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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 35: Research and Development Contracting

FAR 35.017-2 Establishing or changing an FFRDC.

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 lists the conditions a sponsoring agency must satisfy before establishing a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) or changing its basic purpose and mission. It matters to contractors because it shows the requirements an agency must meet, including notifying the Executive Office of the President and obtaining approval from the head of the sponsoring agency, before an FFRDC can be created or its mission changed.

Applies to: Sponsoring agencies establishing or changing an FFRDC

What it requires

  • Ensure existing alternative sources cannot effectively meet the special research or development needs
  • Place the required notices for publication
  • Ensure sufficient Government expertise is available to evaluate the FFRDC's work
  • Notify the Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy

Key terms: FFRDC · sponsor · basic purpose and mission · organizational conflict of interest · sponsoring agreement

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

The text

To establish an FFRDC, or change its basic purpose and mission, the sponsor shall ensure the following:

(a) Existing alternative sources for satisfying agency requirements cannot effectively meet the special research or development needs.

(b) The notices required for publication (see 5.205(b)) are placed as required.

(c) There is sufficient Government expertise available to adequately and objectively evaluate the work to be performed by the FFRDC.

(d) The Executive Office of the President, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Washington, DC 20506, is notified.

(e) Controls are established to ensure that the costs of the services being provided to the Government are reasonable.

(f) The basic purpose and mission of the FFRDC is stated clearly enough to enable differentiation between work which should be performed by the FFRDC and that which should be performed by non-FFRDC's.

(g) A reasonable continuity in the level of support to the FFRDC is maintained, consistent with the agency's need for the FFRDC and the terms of the sponsoring agreement.

(h) The FFRDC is operated, managed, or administered by an autonomous organization or as an identifiably separate operating unit of a parent organization, and is required to operate in the public interest, free from organizational conflict of interest, and to disclose its affairs (as an FFRDC) to the primary sponsor.

(i) Quantity prodution or manufacturing is not performed unless authorized by legislation.

(j) Approval is received from the head of the sponsoring agency.

Sections it refers to

  • 5.205 Special situations.

← 35.017-1 Sponsoring agreements. · 35.017-3 Using an FFRDC. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 35

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

FAR 35.017-2 Establishing or changing an FFRDC · SpendQuery