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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78 sections with “best value”: the first 40

  • DFARS 215.101-70 Best value when acquiring tents or other temporary structures.
    …r use by the Armed Forces, the contracting officer shall award contracts that provide the best value. Temporary structures covered by this paragraph are nonpermanent buildings, including tactical shelters, nonpermanent modular or pre-fabric…
  • FAR 15.101 Best value continuum.
    An agency can obtain best value in negotiated acquisitions by using any one or a combination of source selection approaches. In different types of acquisitions, the relative importance of cost or price may vary. For example, in acquisitions…
  • DFARS 215.101 Best value continuum.
  • FAR 8.405-3 Blanket purchase agreements (BPAs).
    …ith the schedule contractor(s) that can provide the supply or service that represents the best value. (2) In addition to price (see 8.404(d) and 8.405-4), when determining best value, the ordering activity may consider, among other factors…
  • FAR 2.101 Definitions.
    …ing of the subject under study, rather than any practical application of that knowledge. Best value means the expected outcome of an acquisition that, in the Government's estimation, provides the greatest overall benefit in response to the…
  • FAR 52.215-1 Instructions to Offerors—Competitive Acquisition.
    …ing from this solicitation to the responsible offeror(s) whose proposal(s) represents the best value after evaluation in accordance with the factors and subfactors in the solicitation. (2) The Government may reject any or all proposals if …
  • FAR 1.102 Statement of guiding principles for the Federal Acquisition System.
    (a) The vision for the Federal Acquisition System is to deliver on a timely basis the best value product or service to the customer, while maintaining the public's trust and fulfilling public policy objectives. Participants in the acquisiti…
  • FAR 8.405-6 Limiting sources.
    … determination by the ordering activity contracting officer that the order represents the best value consistent with 8.404(d). (vi) A description of the market research conducted among schedule holders and the results or a statement of the…
  • FAR 8.602 Policy.
    …ine whether the FPI item is comparable to supplies available from the private sector that best meet the Government's needs in terms of price, quality, and time of delivery. This is a unilateral determination made at the discretion of the co…
  • FAR 15.404-1 Proposal analysis techniques.
    …) The probable cost may differ from the proposed cost and should reflect the Government's best estimate of the cost of any contract that is most likely to result from the offeror's proposal. The probable cost shall be used for purposes of e…
  • FAR 16.505 Ordering.
    …der in evaluating proposals, and their relative importance; (D) Where award is made on a best value basis, a written statement documenting the basis for award and the relative importance of quality and price or cost factors; and (E) An op…
  • FAR 32.202-1 Policy.
    …priate financing terms in contracts for commercial purchases when doing so will be in the best interest of the Government. (b) Authorization. Commercial interim payments and commercial advance payments may be made under the following circu…
  • DFARS 252.244-7001 Contractor Purchasing System Administration.
    …ndors selected and prices paid; (6) Apply a consistent make-or-buy policy that is in the best interest of the Government; (7) Use competitive sourcing to the maximum extent practicable, and ensure debarred or suspended contractors are pro…
  • FAR 1.102-1 Discussion.
    …ticipants in the System are responsible for making acquisition decisions that deliver the best value product or service to the customer. Best value must be viewed from a broad perspective and is achieved by balancing the many competing inte…
  • FAR 8.404 Use of Federal Supply Schedules.
    …he procedures in 8.405, the ordering activity has concluded that the order represents the best value (as defined in FAR 2.101) and results in the lowest overall cost alternative (considering price, special features, administrative costs, et…
  • FAR 8.405-1 Ordering procedures for supplies, and services not requiring a statement of work.
    …s with the schedule contractor that can provide the supply or service that represents the best value. Before placing an order, an ordering activity shall: (1) Consider reasonably available information about the supply or service offered un…
  • FAR 19.102 Small business size standards and North American Industry Classification System codes.
    … NAICS code by classifying the product or service being acquired in the one industry that best describes the principal purpose of the supply or service being acquired. Primary consideration is given to the industry descriptions in the U.S. …
  • DFARS 245.604-1 Sales procedures.
    (1) Best value sales approach. Plant clearance officers shall determine a best value sales approach, to include due consideration for costs, risks, and benefits, e.g., potential sales proceeds. (2) Invitation for bid procedures. The plant …
  • FAR 8.405-2 Ordering procedures for services requiring a statement of work.
    …tal price is reasonable. Place the order with the schedule contractor that represents the best value (see 8.404(d) and 8.405-4). After award, ordering activities should provide timely notification to unsuccessful offerors. If an unsuccessfu…
  • FAR 13.106-1 Soliciting competition.
    …rs, e.g., past performance and quality). (ii) Contracting officers are encouraged to use best value. (iii) Solicitations are not required to state the relative importance assigned to each evaluation factor and subfactor, nor are they requ…
  • FAR 13.106-2 Evaluation of quotations or offers.
    …e quotations or offers having the highest past performance rating possible represents the best value when compared to any lower priced quotation or offer.
  • FAR 15.002 Types of negotiated acquisition.
    … evaluation of offerors' proposals, leading to selection of the proposal representing the best value to the Government (see 2.101).
  • FAR 15.101-2 Lowest price technically acceptable source selection process.
    (a) The lowest price technically acceptable source selection process is appropriate when best value is expected to result from selection of the technically acceptable proposal with the lowest evaluated price. (b) When using the lowest pric…
  • FAR 15.302 Source selection objective.
    The objective of source selection is to select the proposal that represents the best value.
  • FAR 15.303 Responsibilities.
    …ry boards or panels (if any); and (6) Select the source or sources whose proposal is the best value to the Government (10 U.S.C. 3303(c) and 41 U.S.C. 3703(c)). (c) The contracting officer shall— (1) After release of a solicitation, serv…
  • FAR 15.306 Exchanges with offerors after receipt of proposals.
    …2) The primary objective of discussions is to maximize the Government's ability to obtain best value, based on the requirement and the evaluation factors set forth in the solicitation. (3) At a minimum, the contracting officer must, subjec…
  • FAR 15.403-1 Prohibition on obtaining certified cost or pricing data (10 U.S.C. chapter 271 and 41 U.S.C. chapter 35).
    …pressed requirement; (B) Award will be made to the offeror whose proposal represents the best value (see 2.101) where price is a substantial factor in source selection; and (C) There is no finding that the price of the otherwise successfu…
  • FAR 25.502 Application.
    … section and use the evaluated cost or price in determining the offer that represents the best value to the Government. (b) For acquisitions covered by the WTO GPA (see Subpart 25.4)— (1) Consider only offers of U.S.-made or designated co…
  • FAR 25.605 Evaluating offers of foreign construction material.
    … of this section and use the evaluated price in determining the offer that represents the best value to the Government. (c) Unless paragraph (b) applies, if two or more offers are equal in price, the contracting officer must give preferenc…
  • FAR 32.1004 Procedures.
    …f providing performance-based payments would have a significant impact on determining the best value offer, the solicitation should state that the evaluation of the offeror's proposed prices will include an adjustment to reflect the estimat…
  • FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services.
    …is expected to exceed $200,000.) By submission of its offer, the offeror certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief that no Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to infl…
  • FAR 52.225-22 Notice of Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Manufactured Goods—Buy American Statute—Construction Materials.
    …f this provision and use the evaluated price in determining the offer that represents the best value to the Government. (3) Unless paragraph (c)(2) of this provision applies, if two or more offers are equal in price, the Contracting Office…
  • FAR 52.225-24 Notice of Required Use of American Iron, Steel, and Manufactured Goods—Buy American Statute—Construction Materials Under Trade Agreements.
    …rovision and use the evaluated cost or price in determining the offer that represents the best value to the Government. (3) Unless paragraph (c)(2) of this provision applies, if two or more offers are equal in price, the Contracting Office…
  • DFARS 215.101-2-70 Limitations and prohibitions.
    …inning in fiscal year 2019. (3) Contracting officers shall make award decisions based on best value factors and criteria, as determined by the resource sponsor (in accordance with agency procedures), for an auditing contract. The use of th…
  • DFARS 237.102-71 Limitation on service contracts for military flight simulators.
    …t estimate. (C) A discussion of the benefits to be realized from the alternative. (D) A best value determination of each alternative and a detailed explanation of the life-cycle cost calculations used in the determination. (c) When revie…
  • DFARS 252.247-7023 Transportation of Supplies by Sea.
    …tor shall provide with its final invoice under this contract a representation that to the best of its knowledge and belief— (1) No ocean transportation was used in the performance of this contract; (2) Ocean transportation was used and on…
  • FAR 3.104-7 Violations or possible violations.
    …lated 41 U.S.C. chapter 21, the HCA may consider that the interests of the Government are best served by requesting information from appropriate parties regarding the violation or possible violation. (d) If the HCA concludes that 41 U.S.C.…
  • FAR 6.303-2 Content.
    … Contracting officer certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer's knowledge and belief. (c) Each justification shall include evidence that any supporting data that is the responsibi…
  • FAR 19.502-2 Total small business set-asides.
    …sides, there must also be a reasonable expectation of obtaining from small businesses the best scientific and technological sources consistent with the demands of the proposed acquisition for the best mix of cost, performances, and schedule…
  • FAR 22.1703 Policy.
    …prohibited activities; and (B) After having conducted due diligence, either— (1) To the best of the offeror's knowledge and belief, neither it nor any of its agents, proposed subcontractors, or their agents, has engaged in any such activi…

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.