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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2

FAR 52.216-32 Task-Order and Delivery-Order Ombudsman.

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 designates an agency task-order and delivery-order ombudsman to review contractor complaints about order actions and ensure fair opportunity in order awards. It encourages contractors to first raise complaints with the contracting officer, and consulting the ombudsman does not change any other deadlines such as protests.

Applies to: Contractors performing task-order or delivery-order contracts, including those used by multiple agencies.

Key terms: task-order and delivery-order Ombudsman · fair opportunity · Contracting Officer · ordering activity · protest

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

The text

As prescribed in 16.506(j), use the following clause:

Task-Order and Delivery-Order Ombudsman (SEP 2019)

(a) In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 4106(g), the Agency has designated the following task-order and delivery-order Ombudsman for this contract. The Ombudsman must review complaints from the Contractor concerning all task-order and delivery-order actions for this contract and ensure the Contractor is afforded a fair opportunity for consideration in the award of orders, consistent with the procedures in the contract.

[Contracting Officer to insert name, address, telephone number, and email address for the Agency Ombudsman or provide the URL address where this information may be found.]

(b) Consulting an ombudsman does not alter or postpone the timeline for any other process (e.g., protests).

(c) Before consulting with the Ombudsman, the Contractor is encouraged to first address complaints with the Contracting Officer for resolution. When requested by the Contractor, the Ombudsman may keep the identity of the concerned party or entity confidential, unless prohibited by law or agency procedure.

(End of clause)

Alternate I. As prescribed in 16.506(j), add the following paragraph (d) to the basic clause.

(d) Contracts used by multiple agencies.

(1) This is a contract that is used by multiple agencies. Complaints from Contractors concerning orders placed under contracts used by multiple agencies are primarily reviewed by the task-order and delivery-order Ombudsman for the ordering activity.

(2) The ordering activity has designated the following task-order and delivery-order Ombudsman for this order:

[The ordering activity's contracting officer to insert the name, address, telephone number, and email address for the ordering activity's Ombudsman or provide the URL address where this information may be found.]

(3) Before consulting with the task-order and delivery-order Ombudsman for the ordering activity, the Contractor is encouraged to first address complaints with the ordering activity's Contracting Officer for resolution. When requested by the Contractor, the task-order and delivery-order Ombudsman for the ordering activity may keep the identity of the concerned party or entity confidential, unless prohibited by law or agency procedure.

(End of clause)

Sections it refers to

  • 16.506 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

Sections that refer to it

  • 16.506 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.

← 52.216-31 Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements—Commercial Acquisition. · 52.217-1 [Reserved] →

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 52.216-32 Task-Order and Delivery-Order Ombudsman · SpendQuery