FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 6: Competition Requirements › Subpart 6.3
FAR 6.302-5 Authorized or required by statute.
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
FAR 6.302-5 allows agencies to award contracts without full and open competition when a statute expressly authorizes or requires the acquisition to be made from a specified source or through another agency, or for brand name commercial products for authorized resale. This matters to contractors because it identifies specific statutory programs (like 8(a), HUBZone, WOSB, and others) where sole-source awards are permitted, but also imposes limitations and justification requirements for certain awards.
Applies to: Government acquisitions that are authorized or required by statute to be made from a specified source or through another agency, or for brand name commercial products for authorized resale.
What it requires
- For contracts awarded using this authority, provide written justifications and approvals as described in 6.303 and 6.304, except for certain exceptions listed in paragraph (c)(2).
- When using the authority for brand name commercial products for resale, limit purchases to commissaries or other similar facilities and typically involve articles desired or preferred by customers.
Key terms: full and open competition · specified source · brand name commercial product · authorized resale · justifications and approvals
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
(a) Authority. (1) Citations: 10 U.S.C. 3204(a)(5) or 41 U.S.C. 3304(a)(5).
(2) Full and open competition need not be provided for when—
(i) A statute expressly authorizes or requires that the acquisition be made through another agency or from a specified source; or
(ii) The agency's need is for a brand name commercial product for authorized resale.
(b) Application. This authority may be used when statutes, such as the following, expressly authorize or require that acquisition be made from a specified source or through another agency:
(1) Federal Prison Industries (UNICOR)—18 U.S.C. 4124 (see subpart 8.6).
(2) Qualified nonprofit agencies for the blind or other severely disabled—41 U.S.C. chapter 85, Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (see subpart 8.7).
(3) Government Printing and Binding—44 U.S.C. 501-504, 1121 (see subpart 8.8).
(4) Sole source awards under the 8(a) Program (15 U.S.C. 637), but see 6.303 for requirements for justification and approval of sole-source 8(a) awards over $30 million. (See subpart 19.8.)
(5) Sole source awards under the HUBZone Act of 1997—15 U.S.C. 657a (see 19.1306).
(6) Sole source awards under the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 (15 U.S.C. 657f).
(7) Sole source awards under the WOSB Program-15 U.S.C. 637(m) (see 19.1506).
(c) Limitations. (1) This authority shall not be used when a provision of law requires an agency to award a new contract to a specified non-Federal Government entity unless the provision of law specifically—
(i) Identifies the entity involved;
(ii) Refers to 10 U.S.C. 3201(e)for armed services acquisitions or 41 U.S.C. 3105 for civilian agency acquisitions; and
(iii) States that award to that entity shall be made in contravention of the merit-based selection procedures in 10 U.S.C. 3201(e) or 41 U.S.C. 3105, as appropriate. However, this limitation does not apply—
(A) When the work provided for in the contract is a continuation of the work performed by the specified entity under a preceding contract; or
(B) To any contract requiring the National Academy of Sciences to investigate, examine, or experiment upon any subject of science or art of significance to an executive agency and to report on those matters to the Congress or any agency of the Federal Government.
(2) Contracts awarded using this authority shall be supported by the written justifications and approvals described in 6.303 and 6.304, except for—
(i) Contracts awarded under paragraph (a)(2)(ii) or (b)(2) of this section;
(ii) Contracts awarded under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section when the statute expressly requires that the procurement be made from a specified source. (Justification and approval requirements apply when the statute authorizes, but does not require, that the procurement be made from a specified source); or
(iii) Contracts less than or equal to $30 million awarded under paragraph (b)(4) of this section.
(3) The authority in paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section may be used only for purchases of brand name commercial products for resale through commissaries or other similar facilities. Ordinarily, these purchases will involve articles desired or preferred by customers of the selling activities (but see 6.301(d)).
Sections it refers to
Sections that refer to it
← 6.302-4 International agreement. · 6.302-6 National security. →
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.