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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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81 sections with “invitation”: the first 40

  • FAR 14.208 Amendment of invitation for bids.
    …ications, delivery schedules, opening dates, etc., or to correct a defective or ambiguous invitation, such changes shall be accomplished by amendment of the invitation for bids using Standard Form 30, Amendment of Solicitation/Modification …
  • FAR 14.209 Cancellation of invitations before opening.
    (a) The cancellation of an invitation for bids usually involves a loss of time, effort, and money spent by the Government and bidders. Invitations should not be cancelled unless cancellation is clearly in the public interest; e.g., (1) wher…
  • FAR 14.404-1 Cancellation of invitations after opening.
    …est responsive bid, unless there is a compelling reason to reject all bids and cancel the invitation. (2) Every effort shall be made to anticipate changes in a requirement before the date of opening and to notify all prospective bidders of…
  • FAR 36.213-3 Invitations for bids.
    (a) Invitations for bids for construction shall allow sufficient time for bid preparation (i.e., the period of time between the date invitations are distributed and the date set for opening of bids) (but see 5.203 and 14.202-1) to allow bid…
  • FAR 14.204 Records of invitations for bids and records of bids.
    (a) Each contracting office shall retain a record of each invitation that it issues and each abstract or record of bids. Contracting officers shall review and utilize the information available in connection with subsequent acquisitions of t…
  • FAR 14.202-6 Final review of invitations for bids.
    Each invitation for bids shall be thoroughly reviewed before issuance to detect and correct discrepancies or ambiguities that could limit competition or result in the receipt of nonresponsive bids. Contracting officers are responsible for t…
  • FAR 14.203-2 Dissemination of information concerning invitations for bids.
    Procedures concerning display of invitations for bids in a public place, information releases to newspapers and trade journals, paid advertisements, and synopsizing through the Governmentwide point of entry (GPE) are set forth in 5.101 and …
  • FAR 52.214-3 Amendments to Invitations for Bids.
    As prescribed in 14.201-6(b)(1), insert the following provision: Amendments to Invitations for Bids (DEC 2016) (a) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged. (b)(1) Bidders sha…
  • FAR 52.232-28 Invitation To Propose Performance-Based Payments.
    As prescribed in 32.1005(b)(1), insert the following provision: Invitation To Propose Performance-Based Payments (MAR 2000) (a) The Government invites the offeror to propose terms under which the Government will make performance-based con…
  • FAR 52.232-31 Invitation To Propose Financing Terms.
    As prescribed in 32.205(b) and 32.206, insert the following provision: Invitation To Propose Financing Terms (DEC 2022) (a) The offeror is invited to propose terms under which the Government shall make contract financing payments during c…
  • DFARS 214.209 Cancellation of invitations before opening.
    If an invitation for bids allowed fewer than 30 days for receipt of offers, and resulted in only one offer, the contracting officer shall cancel and resolicit, allowing an additional period of at least 30 days for receipt of offers, as prov…
  • FAR 14.201 Preparation of invitations for bids.
  • DFARS 214.404-1 Cancellation of invitations after opening.
    (1) The contracting officer shall make the written determinations required by FAR 14.404-1(c) and (e)(1). (2) If only one offer is received, follow the procedures at 215.371 in lieu of the procedures at FAR 14.404-1(f).
  • FAR 14.101 Elements of sealed bidding.
    …public opening of bids, and awards. The following steps are involved: (a) Preparation of invitations for bids. Invitations must describe the requirements of the Government clearly, accurately, and completely. Unnecessarily restrictive spec…
  • FAR 14.201-6 Solicitation provisions.
    …r provisions and clauses related to specific acquisition requirements. (b) Insert in all invitations for bids the provisions at— (1) 52.214-3, Amendments to Invitations for Bids; and (2) 52.214-4, False Statements in Bids. (c) Insert th…
  • FAR 14.202-4 Bid samples.
    …nonresponsive if the sample fails to conform to each of the characteristics listed in the invitation. (b) When to use. The use of bid samples would be appropriate for products that must be suitable from the standpoint of balance, facility …
  • FAR 14.202-5 Descriptive literature.
    …erature, except when the contract specifications require submission. (c) Requirements of invitation for bids. (1) The invitation must clearly state— (i) What descriptive literature the bidders must furnish; (ii) The purpose for requiring…
  • FAR 14.404-2 Rejection of individual bids.
    (a) Any bid that fails to conform to the essential requirements of the invitation for bids shall be rejected. (b) Any bid that does not conform to the applicable specifications shall be rejected unless the invitation authorized the submiss…
  • FAR 14.408-1 General.
    …ension (see 14.404-1(d)), and (3) to that responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to the invitation, will be most advantageous to the Government, considering only price and the price-related factors (see 14.201-8) included in the invitatio…
  • FAR 32.502-3 Solicitation provisions.
    …tracting officer shall insert the provision at 52.232-13, Notice of Progress Payments, in invitations for bids and requests for proposals that include a Progress Payments clause. (b)(1) Under the authority of the statutes cited in 32.101, …
  • FAR 14.301 Responsiveness of bids.
    (a) To be considered for award, a bid must comply in all material respects with the invitation for bids. Such compliance enables bidders to stand on an equal footing and maintain the integrity of the sealed bidding system. (b) Facsimile bi…
  • FAR 14.405 Minor informalities or irregularities in bids.
    … some immaterial defect in a bid or variation of a bid from the exact requirements of the invitation that can be corrected or waived without being prejudicial to other bidders. The defect or variation is immaterial when the effect on price,…
  • FAR 14.408-4 Economic price adjustment.
    …is for evaluation exists. (b) Government proposes economic price adjustment. (1) When an invitation contains an economic price adjustment clause and no bidder takes exception to the provisions, bids shall be evaluated on the basis of the q…
  • FAR 2.101 Definitions.
    …that, if accepted, would bind the offeror to perform the resultant contract. Responses to invitations for bids (sealed bidding) are offers called “bids” or “sealed bids”; responses to requests for proposals (negotiation) are offers called “…
  • FAR 14.201-1 Uniform contract format.
    (a) Contracting officers shall prepare invitations for bids and contracts using the uniform contract format outlined in Table 14-1 to the maximum practicable extent. The use of the format facilitates preparation of the solicitation and cont…
  • FAR 14.201-2 Part I—The Schedule.
    …pare the Schedule as follows: (a) Section A, Solicitation/contract form. (1) Prepare the invitation for bids on SF 33, or the SF 1447, unless otherwise permitted by this regulation. The SF 33 is the first page of the solicitation and inclu…
  • FAR 14.407-3 Other mistakes disclosed before award.
    …to permit correction of bids is limited to bids that, as submitted, are responsive to the invitation and may not be used to permit correction of bids to make them responsive. This authority is in addition to that in 14.407-2 or that may be …
  • FAR 36.213-2 Presolicitation notices.
    …ified acquisition threshold. These notices shall be issued sufficiently in advance of the invitation for bids to stimulate the interest of the greatest number of prospective bidders. (b) Presolicitation notices must— (1) Describe the prop…
  • FAR 11.403 Supplies or services.
    …uested, or by any other method that will provide evidence of the date of receipt. (e) In invitations for bids, if the delivery schedule is based on the date of the contract, and a bid offers delivery based on the date the contractor receiv…
  • FAR 14.103-2 Limitations.
    …d is made to the responsible bidder (see 9.1) whose bid is responsive to the terms of the invitation for bids and is most advantageous to the Government, considering only price and the price-related factors included in the invitation, as pr…
  • FAR 14.202-1 Bidding time.
    …easonable time for prospective bidders to prepare and submit bids shall be allowed in all invitations, consistent with the needs of the Government. (For construction contracts, see 36.213-3(a).) A bidding time (i.e., the time between issuan…
  • FAR 14.205 Presolicitation notices.
    …ssential information to enable concerns to determine whether they have an interest in the invitation; and (c) Normally not include drawings, plans, and specifications. The return date of the notice must be sufficiently in advance of the ma…
  • FAR 14.207 Pre-bid conference.
    …aining complicated specifications and requirements to them as early as possible after the invitation has been issued and before the bids are opened. It shall never be used as a substitute for amending a defective or ambiguous invitation. Th…
  • FAR 14.401 Receipt and safeguarding of bids.
    …in a locked bid box, a safe, or in a secured, restricted-access electronic bid box. If an invitation for bids is cancelled, bids shall be returned to the bidders. Necessary precautions shall be taken to ensure the security of the bid box or…
  • FAR 14.407-4 Mistakes after award.
    …, as corrected, does not exceed that of the next lowest acceptable bid under the original invitation for bids; or (3) That no change shall be made in the contract as awarded, if the evidence does not warrant a determination under subparagr…
  • FAR 32.206 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
    …4 or 32.205. If the procedure at 32.205 is used, the solicitation provision at 52.232-31, Invitation to Propose Financing Terms, shall be included. The contract clause shall be constructed in accordance with the requirements of this subpart…
  • FAR 52.214-20 Bid Samples.
    …ucts that cannot adequately be described by specifications, purchase descriptions, or the invitation for bid (e.g., balance, facility of use, or pattern). (b) Bidders must furnish bid samples as part of the bid. The Government must receive…
  • FAR 52.232-14 Notice of Availability of Progress Payments Exclusively for Small Business Concerns.
    As prescribed in 32.502-3(b)(2), insert the following provision in invitations for bids if it is anticipated that (a) both small business concerns and others may submit bids in response to the same invitation and (b) only the small business…
  • FAR 53.214 Sealed bidding.
    …citation/Modification of Contract. SF 30, prescribed in 53.243, shall be used in amending invitations for bids, as specified in 14.208(a). (c) SF 33 (Rev. 12/2022), Solicitation, Offer and Award. SF 33 is prescribed for use in soliciting b…
  • DFARS 245.604-1 Sales procedures.
    …de due consideration for costs, risks, and benefits, e.g., potential sales proceeds. (2) Invitation for bid procedures. The plant clearance officer may direct the contractor to issue informal invitations for bid (orally, telephonically, or…

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.