FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 252: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 252.2

DFARS 252.219-7009 Section 8(a) direct award.

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 applies to direct 8(a) awards between a contracting office and an 8(a) Contractor under the SBA-DoD Partnership Agreement. It clarifies that the SBA remains the prime contractor and retains responsibility for 8(a) certification, eligibility, and counseling, while the contracting office administers the contract. The clause also requires the 8(a) Contractor to notify the Contracting Officer when owners plan to relinquish ownership or control, which can lead to termination for convenience unless the SBA waives that requirement.

Applies to: 8(a) Contractors under direct awards from DoD contracting offices

What it requires

  • Notify the Contracting Officer simultaneously with notifying the SBA when owners upon whom 8(a) eligibility is based plan to relinquish ownership or control.

Key terms: 8(a) Contractor · Partnership Agreement · Small Business Administration (SBA) · prime contractor · novation agreement

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

The text

As prescribed in 219.811-3(1), use the following clause:

Section 8(a) Direct Award (OCT 2018)

(a) This contract is issued as a direct award between the contracting office and the 8(a) Contractor pursuant to the Partnership Agreement between the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Defense. Accordingly, the SBA, even if not identified in Section A of this contract, is the prime contractor and retains responsibility for 8(a) certification, for 8(a) eligibility determinations and related issues, and for providing counseling and assistance to the 8(a) Contractor under the 8(a) Program. The cognizant SBA district office is:

[To be completed by the Contracting Officer at the time of award]

(b) The contracting office is responsible for administering the contract and for taking any action on behalf of the Government under the terms and conditions of the contract; provided that the contracting office shall give advance notice to the SBA before it issues a final notice terminating performance, either in whole or in part, under the contract. The contracting office also shall coordinate with the SBA prior to processing any novation agreement. The contracting office may assign contract administration functions to a contract administration office.

(c) The 8(a) Contractor agrees that it will notify the Contracting Officer, simultaneous with its notification to the SBA (as required by SBA's 8(a) regulations at 13 CFR 124.515), when the owner or owners upon whom 8(a) eligibility is based plan to relinquish ownership or control of the concern. Consistent with section 407 of Public Law 100-656, transfer of ownership or control shall result in termination of the contract for convenience, unless the SBA waives the requirement for termination prior to the actual relinquishing of ownership and control.

(End of clause)

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 252.219-7005—252.219-7008 [Reserved] · 252.219-7010 Notification of Competition Limited to Eligible 8(a) Participants—Partnership Agreement →

Rule changes for DFARS Part 252

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

DFARS 252.219-7009 Section 8(a) direct award · SpendQuery