FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 6: Competition Requirements › Subpart 6.2
FAR 6.204 Section 8(a) competition.
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 allows contracting officers to limit competition to eligible 8(a) participants to meet statutory requirements under the Small Business Act. It also clarifies that no separate justification or determination and findings is needed for such a limit, except for sole source 8(a) awards over $30 million, which are addressed elsewhere.
Applies to: Contracting officers limiting competition to eligible 8(a) participants
Key terms: section 8(a) · Small Business Act · eligible 8(a) participants · justification · determination and findings
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) To fulfill statutory requirements relating to section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, as amended by Public Law 100-656, contracting officers may limit competition to eligible 8(a) participants (see subpart 19.8).
(b) No separate justification or determination and findings is required under this part to limit competition to eligible 8(a) participants. (But see 6.302-5 and 6.303-1 for sole source 8(a) awards over $30 million.)
← 6.203 Set-asides for small business concerns. · 6.205 Set-asides for HUBZone small business concerns. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 6
- 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: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · final rule 2025-08-27 · effective 2025-10-01
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer Programs ↗ · proposed 2025-06-12
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Certification of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses ↗ · final rule 2024-12-16 · effective 2024-12-16
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Inflation Adjustment of Acquisition-Related Thresholds ↗ · proposed 2024-11-29 · comments due 2025-01-28
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Certification of Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses ↗ · final rule 2024-02-23 · effective 2024-02-23
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.