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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 6: Competition Requirements › Subpart 6.3

FAR 6.303-1 Requirements.

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 sets the procedural requirements a contracting officer must follow before awarding a contract without full and open competition. It requires written justification, certification of accuracy, and proper approval, and it imposes special rules for sole-source 8(a) awards over $30 million. It matters to contractors because noncompetitive awards depend on these steps being completed correctly.

Applies to: Contracting officers and technical/requirements personnel involved in noncompetitive contract actions

What it requires

  • Do not commence negotiations for a sole source contract, commence negotiations for a contract resulting from an unsolicited proposal, or award any other contract without full and open competition unless the required justification, certification, and approval steps are met
  • Justify in writing the use of such actions if required in 6.302
  • Certify the accuracy and completeness of the justification
  • Obtain the approval required by 6.304

Key terms: sole source contract · unsolicited proposal · full and open competition · justification · class basis

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

The text

(a) A contracting officer shall not commence negotiations for a sole source contract, commence negotiations for a contract resulting from an unsolicited proposal, or award any other contract without providing for full and open competition unless the contracting officer—

(1) Justifies, if required in 6.302, the use of such actions in writing;

(2) Certifies the accuracy and completeness of the justification; and

(3) Obtains the approval required by 6.304.

(b) The contracting officer shall not award a sole-source contract under the 8(a) authority (15 U.S.C. 637(a)) for an amount exceeding $30 million unless—

(1) The contracting officer justifies the use of a sole-source contract in writing in accordance with 6.303-2;

(2) The justification is approved by the appropriate official designated at 6.304; and

(3) The justification and related information are made public after award in accordance with 6.305.

(c) Technical and requirements personnel are responsible for providing and certifying as accurate and complete necessary data to support their recommendation for other than full and open competition.

(d) Justifications required by paragraph (a) of this section may be made on an individual or class basis. Any justification for contracts awarded under the authority of 6.302-7 shall only be made on an individual basis. Whenever a justification is made and approved on a class basis, the contracting officer must ensure that each contract action taken pursuant to the authority of the class justification and approval is within the scope of the class justification and approval and shall document the contract file for each contract action accordingly.

(e) The justifications for contracts awarded under the authority cited in 6.302-2 may be prepared and approved within a reasonable time after contract award when preparation and approval prior to award would unreasonably delay the acquisitions.

Sections it refers to

  • 6.302 Circumstances permitting other than full and open competition.
  • 6.304 Approval of the justification.
  • 6.303-2 Content.
  • 6.305 Availability of the justification.
  • 6.302-7 Public interest.
  • 6.302-2 Unusual and compelling urgency.

Sections that refer to it

← 6.303 Justifications. · 6.303-2 Content. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 6

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