FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 252: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 252.2
DFARS 252.204-7018 Prohibition on the Acquisition of Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services.
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 clause prohibits contractors from providing the Government with any equipment, system, or service for covered missions that uses covered defense telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component or as critical technology, unless a waiver applies. It also requires contractors to check SAM for excluded entities, report any identified covered equipment or services during performance, and flow down the clause to subcontracts.
Applies to: Contractors and subcontractors performing contracts that include this clause
What it requires
- Do not provide to the Government any equipment, system, or service for covered missions that uses covered defense telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component or as critical technology, unless a waiver applies.
- Review the SAM exclusions list when providing any equipment, system, or service for covered missions that uses covered defense telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component or as critical technology, unless a waiver is granted.
- Report to https://dibnet.dod.mil within 3 business days if you identify covered defense telecommunications equipment or services used as a substantial or essential component or as critical technology during contract performance, providing specified information.
- Within 30 business days of the initial report, provide further information about mitigation actions and efforts to prevent future use or submission.
Key terms: covered defense telecommunications equipment or services · covered foreign country · covered missions · critical technology · substantial or essential component
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 204.2105(c), use the following clause:
Prohibition on the Acquisition of Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services (JAN 2023)
(a) Definitions. As used in this clause—
Covered defense telecommunications equipment or services means—
(1) Telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation, or any subsidiary or affiliate of such entities;
(2) Telecommunications services provided by such entities or using such equipment; or
(3) Telecommunications equipment or services produced or provided by an entity that the Secretary of Defense reasonably believes to be an entity owned or controlled by, or otherwise connected to, the government of a covered foreign country.
Covered foreign country means—
(1) The People's Republic of China; or
(2) The Russian Federation.
Covered missions means—
(1) The nuclear deterrence mission of DoD, including with respect to nuclear command, control, and communications, integrated tactical warning and attack assessment, and continuity of Government; or
(2) The homeland defense mission of DoD, including with respect to ballistic missile defense.
“Critical technology” means—
(1) Defense articles or defense services included on the United States Munitions List set forth in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations under subchapter M of chapter I of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations;
(2) Items included on the Commerce Control List set forth in Supplement No. 1 to part 774 of the Export Administration Regulations under subchapter C of chapter VII of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, and controlled—
(i) Pursuant to multilateral regimes, including for reasons relating to national security, chemical and biological weapons proliferation, nuclear nonproliferation, or missile technology; or
(ii) For reasons relating to regional stability or surreptitious listening;
(3) Specially designed and prepared nuclear equipment, parts and components, materials, software, and technology covered by part 810 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to assistance to foreign atomic energy activities);
(4) Nuclear facilities, equipment, and material covered by part 110 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to export and import of nuclear equipment and material);
(5) Select agents and toxins covered by part 331 of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, part 121 of title 9 of such Code, or part 73 of title 42 of such Code; or
(6) Emerging and foundational technologies controlled pursuant to section 1758 of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4817).
Substantial or essential component means any component necessary for the proper function or performance of a piece of equipment, system, or service.
(b) Prohibition. In accordance with section 1656 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Pub. L. 115-91), the contractor shall not provide to the Government any equipment, system, or service to carry out covered missions that uses covered defense telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, unless the covered defense telecommunication equipment or services are covered by a waiver described in Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement 204.2104.
(c) Procedures. The Contractor shall review the list of excluded parties in the System for Award Management (SAM) at https://www.sam.gov for entities that are excluded when providing any equipment, system, or service, to carry out covered missions, that uses covered defense telecommunications equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, unless a waiver is granted.
(d) Reporting. (1) In the event the Contractor identifies covered defense telecommunications equipment or services used as a substantial or essential component of any system, or as critical technology as part of any system, during contract performance, the Contractor shall report at https://dibnet.dod.mil the information in paragraph (d)(2) of this clause.
(2) The Contractor shall report the following information pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this clause:
(i) Within 3 business days from the date of such identification or notification: The contract number; the order number(s), if applicable; supplier name; brand; model number (original equipment manufacturer number, manufacturer part number, or wholesaler number); item description; and any readily available information about mitigation actions undertaken or recommended.
(ii) Within 30 business days of submitting the information in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this clause: Any further available information about mitigation actions undertaken or recommended. In addition, the Contractor shall describe the efforts it undertook to prevent use or submission of a covered defense telecommunications equipment or services, and any additional efforts that will be incorporated to prevent future use or submission of covered telecommunications equipment or services.
(e) Subcontracts. The Contractor shall insert the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts and other contractual instruments, including subcontracts for the acquisition of commercial products or commercial services.
(End of clause)
Sections that refer to it
- 204.2103 Procedures.
- 204.2105 Solicitation provisions and contract clause.
- 212.301 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses for the acquisition of commercial products and commercial services.
- 252.204-7016 Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation.
- 252.204-7017 Prohibition on the Acquisition of Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation.
← 252.204-7017 Prohibition on the Acquisition of Covered Defense Telecommunications Equipment or Services—Representation. · 252.204-7019 Notice of NIST SP 800-171 DoD Assessment Requirements. →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 252
- 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: Certification Requirement for Military Recruitment Advertising (DFARS Case 2024-D022) ↗ · proposed 2026-06-25 · comments due 2026-08-24
- 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: 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: Limitation on Certain Institutes of Higher Education (DFARS Case 2024-D023); Correction ↗ · final rule 2025-08-28 · effective 2025-08-28
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Disclosure of DoD Funding in Technical Publications (DFARS Case 2024-D003) ↗ · proposed 2025-08-25 · comments due 2025-10-24
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Limitation on Certain Institutes of Higher Education (DFARS Case 2024-D023) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-08-25
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.