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

FAR 52.236-5 Material and Workmanship.

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 requires that equipment, materials, and articles incorporated into the work be new and of the most suitable grade unless the contract says otherwise. It also requires the Contractor to get the Contracting Officer's approval for machinery and certain equipment or materials before incorporating them, and to perform all work in a skillful and workmanlike manner. It matters because unapproved items are installed at the risk of later rejection, and the Contracting Officer can require removal of certain employees.

Applies to: Contractors performing work under a contract that includes this clause

What it requires

  • Use new equipment, material, and articles of the most suitable grade unless the contract specifically provides otherwise
  • Obtain the Contracting Officer's approval of machinery and mechanical and other equipment to be incorporated into the work
  • When requesting approval, furnish the manufacturer's name, model number, and other information about performance, capacity, nature, and rating
  • When required, obtain approval of materials or articles and provide full information, and submit samples at the Contractor's expense with shipping prepaid when directed

Key terms: equipment · material · articles · Contracting Officer · workmanlike manner

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

The text

As prescribed in 36.505, insert the following clause:

Material and Workmanship (APR 1984)

(a) All equipment, material, and articles incorporated into the work covered by this contract shall be new and of the most suitable grade for the purpose intended, unless otherwise specifically provided in this contract. References in the specifications to equipment, material, articles, or patented processes by trade name, make, or catalog number, shall be regarded as establishing a standard of quality and shall not be construed as limiting competition. The Contractor may, at its option, use any equipment, material, article, or process that, in the judgment of the Contracting Officer, is equal to that named in the specifications, unless otherwise specifically provided in this contract.

(b) The Contractor shall obtain the Contracting Officer's approval of the machinery and mechanical and other equipment to be incorporated into the work. When requesting approval, the Contractor shall furnish to the Contracting Officer the name of the manufacturer, the model number, and other information concerning the performance, capacity, nature, and rating of the machinery and mechanical and other equipment. When required by this contract or by the Contracting Officer, the Contractor shall also obtain the Contracting Officer's approval of the material or articles which the Contractor contemplates incorporating into the work. When requesting approval, the Contractor shall provide full information concerning the material or articles. When directed to do so, the Contractor shall submit samples for approval at the Contractor's expense, with all shipping charges prepaid. Machinery, equipment, material, and articles that do not have the required approval shall be installed or used at the risk of subsequent rejection.

(c) All work under this contract shall be performed in a skillful and workmanlike manner. The Contracting Officer may require, in writing, that the Contractor remove from the work any employee the Contracting Officer deems incompetent, careless, or otherwise objectionable.

(End of clause)

Sections it refers to

  • 36.505 Material and workmanship.

Sections that refer to it

  • 36.505 Material and workmanship.

← 52.236-4 Physical Data. · 52.236-6 Superintendence by the Contractor. →

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 52.236-5 Material and Workmanship · SpendQuery