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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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49 sections with “contract files”: the first 40

  • FAR 4.802 Contract files.
    (a) A contract file should generally consist of— (1) The contracting office contract file, that documents the basis for the acquisition and the award, the assignment of contract administration (including payment responsibilities), and any …
  • FAR 4.803 Contents of contract files.
    The following are examples of the records normally contained, if applicable, in contract files: (a) Contracting office contract file. (1) Purchase request, acquisition planning information, and other presolicitation documents. (2) Justifi…
  • DFARS 204.805 Disposal of contract files.
    (1) The sources of the period for which contract files must be retained are General Records Schedule 3 (Procurement, Supply, and Grant Records) and General Records Schedule 6 (Accountable Officers' Accounts Records). Copies of the General R…
  • FAR 4.804-5 Procedures for closing out contract files.
    (a) The contract administration office is responsible for initiating (automated or manual) administrative closeout of the contract after receiving evidence of its physical completion. At the outset of this process, the contract administrati…
  • DFARS 204.804 Closeout of contract files.
    (1) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this section, contracting officers shall close out contracts in accordance with the procedures at PGI 204.804. The closeout date for file purposes shall be determined and documented by the procurin…
  • DFARS 204.802 Contract files.
    (a) Any document posted to the Electronic Data Access (EDA) system is part of the contract file and is accessible by multiple parties, including the contractor. Do not include in EDA contract documents that are classified, too sensitive for…
  • FAR 4.805 Storage, handling, and contract files.
    (a) Agencies must prescribe procedures for the handling, storing, and disposing of contract files, in accordance with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) General Records Schedule 1.1, Financial Management and Reporting R…
  • FAR 4.804-3 Closeout of paying office contract files.
    The paying office shall close the contract file upon issuance of the final payment voucher.
  • FAR 4.804 Closeout of contract files.
  • FAR 4.804-2 Closeout of the contracting office files if another office administers the contract.
    (a) Contract files for contracts using simplified acquisition procedures should be considered closed when the contracting officer receives evidence of receipt of property and final payment, unless otherwise specified by agency regulation. …
  • FAR 4.804-1 Closeout by the office administering the contract.
    (a) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, time standards for closing out contract files are as follows: (1) Files for contracts using simplified acquisition procedures should be considered closed when the contracting officer…
  • FAR 52.204-21 Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems.
    As prescribed in 4.1903, insert the following clause: Basic Safeguarding of Covered Contractor Information Systems (NOV 2021) (a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Covered contractor information system means an information system that…
  • FAR 52.227-11 Patent Rights—Ownership by the Contractor.
    … prescribed in 27.303(b)(1), insert the following clause: Patent Rights—Ownership by the Contractor (MAY 2014) (a) As used in this clause— Invention means any invention or discovery that is or may be patentable or otherwise protectable u…
  • DFARS 246.710 Contract clauses.
    …e of the alternates of the clause at 252.246-7001, Warranty of Data, in solicitations and contracts that include the clause at 252.227-7013, Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software, when there is a need for greater protection or peri…
  • DFARS 252.244-7001 Contractor Purchasing System Administration.
    Basic. As prescribed in 244.305-71 and 244.305-71(a), use the following clause: Contractor Purchasing System Administration—Basic (Jan 2025) (a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Acceptable purchasing system means a purchasing system …
  • FAR 15.203 Requests for proposals.
    …are used in negotiated acquisitions to communicate Government requirements to prospective contractors and to solicit proposals. RFPs for competitive acquisitions shall, at a minimum, describe the— (1) Government's requirement; (2) Anticip…
  • FAR 42.706 Distribution of documents.
    (a) The contracting officer or auditor shall promptly distribute executed copies of the indirect cost rate agreement to the contractor and to each affected contracting agency and shall provide copies of the agreement for the contract files,…
  • FAR 14.304 Submission, modification, and withdrawal of bids.
    …bids is “late” and will not be considered unless it is received before award is made, the contracting officer determines that accepting the late bid would not unduly delay the acquisition; and— (i) If it was transmitted through an electron…
  • FAR 4.801 General.
    (a) The head of each office performing contracting, contract administration, or paying functions shall establish files containing the records of all contractual actions. (b) The documentation in the files (see 4.803) shall be sufficient to…
  • FAR 4.1702 Applicability.
    …es to— (1) All FAIR Act agencies, except DoD as specified in 4.1705; (2) Solicitations, contracts, and orders for services (including construction) that meet or exceed the thresholds at 4.1703; and (3) Contractors and first-tier subcontr…
  • FAR 9.506 Procedures.
    (a) If information concerning prospective contractors is necessary to identify and evaluate potential organizational conflicts of interest or to develop recommended actions, contracting officers should first seek the information from within…
  • FAR 15.208 Submission, modification, revision, and withdrawal of proposals.
    …sals is “late” and will not be considered unless it is received before award is made, the contracting officer determines that accepting the late proposal would not unduly delay the acquisition; and— (i) If it was transmitted through an ele…
  • FAR 17.502-1 General.
    …nship between the parties, including roles and responsibilities for acquisition planning, contract execution, and administration and management of the contract(s) or order(s). The requesting agency shall provide to the servicing agency any …
  • FAR 22.406-8 Investigations.
    …e Department of Labor may conduct an investigation on its own initiative or may request a contracting agency to do so. (a) Contracting agency responsibilities. Conduct an investigation when a compliance check indicates that substantial or …
  • FAR 27.404-5 Unauthorized, omitted, or incorrect markings.
    …. (2) Agencies shall not cancel or ignore markings without making written inquiry of the contractor and affording the contractor at least 60 days to provide a written justification substantiating the propriety of the markings. (i) If the …
  • FAR 28.203-1 Acceptability of individual sureties.
    …ed by that individual surety equals or exceeds the amount of the bond. (4) An offeror or contractor may submit up to three individual sureties for each bond, in which case the net adjusted value of the pledged unencumbered assets, when com…
  • FAR 32.006-4 Procedures.
    … case in which an agency's remedy coordination official finds substantial evidence that a contractor's request for advance, partial, or progress payments under a contract awarded by that agency is based on fraud, the remedy coordination off…
  • FAR 33.103 Protests to the agency.
    …ies shall use their best efforts to resolve concerns raised by an interested party at the contracting officer level through open and frank discussions. (c) The agency should provide for inexpensive, informal, procedurally simple, and exped…
  • FAR 52.222-62 Paid Sick Leave Under Executive Order 13706.
    …. Employee—(1)(i) Means any person engaged in performing work on or in connection with a contract covered by Executive Order (E.O.) 13706; and (A) Whose wages under such contract are governed by the Service Contract Labor Standards statut…
  • FAR 52.227-14 Rights in Data—General.
    …technical data and computer software. The term does not include information incidental to contract administration, such as financial, administrative, cost or pricing, or management information. Form, fit, and function data means data relat…
  • FAR 52.233-1 Disputes.
    As prescribed in 33.215, insert the following clause: Disputes (MAY 2014) (a) This contract is subject to 41 U.S.C. chapter 71, Contract Disputes. (b) Except as provided in 41 U.S.C. chapter 71, all disputes arising under or relating to …
  • FAR 52.250-3 SAFETY Act Block Designation/Certification.
    …Y Act designation (or SAFETY Act certification, if a block certification exists) prior to contract award, then the Government may not award a contract based on such offer unless the offeror demonstrates prior to award that DHS has issued a …
  • FAR 52.250-4 SAFETY Act Pre-qualification Designation Notice.
    … (2) If an offer is submitted contingent upon receipt of SAFETY Act designation prior to contract award, then the Government may not award a contract based on such offer unless the offeror demonstrates prior to award that DHS has issued a …
  • DFARS 252.227-7019 Validation of Asserted Restrictions—Computer Software.
    …rted Restrictions—Computer Software (JAN 2025) (a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Contractor, unless otherwise specifically indicated, means the Contractor and its subcontractors or suppliers. Other terms are defined in the 252.227…
  • DFARS 252.227-7037 Validation of Asserted Restrictions on Technical Data.
    …s in Technical Data—Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services clause of this contract. (b) Commercial products or commercial services—presumption regarding development exclusively at private expense.. The Contracting Officer w…
  • DFARS 252.228-7000 Reimbursement for War-Hazard Losses.
    …e with paragraph (b) of the Workers' Compensation and War-Hazard Insurance clause of this contract are allowable if the Contractor— (1) Submits proof of loss files to support payment or denial of each claim; (2) Subject to Contracting Off…
  • DFARS 252.246-7006 Warranty Tracking of Serialized Items.
    …of a specified event, after formal acceptance of delivery, for the Government to assert a contractual right for the correction of defects. Enterprise means the entity (e.g., a manufacturer or vendor) responsible for granting the warranty a…
  • FAR 36.603 Collecting data on and appraising firms' qualifications.
    …r agencies, to receive and maintain data on firms wishing to be considered for Government contracts. Each office or board shall be assigned a jurisdiction by its parent agency, making it responsible for a geographical region or area, or a s…
  • FAR 4.705-3 Acquisition and supply records.
    …ds, reflecting accountability for the receipt and use of material in the performance of a contract: Retain 4 years. (e) Receiving and inspection report records, consisting of reports reflecting receipt and inspection of supplies, equipment…
  • FAR 4.800 Scope of subpart.
    This subpart prescribes requirements for establishing, maintaining, and disposing of contract files.

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.