FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 33: Protests, Disputes, and Appeals › Subpart 33.1
FAR 33.101 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 section defines key terms used in the FAR subpart on protests, including 'day,' 'filed,' 'interested party,' 'protest,' and 'protest venue.' It matters to contractors because it clarifies who can file a protest, what constitutes a protest, and how deadlines are calculated, which affects the ability to challenge contract awards or solicitations.
Applies to: Contractors and offerors involved in federal procurement protests
Key terms: Day · Filed · Interested Party · Protest · Protest venue
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As used in this subpart—
Day means a calendar day, unless otherwise specified. In the computation of any period—
(1) The day of the act, event, or default from which the designated period of time begins to run is not included; and
(2) The last day after the act, event, or default is included unless—
(i) The last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday; or
(ii) In the case of a filing of a paper at any appropriate administrative forum, the last day is a day on which weather or other conditions cause the closing of the forum for all or part of the day, in which event the next day on which the appropriate administrative forum is open is included.
Filed means the complete receipt of any document by an agency before its close of business. Documents received after close of business are considered filed as of the next day. Unless otherwise stated, the agency close of business is presumed to be 4:30 p.m., local time.
Interested Party for the purpose of filing a protest means an actual or prospective offeror whose direct economic interest would be affected by the award of a contract or by the failure to award a contract.
Protest means a written objection by an interested party to any of the following:
(1) A solicitation or other request by an agency for offers for a contract for the procurement of property or services.
(2) The cancellation of the solicitation or other request.
(3) An award or proposed award of the contract.
(4) A termination or cancellation of an award of the contract, if the written objection contains an allegation that the termination or cancellation is based in whole or in part on improprieties concerning the award of the contract.
Protest venue means protests filed with the agency, the Government Accountability Office, or the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. U.S. District Courts do not have any bid protest jurisdiction.
← 33.001 General. · 33.102 General. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 33
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 1, 2, 4, 33, 39, 40, and 53 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2025-05-12 · effective 2025-06-11
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Controlled Unclassified Information ↗ · proposed 2025-01-15 · comments due 2025-03-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Improving Consistency Between Procurement and Nonprocurement Procedures on Suspension and Debarment ↗ · final rule 2025-01-03 · effective 2025-01-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Improving Consistency Between Procurement and Nonprocurement Procedures on Suspension and Debarment ↗ · proposed 2024-01-09 · comments due 2024-03-11
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.