FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 6: Competition Requirements › Subpart 6.1

FAR 6.102 Use of competitive procedures.

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 lists the competitive procedures that can be used to achieve full and open competition. It tells contracting officers which methods are available and when to use them, which matters to contractors because it determines how opportunities will be competed.

Applies to: Contracting officers fulfilling requirements for full and open competition

What it requires

  • If sealed bids are not appropriate, request competitive proposals or use the other competitive procedures under paragraph (c) or (d).

Key terms: sealed bids · competitive proposals · combination of competitive procedures · other competitive procedures · full and open competition

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

The text

The competitive procedures available for use in fulfilling the requirement for full and open competition are as follows:

(a) Sealed bids. (See 6.401(a).)

(b) Competitive proposals. (See 6.401(b).) If sealed bids are not appropriate under paragraph (a) of this section, contracting officers shall request competitive proposals or use the other competitive procedures under paragraph (c) or (d) of this section.

(c) Combination of competitive procedures. If sealed bids are not appropriate, contracting officers may use any combination of competitive procedures (e.g., two-step sealed bidding).

(d) Other competitive procedures. (1) Selection of sources for architect-engineer contracts in accordance with the provisions of 40 U.S.C. 1102 et seq. is a competitive procedure (see subpart 36.6 for procedures).

(2) Competitive selection of basic and applied research and that part of development not related to the development of a specific system or hardware procurement is a competitive procedure if award results from—

(i) A broad agency announcement that is general in nature identifying areas of research interest, including criteria for selecting proposals, and soliciting the participation of all offerors capable of satisfying the Government's needs; and

(ii) A peer or scientific review.

(3) Use of multiple award schedules issued under the procedures established by the Administrator of General Services consistent with the requirement of 41 U.S.C. 152(3)(A) for the multiple award schedule program of the General Services Administration is a competitive procedure.

Sections it refers to

  • 6.401 Sealed bidding and competitive proposals.

Sections that refer to it

← 6.101 Policy. · 6.200 Scope of subpart. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 6

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

FAR 6.102 Use of competitive procedures · SpendQuery