FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 225: Foreign Acquisition › Subpart 225.70
DFARS 225.7003-1 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 DFARS section defines terms used in the specialty metals and related restrictions for DoD acquisitions. It explains what counts as an alloy, automotive item, commercial derivative military article, electronic component, high performance magnet, produce, specialty metal, and steel. Contractors need these definitions to determine whether their products or materials fall under the associated DFARS requirements.
Applies to: DoD contractors and acquisitions involving specialty metals, automotive items, electronic components, or high performance magnets
Key terms: Alloy · Automotive item · Commercial derivative military article · Electronic component · High performance magnet
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As used in this section—
Alloy means a metal consisting of a mixture of a basic metallic element and one or more metallic, or non-metallic, alloying elements.
(1) For alloys named by a single metallic element (e.g., titanium alloy), it means that the alloy contains 50 percent or more of the named metal (by mass).
(2) If two metals are specified in the name (e.g., nickel-iron alloy), those metals are the two predominant elements in the alloy, and together they constitute 50 percent or more of the alloy (by mass).
Automotive item—
(1) Means a self-propelled military transport tactical vehicle, primarily intended for use by military personnel or for carrying cargo, such as—
(i) A high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle;
(ii) An armored personnel carrier; or
(iii) A troop/cargo-carrying truckcar, truck, or van; and
(2) Does not include—
(i) A commercially available off-the-shelf vehicle; or
(ii) Construction equipment (such as bulldozers, excavators, lifts, or loaders) or other self-propelled equipment (such as cranes or aircraft ground support equipment).
Commercial derivative military article means an item acquired by the Department of Defense that is or will be produced using the same production facilities, a common supply chain, and the same or similar production processes that are used for the production of articles predominantly used by the general public or by nongovernmental entities for purposes other than governmental purposes.
Electronic component means an item that operates by controlling the flow of electrons or other electrically charged particles in circuits, using interconnections of electrical devices such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, diodes, switches, transistors, or integrated circuits. The term does not include structural or mechanical parts of an assembly containing an electronic component and does not include any high performance magnets that may be used in the electronic component.
High performance magnet means a permanent magnet that obtains a majority of its magnetic properties from rare earth metals (such as samarium).
Produce means—
(1) Atomization;
(2) Sputtering; or
(3) Final consolidation of non-melt derived metal powders.
Specialty metal means—
(1) Steel—
(i) With a maximum alloy content exceeding one or more of the following limits: manganese, 1.65 percent; silicon, 0.60 percent; or copper, 0.60 percent; or
(ii) Containing more than 0.25 percent of any of the following elements: aluminum, chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, nickel, niobium (columbium), titanium, tungsten, or vanadium;
(2) Metal alloys consisting of—
(i) Nickel or iron-nickel alloys that contain a total of alloying metals other than nickel and iron in excess of 10 percent; or
(ii) Cobalt alloys that contain a total of alloying metals other than cobalt and iron in excess of 10 percent;
(3) Titanium and titanium alloys; or
(4) Zirconium and zirconium alloys.
Steel means an iron alloy that includes between .02 and 2 percent carbon and may include other elements.
← 225.7003 Restrictions on acquisition of specialty metals. · 225.7003-2 Restrictions. →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 225
- 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: 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: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds (DFARS Case 2024-D002) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-08-25
- 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 2024-12-18 · effective 2024-12-18
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Inapplicability of Additional Defense-Unique Laws and Certain Non-Statutory DFARS Clauses to Commercial Item Contracts (DFARS Case 2018-D074) ↗ · final rule 2024-11-15 · effective 2024-11-25
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2024-11-15 · effective 2024-11-15
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.