FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 9: Contractor Qualifications › Subpart 9.4

FAR 9.405 Effect of listing.

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 explains that contractors who are debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or voluntarily excluded are generally barred from receiving government contracts, subcontracts, or acting as agents or sureties. It also requires contracting officers to check the SAM exclusion records after bids or proposals are received and again before award to ensure no award is made to a listed contractor.

Applies to: Contractors debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, voluntarily excluded, or declared ineligible, and contracting officers

What it requires

  • Contracting officers shall review exclusion records in SAM after opening bids or receiving proposals or quotes.
  • Contracting officers shall reject bids from listed contractors unless the agency head determines in writing a compelling reason to consider the bid.
  • Contracting officers shall not evaluate proposals from listed contractors for award or include them in the competitive range, nor conduct discussions with them during ineligibility, unless the agency head determines in writing a compelling reason to do so.
  • Contracting officers shall review exclusion records in SAM again immediately prior to award to ensure no award is made to a listed contractor.

Key terms: debarred · suspended · proposed for debarment · voluntarily excluded · SAM

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

The text

(a) Contractors debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or voluntarily excluded, are excluded from receiving contracts, and agencies shall not solicit offers from, award contracts to, or consent to subcontracts with these contractors, unless the agency head determines that there is a compelling reason for such action (see 9.405-1(a)(2), 9.405-2, 9.406-1(d), 9.407-1(d), and 26.505(e)). Contractors debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or voluntarily excluded, are also excluded from conducting business with the Government as agents or representatives of other contractors.

(b) Contractors and other entities that have an active exclusion record in SAM because they have been declared ineligible on the basis of statutory or other regulatory procedures are excluded from receiving contracts, and if applicable, subcontracts, under the conditions and for the period set forth in the statute or regulation. Agencies shall not solicit offers from, award contracts to, or consent to subcontracts with these contractors under those conditions and for that period.

(c) Agencies shall not enter into, renew, or extend contracts with contractors that have been declared ineligible pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2593e.

(d) Contractors debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or voluntarily excluded, are excluded from acting as individual sureties (see part 28).

(e)(1) After the opening of bids or receipt of proposals or quotes, the contracting officer shall review the exclusion records in SAM.

(2) Bids received from any listed contractor in response to an invitation for bids shall be entered on the abstract of bids, and rejected unless the agency head determines in writing that there is a compelling reason to consider the bid.

(3) Proposals, quotations, or offers received from any listed contractor shall not be evaluated for award or included in the competitive range, nor shall discussions be conducted with a listed offeror during a period of ineligibility, unless the agency head determines, in writing, that there is a compelling reason to do so. If the period of ineligibility expires or is terminated prior to award, the contracting officer may, but is not required to, consider such proposals, quotations, or offers.

(4) Immediately prior to award, the contracting officer shall again review the exclusion records in SAM to ensure that no award is made to a listed contractor.

Sections it refers to

  • 9.405-1 Continuation of current contracts.
  • 9.405-2 Restrictions on subcontracting.
  • 9.406-1 General.
  • 9.407-1 General.
  • 26.505 Suspension of payments, termination of contract, and debarment and suspension actions.

Sections that refer to it

  • 9.104-4 Subcontractor responsibility.
  • 9.104-5 Representation and certifications regarding responsibility matters.
  • 9.104-6 Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System.
  • 9.400 Scope of subpart.
  • 9.405-2 Restrictions on subcontracting.
  • 17.802 Policy.
  • 225.772-3 Procedures.

← 9.404 Exclusions in the System for Award Management. · 9.405-1 Continuation of current contracts. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 9

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

FAR 9.405 Effect of listing · SpendQuery