FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 252: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 252.2
DFARS 252.270-7002 Pilot Program to Incentivize Contracting with Employee-Owned Businesses.
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 clause applies to a pilot program encouraging contracting with employee-owned businesses. It limits how much of the contract amount the Contractor may spend on subcontracts, with exceptions, and requires a written report to the Contracting Officer after the contract period of performance ends. It matters because it sets subcontracting limits and a post-performance reporting duty tied to the Contractor's employee-ownership structure.
Applies to: Contractors under contracts that include this clause
What it requires
- Do not expend more than 50 percent of the amount paid under the contract on subcontracts, unless an exception applies.
- Submit the required information in writing to the Contracting Officer not later than 30 days after the end of the contract period of performance.
Key terms: Qualified business · employee stock ownership plan · subcontracts · waiver · Contracting Officer
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 270.105(c), use the following clause:
Pilot Program To Incentivize Contracting With Employee-Owned Businesses (NOV 2024)
(a) Definition. As used in this clause—
Qualified business means an S corporation as defined in 26 U.S.C. 1361(a)(1) for which 100 percent of the outstanding stock is held through an employee stock ownership plan as defined in 26 U.S.C. 4975(e)(7).
(b) Limitations on subcontracting. In performance of the contract, the Contractor shall not expend more than 50 percent of the amount paid under the contract on subcontracts, unless—
(1) The subcontract is awarded to a qualified business;
(2) The contract is for products and the subcontract is for materials not available from another qualified business; or
(3) A waiver is granted.
(c) Reporting requirement. Not later than 30 days after the end of the contract period of performance, the Contractor shall submit to the Contracting Officer the following information in writing:
(1) The number of years the Contractor has been wholly-owned by its employee stock ownership plan.
(2) Challenges, if any, the Contractor experienced in attracting and retaining a talented workforce in a competitive market due to the Contractor's corporate ownership structure.
(3) Challenges, if any, the Contractor experienced that hinder its ability to contract with DoD to scale its technologies and capabilities due to the Contractor's corporate ownership structure.
(4) Challenges, if any, the Contractor experienced, due to its corporate ownership structure, in obtaining capital necessary to bridge funding gaps, for example, between prototype demonstration and full-scale development.
(End of clause)
Sections it refers to
- 270.105 Solicitation provisions and contract clause.
Sections that refer to it
- 212.301 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses for the acquisition of commercial products and commercial services.
- 212.371 Inapplicability of certain provisions and clauses to contracts for the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items.
- 252.270-7000 Pilot Program to Incentivize Contracting with Employee-Owned Businesses—Representation.
- 252.270-7001 Pilot Program to Incentivize Contracting with Employee-Owned Businesses—Subcontracting Certification.
- 270.105 Solicitation provisions and contract clause.
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.