FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 4: Administrative and Information Matters › Subpart 4.6
FAR 4.601 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 subpart about contract reporting. It explains what counts as a contract action, what a contract action report is, and how terms like definitive contract and indefinite delivery vehicle are defined for reporting purposes. Contractors should understand these definitions because they determine what information must be reported to the Federal Procurement Data System.
Applies to: Contractors and contracting officers involved in FAR-based contract actions
Key terms: Contract action · Contract action report (CAR) · Definitive contract · Entitlement program · Generic entity identifier
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As used in this subpart—
Contract action means any oral or written action that results in the purchase, rent, or lease of supplies or equipment, services, or construction using appropriated dollars over the micro-purchase threshold, or modifications to these actions regardless of dollar value. Contract action does not include grants, cooperative agreements, other transactions, real property leases, requisitions from Federal stock, training authorizations, or other non-FAR based transactions.
Contract action report (CAR) means contract action data required to be entered into the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS).
Definitive contract means any contract that must be reported to FPDS other than an indefinite delivery vehicle. This definition is only for FPDS, and is not intended to apply to Part 16.
Entitlement program means a Federal program that guarantees a certain level of benefits to persons or other entities who meet requirements set by law, such as Social Security, farm price supports, or unemployment benefits.
Generic entity identifier means a number or other identifier assigned to a category of vendors and not specific to any individual or entity.
Indefinite delivery vehicle (IDV) means an indefinite delivery contract or agreement that has one or more of the following clauses:
(1) 52.216-18, Ordering.
(2) 52.216-19, Order Limitations.
(3) 52.216-20, Definite Quantity.
(4) 52.216-21, Requirements.
(5) 52.216-22, Indefinite Quantity.
(6) Any other clause allowing ordering.
← 4.600 Scope of subpart. · 4.602 General. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 4
- 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: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · final rule 2025-08-27 · effective 2025-10-01
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Programs ↗ · proposed 2025-06-12
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Controlled Unclassified Information ↗ · proposed 2025-01-15 · comments due 2025-03-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate-Related Financial Risk ↗ · proposed 2025-01-13
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Rerepresentation of Size and Socioeconomic Status ↗ · final rule 2025-01-03 · effective 2025-01-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Prohibition on Unmanned Aircraft Systems From Covered Foreign Entities ↗ · final rule 2024-12-30
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · proposed 2024-11-29 · comments due 2025-01-28
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.