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48 CFR · Federal Acquisition Regulation and Defense supplement

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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.

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50 sections with “agency head or a designee”: the first 40

  • FAR 7.103 Agency-head responsibilities.
    The agency head or a designee shall prescribe procedures for the following: (a) Promoting and providing for full and open competition (see part 6) or, when full and open competition is not required in accordance with part 6, for obtaining …
  • FAR 37.503 Agency-head responsibilities.
    The agency head or designee should ensure that— (a) Requirements for services are clearly defined and appropriate performance standards are developed so that the agency's requirements can be understood by potential offerors and that perfor…
  • FAR 16.505 Ordering.
    … products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency's needs. (ii) Requirements for use of items peculiar to one manufacturer shall be justified and approved using the format(s) and requirements …
  • DFARS 237.503 Agency-head responsibilities.
    (c) The agency head or designee shall employ procedures to ensure that requirements for service contracts are vetted and approved as a safeguard to prevent contracts from being awarded or administered in a manner that constitutes an unautho…
  • FAR 3.204 Treatment of violations.
    (a) Before taking any action against a contractor, the agency head or a designee shall determine, after notice and hearing under agency procedures, whether the contractor, its agent, or another representative, under a contract containing th…
  • FAR 9.406-1 General.
    …he activity cited as a cause for debarment to the attention of the appropriate Government agency in a timely manner. (3) Whether the contractor has fully investigated the circumstances surrounding the cause for debarment (or the individual…
  • DFARS 206.302-1 Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements.
    (a) Authority. (2)(i) Section 8059 of Pub. L. 101-511 and similar sections in subsequent defense appropriations acts prohibit departments and agencies from entering into contracts for studies, analyses, or consulting services (see FAR subpa…
  • FAR 1.404 Class deviations.
    Class deviations affect more than one contract action. When an agency knows that it will require a class deviation on a permanent basis, it should propose a FAR revision, if appropriate. Civilian agencies, other than NASA, must furnish a co…
  • FAR 2.101 Definitions.
    … be created, developed, demonstrated, and evaluated. Acquisition begins at the point when agency needs are established and includes the description of requirements to satisfy agency needs, solicitation and selection of sources, award of con…
  • FAR 3.703 Authority.
    …he executive agencies and military departments. (b) 41 U.S.C. 2105(c) requires a Federal agency, upon receiving information that a contractor or a person has violated 41 U.S.C. 2102, to consider rescission of a contract with respect to whi…
  • FAR 3.704 Policy.
    …n for any violation of 18 U.S.C. 201-224 involving or relating to contracts awarded by an agency, the agency head or designee shall consider the facts available and, if appropriate, may declare void and rescind contracts, and recover the am…
  • FAR 3.705 Procedures.
    …ning any final conviction for any violation of 18 U.S.C. 201-224 involving or relating to agency contracts shall be reported promptly to the agency head or designee for that official's consideration. The agency head or designee shall prompt…
  • FAR 6.202 Establishing or maintaining alternative sources.
    …ntain an alternative source or sources for the supplies or services being acquired if the agency head determines that to do so would— (1) Increase or maintain competition and likely result in reduced overall costs for the acquisition, or f…
  • FAR 8.405-6 Limiting sources.
    …cation— (1) At the GPE https://www.sam.gov (2) On the Web site of the ordering activity agency, which may provide access to the justification by linking to the GPE; and (3) For a minimum of 30 days. (ii) In the case of an order or BPA p…
  • FAR 9.202 Policy.
    (a)(1) The head of the agency or designee shall, before establishing a qualification requirement, prepare a written justification— (i) Stating the necessity for establishing the qualification requirement and specifying why the qualificatio…
  • FAR 9.206-1 General.
    …d after the above dates must comply with 9.202(a) to be enforceable. (b) Except when the agency head or designee determines that an emergency exists, whenever an agency elects, whether before or after award, not to enforce a qualification …
  • FAR 9.406-3 Procedures.
    …with counsel, submit documentary evidence, present witnesses, and confront any person the agency presents; and (ii) Make a transcribed record of the proceedings and make it available at cost to the contractor upon request, unless the contr…
  • FAR 9.503 Waiver.
    The agency head or a designee may waive any general rule or procedure of this subpart by determining that its application in a particular situation would not be in the Government's interest. Any request for waiver must be in writing, shall …
  • FAR 19.201 General policy.
    …le opportunity to participate as subcontractors in the contracts awarded by any executive agency, consistent with efficient contract performance. The Small Business Administration (SBA) counsels and assists small business concerns and assis…
  • FAR 19.502-8 Rejecting Small Business Administration recommendations.
    …g officer to suspend action on the acquisition until the SBA Administrator appeals to the agency head (see paragraph (f) of this section); and (2) The SBA must be allowed 15 working days after making such a written request, within which th…
  • FAR 28.106-6 Furnishing information.
    …not been paid. (c) When a payment bond has been provided for a contract, the head of the agency or designee shall furnish a certified copy of the bond and the contract for which it was given to any person who makes a request therefor and w…
  • FAR 32.402 General.
    ….102-3(b)(4). (b) Advance payments may be provided on any type of contract; however, the agency shall authorize advance payments sparingly. Except for the contracts described in 32.403(a) and (b), advance payment is the least preferred met…
  • FAR 34.003 Responsibilities.
    (a) As required by A-109, the agency head or designee shall establish written procedures for its implementation. (b) The agency procedures shall identify the key decision points of each major system acquisition and the agency official(s) f…
  • FAR 42.202 Assignment of contract administration.
    (a) Delegating functions. As provided in agency procedures, contracting officers may delegate contract administration or specialized support services, either through interagency agreements or by direct request to the cognizant CAO listed in…
  • FAR 42.602 Assignment and location.
    … at least two locations with resident ACO's or (2) the need for a CACO is approved by the agency head or designee (for this purpose, a nonresident ACO will be considered as resident if at least 75 percent of the ACO's effort is devoted to a…
  • DFARS 203.570-2 Prohibition period.
    …bition period— (a) Shall not be less than 5 years from the date of conviction unless the agency head or a designee grants a waiver in the interest of national security. Follow the waiver procedures at PGI 203.570-2(a); and (b) May be more…
  • DFARS 203.703 Authority.
    The authority to act for the agency head under this subpart is limited to a level no lower than an official who is appointed by and with the advice of the Senate, without power of redelegation. For the defense agencies, for purposes of this…
  • DFARS 203.906 Remedies.
    …fter receiving a DoD Inspector General report in accordance with 203.905, the head of the agency shall determine whether sufficient basis exists to conclude that the contractor has subjected the complainant to a reprisal as prohibited by 20…
  • FAR 6.304 Approval of the justification.
    …y 6.303-2(b)(12) will serve as approval unless a higher approving level is established in agency procedures. (2) For a proposed contract over $900,000 but not exceeding $20 million, by the advocate for competition for the procuring activit…
  • FAR 9.407-1 General.
    …spension shall be effective throughout the executive branch of the Government, unless the agency head or a designee (except see 26.505(e)) states in writing the compelling reasons justifying continued business dealings between that agency a…
  • FAR 15.204 Contract format.
    …ormat. (d) Letter requests for proposals (see 15.203(e)). (e) Contracts exempted by the agency head or designee.
  • FAR 19.1505 Set-aside procedures.
    …ting officer shall suspend further action regarding the procurement until the head of the agency issues a written decision on the appeal, unless the head of the agency makes a written determination that urgent and compelling circumstances w…
  • FAR 52.203-3 Gratuities.
    …ntractor to proceed may be terminated by written notice if, after notice and hearing, the agency head or a designee determines that the Contractor, its agent, or another representative— (1) Offered or gave a gratuity (e.g., an entertainmen…
  • DFARS 252.227-7016 Rights in Bid or Proposal Information.
    …including potential evaluators, unless that person has been authorized by the head of the agency, his or her designee, or the Contracting Officer to receive such information. (c) Government rights subsequent to contract award. The Contract…
  • FAR 5.404-1 Release procedures.
    (a) Application. The agency head, or a designee, may release long-range acquisition estimates if the information will— (1) Assist industry in its planning and facilitate meeting the acquisition requirements; (2) Not encourage undesirable …
  • FAR 8.1102 Presolicitation requirements.
    …ational needs, and meet prescribed fuel economy standards; (2) The head of the requiring agency, or a designee, has certified that the requested passenger automobiles (sedans and station wagons) larger than Type IA, IB, or II (small, subco…
  • FAR 36.602-1 Selection criteria.
    …propriate evaluation criteria. (b) When the use of design competition is approved by the agency head or a designee, agencies may evaluate firms on the basis of their conceptual design of the project. Design competition may be used when— (…
  • FAR 41.204 GSA areawide contracts.
    …raph (c)(1) of this section apply. (c) Procedures for obtaining service. (1) Any Federal agency having a requirement for utility services within an area covered by an areawide contract shall acquire services under that areawide contract un…
  • DFARS 209.403 Definitions.
    …ographic area of responsibility under any delegation of authority they receive from their agency head. (ii) Debar or suspend in accordance with the procedures in FAR subpart 9.4 or under modified procedures approved by the agency head base…
  • FAR 1.603-1 General.
    41 U.S.C. 1702(b)(3)(G), requires agency heads to establish and maintain a procurement career management program and a system for the selection, appointment, and termination of appointment of contracting officers. Agency heads or their desi…

FAR (chapter 1)

DFARS (chapter 2, Defense)

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Rule changes in progress: FAR, DFARS. Terms: glossary.