FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 34: Major System Acquisition
FAR 34.005-2 Mission-oriented solicitation.
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 tells contracting officers how to prepare and issue a mission-oriented solicitation, which describes what capability is needed rather than naming a specific system. It matters to contractors because it explains what the solicitation will contain and confirms that offerors may propose their own technical approach, design features, and alternatives. It also requires an Earned Value Management System meeting EIA-748 guidelines.
Applies to: Contracting officers issuing mission-oriented solicitations and the offerors responding to them
What it requires
- The contracting officer shall send the final solicitation to all prospective offerors.
- The solicitation must describe the nature of the need in terms of mission capabilities required, without reference to any specific systems.
- The solicitation must indicate and explain, when appropriate, the schedule, capability, and cost objectives and any known constraints.
- The solicitation must provide, or indicate how to get access to, all Government data related to the acquisition.
Key terms: mission-oriented solicitation · Governmentwide point of entry · presolicitation conference · Earned Value Management System · EIA-748
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) Before issuing the solicitation, whenever practicable and consistent with agency procedures, the contracting officer should take the actions outlined in subparagraphs (1) and (2):
(1) Advance notification of the acquisition should be given the widest practicable dissemination, including publicizing through the Governmentwide point of entry (see subpart 5.2) and should be sent to as wide a selection of potential sources as practicable, including smaller and newer firms, Government laboratories, federally funded research and development centers, educational institutions and other not-for-profit organizations, and, if it would be beneficial and is not prohibited, foreign sources.
(2) If appropriate, hold a presolicitation conference (see 15.201) and/or send copies of the proposed solicitation to all prospective offerors for their comments. After evaluation of these comments, the solicitation should be revised, if appropriate.
(b) The contracting officer shall send the final solicitation to all prospective offerors. It shall—
(1) Describe the nature of the need in terms of mission capabilities required, without reference to any specific systems to satisfy the need;
(2) Indicate, and explain when appropriate, the schedule, capability, and cost objectives and any known constraints in the acquisition;
(3) Provide, or indicate how access can be obtained to, all Government data related to the acquisition;
(4) Include selection requirements consistent with the acquisition strategy; and
(5) Clearly state that each offeror is free to propose its own technical approach, main design features, subsystems, and alternatives to schedule, cost, and capability goals.
(6) Require the use of an Earned Value Management System that complies with the guidelines of Electronic Industries Alliance Standard 748 (EIA-748) (current version at time of solicitation). See 34.201 for earned value management systems and reporting requirements.
(c) To the extent practicable, the solicitation shall not reference or mandate Government specifications or standards, unless the agency is mandating a subsystem or other component as approved under agency procedure.
← 34.005-1 Competition. · 34.005-3 Concept exploration contracts. →
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.