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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 8: Required Sources of Supplies and Services › Subpart 8.7

FAR 8.712 Specification changes.

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 requires contracting activities to notify AbilityOne participating nonprofit agencies and central nonprofit agencies when specifications, descriptions, or scope of work change. It also requires 90-days advance notice to the Committee and central nonprofit agency for certain actions affecting Procurement List supplies, and allows shorter notice only for emergency needs with written justification.

Applies to: Contracting activities ordering supplies or services under the AbilityOne program

What it requires

  • Notify the AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency and appropriate central nonprofit agency of any change in specifications or descriptions
  • Provide 90-days advance notification to the Committee and the central nonprofit agency on actions that affect supplies on the Procurement List and permit them to comment before action is taken
  • For services, notify the AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency and central nonprofit agency concerned at least 90 days prior to the date changes in scope of work or other conditions will be required
  • If unable to give 90-day notification due to emergency needs, inform the AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency and central nonprofit agency in writing of the reasons at the time the order or change notice is placed

Key terms: AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency · central nonprofit agency · Committee · Procurement List · 90-days advance notification

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

The text

(a) The contracting activity shall notify the AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency and appropriate central nonprofit agency of any change in specifications or descriptions. In the absence of such written notification, the AbilityOneparticipating nonprofit agency shall furnish the supplies or services under the specification or description cited in the order.

(b) The contracting activity shall provide 90-days advance notification to the Committee and the central nonprofit agency on actions that affect supplies on the Procurement List and shall permit them to comment before action is taken, particularly when it involves—

(1) Changes that require new national stock numbers or item designations;

(2) Deleting items from the supply system;

(3) Standardization; or

(4) Developing new items to replace items on the Procurement List.

(c) For services, the contracting activity shall notify the AbiiltyOneparticipating nonprofit agency and central nonprofit agency concerned at least 90 days prior to the date that any changes in the scope of work or other conditions will be required.

(d) When, in order to meet its emergency needs, a contracting activity is unable to give the 90-day notification required in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, the contracting activity shall, at the time it places the order or change notice, inform the AbilityOne participating nonprofit agency and the central nonprofit agency in writing of the reasons that it cannot meet the 90-day notification requirement.

Sections that refer to it

  • 18.107 AbilityOne specification changes.

← 8.711 Quality complaints. · 8.713 Optional acquisition of supplies and services. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 8

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

FAR 8.712 Specification changes · SpendQuery