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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.1

FAR 52.102 Incorporating provisions and clauses.

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 to incorporate provisions and clauses by reference as much as possible, rather than including their full text. It also explains when full text is required and how offerors can access incorporated provisions and clauses. For contractors, this means you may need to look up clauses online, but you can request full text from the contracting officer.

Applies to: Contracting officers and offerors or prospective contractors in federal acquisitions

What it requires

  • Contracting officer must provide the full text of any provision or clause incorporated by reference upon request.
  • If using certain agency or FAR provisions/clauses not authorized for reference, the contracting officer must include a statement identifying which provisions/clauses require completion, that they must be completed and submitted with the offer, and at least one electronic address where the full text
  • A provision or clause not available electronically must be incorporated in full text if it is a FAR provision or clause not authorized for reference or prescribed for use in an agency acquisition regulation.

Key terms: incorporated by reference · full text · provision · clause · offeror

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

The text

(a) Provisions and clauses should be incorporated by reference to the maximum practical extent, rather than being incorporated in full text, even if they—

(1) Are used with one or more alternates or on an optional basis;

(2) Are prescribed on a “substantially as follows” or “substantially the same as” basis, provided they are used verbatim;

(3) Require modification or the insertion by the Government of fill-in material (see 52.104); or

(4) Require completion by the offeror or prospective contractor. This instruction also applies to provisions completed as annual representations and certifications.

(b) Except for provisions and clauses prescribed in 52.107, any provision or clause that can be accessed electronically by the offeror or prospective contractor may be incorporated by reference in solicitations and/or contracts. However, the contracting officer, upon request, shall provide the full text of any provision or clause incorporated by reference.

(c) Agency approved provisions and clauses prescribed in agency acquisition regulations, and FAR provisions and clauses not authorized to be incorporated by reference as shown in the matrix at https://www.acquisition.gov/smart-matrix, need not be incorporated in full text, provided the contracting officer includes in the solicitation and contract a statement that—

(1) Identifies all provisions and clauses that require completion by the offeror or prospective contractor;

(2) Specifies that the provisions and clauses must be completed by the offeror or prospective contractor and must be submitted with the quotation or offer; and

(3) Identifies to the offeror or prospective contractor at least one electronic address where the full text may be accessed.

(d) An agency may develop a group listing of provisions and clauses that apply to a specific category of contracts. An agency group listing may be incorporated by reference in solicitations and/or contracts in lieu of citing the provisions and clauses individually, provided the group listing is made available electronically to offerors and prospective contractors.

(e) A provision or clause that is not available electronically to offerors and prospective contractors shall be incorporated in solicitations and/or contracts in full text if it is—

(1) A FAR provision or clause that otherwise is not authorized to be incorporated by reference (see subpart 52.3); or

(2) A provision or clause prescribed for use in an agency acquisition regulation.

(f) Provisions or clauses may not be incorporated by reference by being listed in the—

(1) Provision at 52.252-3, Alterations in Solicitations; or

(2) Clause at 52.252-4, Alterations in Contract.

Sections it refers to

  • 52.104 Procedures for modifying and completing provisions and clauses.
  • 52.107 Provisions and clauses prescribed in subpart 52.1.
  • 52.252-3 Alterations in Solicitation.
  • 52.252-4 Alterations in Contract.

Sections that refer to it

← 52.101 Using part 52. · 52.103 Identification of provisions and clauses. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 52

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

FAR 52.102 Incorporating provisions and clauses · SpendQuery