FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 4: Administrative and Information Matters › Subpart 4.8
FAR 4.803 Contents of contract files.
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
FAR 4.803 lists examples of records that are normally kept in contract files. It describes what goes into the contracting office, contract administration office, and paying office files. This matters because contractors may need to provide or reference these documents during contract performance and closeout.
Applies to: Contracting office, contract administration office, and paying office contract files
Key terms: contract file · contracting office · contract administration office · paying office · solicitation
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
The following are examples of the records normally contained, if applicable, in contract files:
(a) Contracting office contract file. (1) Purchase request, acquisition planning information, and other presolicitation documents.
(2) Justifications and approvals, determinations and findings, and associated documents.
(3) Evidence of availability of funds.
(4) Synopsis of proposed acquisition as required by part 5 or a reference to the synopsis.
(5) The list of sources solicited, and a list of any firms or persons whose requests for copies of the solicitation were denied, together with the reasons for denial.
(6) Set-aside decision (see 19.506) including the type and extent of market research conducted.
(7) Government estimate of contract price.
(8) A copy of the solicitation and all amendments thereto.
(9) Security requirements and evidence of required clearances.
(10) A copy of each offer or quotation, the related abstract, and records of determinations concerning late offers or quotations. Unsuccessful offers or quotations may be maintained separately, if cross-referenced to the contract file. The only portions of the unsuccessful offer or quotation that need be retained are—
(i) Completed solicitation sections A, B, and K;
(ii) Technical and management proposals;
(iii) Cost/price proposals; and
(iv) Any other pages of the solicitation that the offeror or quoter has altered or annotated.
(11) Contractor's representations and certifications (see 4.1201(c)).
(12) Preaward survey reports or reference to previous preaward survey reports relied upon.
(13) Source selection documentation.
(14) Contracting officer's determination of the contractor's responsibility.
(15) Small Business Administration Certificate of Competency.
(16) Records of contractor's compliance with labor policies including equal employment opportunity policies.
(17) Data and information related to the contracting officer's determination of a fair and reasonable price. This may include—
(i) Certified cost or pricing data;
(ii) Data other than certified cost or pricing data;
(iii) Justification for waiver from the requirement to submit certified cost or pricing data; or
(iv) Certificates of Current Cost or Pricing Data.
(18) Packaging and transportation data.
(19) Cost or price analysis.
(20) Audit reports or reasons for waiver.
(21) Record of negotiation.
(22) Justification for type of contract.
(23) Authority for deviations from this regulation, statutory requirements, or other restrictions.
(24) Required approvals of award and evidence of legal review.
(25) Notice of award.
(26) The original of—
(i) The signed contract or award;
(ii) All contract modifications; and
(iii) Documents supporting modifications executed by the contracting office.
(27) Synopsis of award or reference thereto.
(28) Notice to unsuccessful quoters or offerors and record of any debriefing.
(29) Acquisition management reports (see subpart 4.6).
(30) Bid, performance, payment, or other bond documents, or a reference thereto, and notices to sureties.
(31) Report of postaward conference.
(32) Notice to proceed, stop orders, and any overtime premium approvals granted at the time of award.
(33) Documents requesting and authorizing modification in the normal assignment of contract administration functions and responsibility.
(34) Approvals or disapprovals of requests for waivers or deviations from contract requirements.
(35) Rejected engineering change proposals.
(36) Royalty, invention, and copyright reports (including invention disclosures) or reference thereto.
(37) Contract completion documents.
(38) Documentation regarding termination actions for which the contracting office is responsible.
(39) Cross-references to pertinent documents that are filed elsewhere.
(40) Any additional documents on which action was taken or that reflect actions by the contracting office pertinent to the contract.
(41) A current chronological list identifying the awarding and successor contracting officers, with inclusive dates of responsibility.
(42) When limiting competition, or awarding on a sole source basis, to economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB) concerns or women-owned small business (WOSB) concerns eligible under the WOSB Program in accordance with subpart 19.15, include documentation—
(i) Of the type and extent of market research; and
(ii) That the NAICS code assigned to the acquisition is for an industry that SBA has designated as—
(A) Underrepresented for EDWOSB concerns; or
(B) Substantially underrepresented for WOSB concerns.
(b) Contract administration office contract file. (1) Copy of the contract and all modifications, together with official record copies of supporting documents executed by the contract administration office.
(2) Any document modifying the normal assignment of contract administration functions and responsibility.
(3) Security requirements.
(4) Certified cost or pricing data, Certificates of Current Cost or Pricing Data, or data other than certified cost or pricing data; cost or price analysis; and other documentation supporting contractual actions executed by the contract administration office.
(5) Preaward survey information.
(6) Purchasing system information.
(7) Consent to subcontract or purchase.
(8) Performance and payment bonds and surety information.
(9) Postaward conference records.
(10) Orders issued under the contract.
(11) Notice to proceed and stop orders.
(12) Insurance policies or certificates of insurance or references to them.
(13) Documents supporting advance or progress payments.
(14) Progressing, expediting, and production surveillance records.
(15) Quality assurance records.
(16) Property administration records.
(17) Documentation regarding termination actions for which the contract administration office is responsible.
(18) Cross reference to other pertinent documents that are filed elsewhere.
(19) Any additional documents on which action was taken or that reflect actions by the contract administration office pertinent to the contract.
(20) Contract completion documents.
(c) Paying office contract file. (1) Copy of the contract and any modifications.
(2) Bills, invoices, vouchers, and supporting documents.
(3) Record of payments or receipts.
(4) Other pertinent documents.
← 4.802 Contract files. · 4.804 Closeout of contract files. →
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.