FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 50: Extraordinary Contractual Actions and the Safety Act › Subpart 50.1
FAR 50.100 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 two terms used in FAR Part 50: 'approving authority' and 'secretarial level.' It matters to contractors because these definitions determine who within an agency can approve certain contract adjustments under Pub. L. 85-804 and E.O. 10789.
Applies to: Contractors and agency officials involved in actions under FAR Part 50
Key terms: Approving authority · Secretarial level · Pub. L. 85-804 · E.O. 10789 · contract adjustment board
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As used in this part—
Approving authority means an agency official or contract adjustment board authorized to approve actions under Pub. L. 85-804 and E.O. 10789.
Secretarial level means a level at or above the level of a deputy assistant agency head, or a contract adjustment board.
← 50.000 Scope of part. · 50.101 General. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 50
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · final rule 2025-08-27 · effective 2025-10-01
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition ↗ · proposed 2025-01-15 · comments due 2025-03-17
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · proposed 2024-11-29 · comments due 2025-01-28
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Limitation of Authority Regarding Extraordinary Contractual Actions ↗ · final rule 2024-07-30 · effective 2024-08-29
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.