrictive procedures, such as urgency-based noncompetitive awards, advance MIPRs, or emergency vessel repair job orders. It also notes certain foreign-acquisition restrictions that do not apply in listed situations.
Applies to: DoD contracting activities and contractors supporting urgent, emergency, or overseas requirements
Key terms: other than full and open competition · unusual and compelling urgency · advance Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request (MIPR) · Governmentwide commercial purchase card · micro-purchase threshold
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
Additional acquisition flexibilities available to DoD are as follows:
(a) Circumstances permitting other than full and open competition. Use of the authority at FAR 6.302-2, Unusual and compelling urgency, may be appropriate under certain circumstances. See PGI 206.302-2.
(b) Use of advance Military Interdepartmental Purchase Request (MIPR). For urgent requirements, the advance MIPR may be transmitted electronically. See PGI 208.7004-3.
(c) Use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card. Governmentwide commercial purchase cards do not have to be used for purchases valued at or below the micro-purchase threshold if the place of performance is entirely outside the United States. See 213.270(c)(1).
(d) Master agreement for repair and alteration of vessels. The contracting officer, without soliciting offers, may issue a written job order for emergency work to a contractor that has previously executed a master agreement, when delay would endanger a vessel, its cargo or stores, or when military necessity requires immediate work on a vessel. See 217.7103-4, 252.217-7010, and PGI 217.7103-4.
(e) Spare parts breakout program. An urgent immediate buy need not be delayed if an evaluation of the additional information cannot be completed in time to meet the required delivery date. See PGI 217.7506, paragraph 1-105(e).
(f) Storage and disposal of toxic and hazardous materials. Under certain emergency situations, exceptions apply with regard to the prohibition on storage or disposal of non-DoD-owned toxic or hazardous materials on DoD installations. See 223.7102(a)(3) and (7).
(g) Authorization Acts, Appropriations Acts, and other statutory restrictions on foreign acquisition. Acquisitions in the following categories are not subject to the restrictions of 225.7002, Restrictions on food, clothing, fabrics, specialty metals, and hand or measuring tools: (1) Acquisitions at or below the simplified acquisition threshold; (2) Acquisitions outside the United States in support of combat operations; (3) Acquisitions of perishable foods by or for activities located outside the United States for personnel of those activities; (4) Acquisitions of food, specialty metals, or hand or measuring tools in support of contingency operations, or for which the use of other than competitive procedures has been approved on the basis of unusual and compelling urgency in accordance with FAR 6.302-2; (5) Emergency acquisitions by activities located outside the United States for personnel of those activities; and (6) Acquisitions by vessels in foreign waters. See 225.7002-2.
(h) Rights in technical data. The agency head may notify a person asserting a restriction that urgent or compelling circumstances (e.g., emergency repair or overhaul) do not permit the Government to continue to respect the asserted restriction. See 227.7102-2; 227.7103-5; 227.7103-13; 227.7104; 227.7203-13; 252.227-7013; 252.227-7014; 252.227-7015; 252.227-7018; and 252.227-7037.
(i) Tax exemption in Spain. If copies of a contract are not available and duty-free import of equipment or materials is urgent, the contracting officer may send the Joint United States Military Group copies of the Letter of Intent or a similar document indicating the pending award. See PGI 229.7001.
(j) Electronic submission and processing of payment requests. Exceptions to the use of Wide Area WorkFlow are at 232.7002(a).
(k) Mortuary services. In an epidemic or other emergency, the contracting activity may obtain services beyond the capacity of the contractor's facilities from other sources. See 237.7003(a) and 252.237-7003.
Sections it refers to
- 6.302-2 Unusual and compelling urgency.
- 206.302-2 Unusual and compelling urgency.
- 213.270 Use of the Governmentwide commercial purchase card.
- 217.7103-4 Emergency work.
- 252.217-7010 Performance.
- 217.7506 Spare parts breakout program.
- 223.7102 Policy.
- 225.7002 Restrictions on food, clothing, fabrics, hand or measuring tools, and flags.
- 225.7002-2 Exceptions.
- 227.7102-2 Rights in technical data.
- 227.7103-5 Government rights.
- 227.7103-13 Government right to review, verify, challenge, and validate asserted restrictions.
- 227.7104 Contracts under the Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program.
- 227.7203-13 Government right to review, verify, challenge, and validate asserted restrictions.
- 252.227-7013 Rights in Technical Data—Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services.
- 252.227-7014 Rights in Other Than Commercial Computer Software and Other Than Commercial Computer Software Documentation.
- 252.227-7015 Technical Data—Commercial Products and Commercial Services.
- 252.227-7018 Rights in Other Than Commercial Technical Data and Computer Software—Small Business Innovation Research Program and Small Business Technology Transfer Program.
- 252.227-7037 Validation of Asserted Restrictions on Technical Data.
- 232.7002 Policy.
- 237.7003 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
- 252.237-7003 Requirements.
218.201 Contingency operation. →
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.