FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 23: Environment, Sustainable Acquisition, and Material Safety › Subpart 23.1

FAR 23.103 Policy.

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 states that agencies must buy sustainable products and services whenever it is practicable to do so. It also requires contractors performing service or construction contracts to supply products that meet the definition of sustainable products and services in certain situations. This matters because it can affect what products a contractor must provide on a covered contract.

Applies to: Agencies procuring sustainable products and services, and contractors under service or construction contract actions

What it requires

  • Provide products that meet the definition of sustainable products and services at 2.101 when they are delivered to the Government, furnished for Government use, incorporated into a public building or public work, or acquired for use in performing services where the cost is a direct cost to a Governm

Key terms: sustainable products and services · multi-attribute sustainable products and services · ENERGY STAR · FEMP-designated products · life-cycle cost

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

The text

(a) Agencies shall procure sustainable products and services (as defined in 2.101) to the maximum extent practicable.

(1) Procuring sustainable products and services is considered practicable, unless the agency cannot acquire products or services—

(i) Competitively within a reasonable performance schedule;

(ii) That meet reasonable performance requirements; or

(iii) At a reasonable price (see 23.103(a)(2)).

(2) When considering whether the price of a sustainable product is reasonable, agencies should consider whether the product is cost-effective over the life of the product. For ENERGY STAR® or Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)-designated products, a price is reasonable if it is cost-effective over the life of the product taking energy cost savings into account (42 U.S.C. 8259b(b)(2)). Life-cycle cost savings tools for energy-efficient products are available at https://www.energystar.gov/buildings/save_energy_commercial_buildings/ways_save/energy_efficient_products and https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/tech-lcoe.html.

(b) When procuring sustainable products and services, agencies shall—

(1) Ensure compliance with applicable statutory purchasing program requirements (see 23.107); and

(2) Prioritize multi-attribute sustainable products and services (see 23.104(c)(2)).

(c) Regarding products under contract actions for services or construction, the contractor is required to provide products that meet the definition of sustainable products and services at 2.101, if the products are—

(1) Delivered to the Government;

(2) Furnished by the contractor for use by the Government;

(3) Incorporated into the construction of a public building or public work; or

(4) Acquired by the contractor for use in performing services under a Government contract where the cost of the products is a direct cost to a Government contract (versus costs which are normally applied to a contractor's general and administrative expenses or indirect costs).

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 23.102 Authorities. · 23.104 General procedures. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 23

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

FAR 23.103 Policy · SpendQuery