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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 47: Transportation › Subpart 47.3

FAR 47.305-5 Destination unknown.

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 handle solicitations when the delivery destination for supplies is not known. It requires f.o.b. origin terms in some cases and specific solicitation provisions in others, which affects how contractors price and ship goods. It matters because the destination rules determine who pays transportation costs and what terms appear in the solicitation.

Applies to: Solicitations and contracts where the destination of supplies is unknown or tentative

What it requires

  • When destinations are unknown, solicitations must be f.o.b. origin only.
  • The contracting officer must include justifications for such solicitations in the contract file.
  • When general user locations can be established, the acquiring activity must designate tentative destinations and show estimated quantities for each.
  • The contracting officer must insert the provision at 52.247-49 in solicitations when destinations are tentative and only for evaluating offers.

Key terms: f.o.b. origin · tentative destinations · 52.247-49, Destination Unknown · 52.247-50, No Evaluation of Transportation Costs · carloads or truckloads

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

The text

(a)(1) When destinations are unknown, solicitations shall be f.o.b. origin only.

(2) The contracting officer shall include in the contract file justifications for such solicitations.

(b)(1) When the exact destination of the supplies to be acquired is not known, but the general location of the users can be reasonably established, the acquiring activity shall designate tentative destinations for the purpose of computing transportation costs, showing estimated quantities for each tentative destination.

(2) The contracting officer shall insert in solicitations the provision at 52.247-49, Destination Unknown, when destinations are tentative and only for the purpose of evaluating offers.

(3) If it is necessary to control subsequent shipping weights, the solicitation shall state that subsequent shipments shall be made in carloads or truckloads (see the clause at 52.247-59, F.o.b. Origin—Carload and Truckload Shipments).

(c)(1) When exact destinations are not known and it is impracticable to establish tentative or general delivery places for the purpose of evaluating transportation costs, the contracting officer shall insert in solicitations the provision at 52.247-50, No Evaluation of Transportation Costs.

(2) The solicitation shall also state that the transportation costs of subsequent shipments must be controlled (see, for example, the clause at 52.247-61, F.o.b. Origin—Minimum Size of Shipments).

Sections it refers to

  • 52.247-49 Destination Unknown.
  • 52.247-59 F.o.b. Origin—Carload and Truckload Shipments.
  • 52.247-50 No Evaluation of Transportation Costs.
  • 52.247-61 F.o.b. Origin—Minimum Size of Shipments.

Sections that refer to it

← 47.305-4 F.o.b. destination solicitations. · 47.305-6 Shipments to ports and air terminals. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 47

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

FAR 47.305-5 Destination unknown · SpendQuery