FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2
FAR 52.209-1 Qualification Requirements.
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 clause applies when the government requires a product, manufacturer, or source to be qualified through testing or other quality assurance before a contract can be awarded. It means an offeror must already be qualified at the time of award, even if the item is only a component or is provided by a subcontractor, and must submit evidence of qualification if not already on a qualified list. Changes in plant location or ownership require reevaluation before award.
Applies to: Offerors, contractors, manufacturers, sources, and subcontractors whose supplies or services are subject to a qualification requirement
What it requires
- Ensure the product, manufacturer, or source meets the qualification standards before contract award.
- Contact the designated agency activity to obtain qualification requirements and arrange an opportunity to demonstrate ability to meet the standards.
- Submit evidence of qualification prior to award if the item has met the requirement but is not yet on a qualified products, manufacturers, or bidders list.
- Complete reevaluation of qualification before award if there is a change in location or ownership of the plant or source.
Key terms: Qualification Requirement · qualified products list · qualified manufacturers list · qualified bidders list · reevaluation
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 9.206-2, insert the following clause:
Qualification Requirements (FEB 1995)
(a) Definition: Qualification Requirement, as used in this clause, means a Government requirement for testing or other quality assurance demonstration that must be completed before award.
(b) One or more qualification requirements apply to the supplies or services covered by this contract. For those supplies or services requiring qualification, whether the covered product or service is an end item under this contract or simply a component of an end item, the product, manufacturer, or source must have demonstrated that it meets the standards prescribed for qualification before award of this contract. The product, manufacturer, or source must be qualified at the time of award whether or not the name of the product, manufacturer, or source is actually included on a qualified products list, qualified manufacturers list, or qualified bidders list. Offerors should contact the agency activity designated below to obtain all requirements that they or their products or services, or their subcontractors or their products or services, must satisfy to become qualified and to arrange for an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities to meet the standards specified for qualification.
(c) If an offeror, manufacturer, source, product or service covered by a qualification requirement has already met the standards specified, the relevant information noted below should be provided.
(to the extent known)
(d) Even though a product or service subject to a qualification requirement is not itself an end item under this contract, the product, manufacturer, or source must nevertheless be qualified at the time of award of this contract. This is necessary whether the Contractor or a subcontractor will ultimately provide the product or service in question. If, after award, the Contracting Officer discovers that an applicable qualification requirement was not in fact met at the time of award, the Contracting Officer may either terminate this contract for default or allow performance to continue if adequate consideration is offered and the action is determined to be otherwise in the Government's best interests.
(e) If an offeror, manufacturer, source, product or service has met the qualification requirement but is not yet on a qualified products list, qualified manufacturers list, or qualified bidders list, the offeror must submit evidence of qualification prior to award of this contract. Unless determined to be in the Government's interest, award of this contract shall not be delayed to permit an offeror to submit evidence of qualification.
(f) Any change in location or ownership of the plant where a previously qualified product or service was manufactured or performed requires reevaluation of the qualification. Similarly, any change in location or ownership of a previously qualified manufacturer or source requires reevaluation of the qualification. The reevaluation must be accomplished before the date of award.
(End of clause)
Sections it refers to
- 9.206-2 Contract clause.
← 52.208-9 Contractor Use of Mandatory Sources of Supply or Services. · 52.209-2 Prohibition on Contracting With Inverted Domestic Corporations—Representation. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 52
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, and 51 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 16, 17, and 35 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 9, 27, and 47 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 14, 28, 36, and 52 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 3 and 49 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 5, 24, and 29 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 6, 7, 10, 18, 26, 37, and 41 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- 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
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.