FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 42: Contract Administration and Audit Services › Subpart 42.12

FAR 42.1203 Processing agreements.

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 explains how a contractor asks the Government to recognize a successor in interest or a name change, and how the contracting officer processes that request. It matters because it sets out the steps, reviews, and paperwork needed before a novation or change-of-name agreement takes effect.

Applies to: Contractors seeking recognition of a successor in interest or a name change, and the responsible contracting officer handling the request

What it requires

  • Submit a written request to the responsible contracting officer if you want the Government to recognize a successor in interest or a name change
  • Provide the information the contracting officer requests to evaluate the proposed agreement
  • Reference any separate transferor-transferee agreement on assumption of liabilities specifically in the novation agreement

Key terms: successor in interest · name change · novation agreement · change-of-name agreement · responsible contracting officer

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

The text

(a) If a contractor wishes the Government to recognize a successor in interest to its contracts or a name change, the contractor must submit a written request to the responsible contracting officer (see 42.1202). If the contractor received its contract under subpart 8.7 under 41 U.S.C. chapter 85, Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, use the procedures at 8.716 instead.

(b) The responsible contracting officer shall—

(1) Identify and request that the contractor submit the information necessary to evaluate the proposed agreement for recognizing a successor in interest or a name change. This information should include the items identified in 42.1204 (e) and (f) or 42.1205(a), as applicable;

(2) Notify each contract administration office and contracting office affected by a proposed agreement for recognizing a successor in interest, and provide those offices with a list of all affected contracts; and

(3) Request submission of any comments or objections to the proposed transfer within 30 days after notification. Any submission should be accompanied by supporting documentation.

(c) Upon receipt of the necessary information, the responsible contracting officer shall determine whether or not it is in the Government's interest to recognize the proposed successor in interest on the basis of—

(1) The comments received from the affected contract administration offices and contracting offices;

(2) The proposed successor's responsibility under subpart 9.1, Responsible Prospective Contractors; and

(3) Any factor relating to the proposed successor's performance of contracts with the Government that the Government determines would impair the proposed successor's ability to perform the contract satisfactorily.

(d) The execution of a novation agreement does not preclude the use of any other method available to the contracting officer to resolve any other issues related to a transfer of contractor assets, including the treatment of costs.

(e) Any separate agreement between the transferor and transferee regarding the assumption of liabilities (e.g., long-term incentive compensation plans, cost accounting standards noncompliances, environmental cleanup costs, and final overhead costs) should be referenced specifically in the novation agreement.

(f) Before novation and change-of-name agreements are executed, the responsible contracting officer shall ensure that Government counsel has reviewed them for legal sufficiency.

(g) The responsible contracting officer shall (1) forward a signed copy of the executed novation or change-of-name agreement to the transferor and to the transferee and (2) retain a signed copy in the case file.

(h) Following distribution of the agreement, the responsible contracting officer shall—

(1) Prepare a Standard Form 30, Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract, incorporating a summary of the agreement and attaching a complete list of contracts affected;

(2) Retain the original Standard Form 30 with the attached list in the case file;

(3) Send a signed copy of the Standard Form 30, with attached list to the transferor and to the transferee; and

(4) Send a copy of this Standard Form 30 with attached list to each contract administration office or contracting office involved, which shall be responsible for further appropriate distribution.

Sections it refers to

  • 42.1202 Responsibility for executing agreements.
  • 8.716 Change-of-name and successor in interest procedures.
  • 42.1204 Applicability of novation agreements.
  • 42.1205 Agreement to recognize contractor's change of name.

Sections that refer to it

  • 42.1204 Applicability of novation agreements.
  • 53.242-1 Novation and change-of-name agreements (SF 30).
  • 53.243 Contract modifications (SF 30).

← 42.1202 Responsibility for executing agreements. · 42.1204 Applicability of novation agreements. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 42

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

FAR 42.1203 Processing agreements · SpendQuery