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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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139 sections with “letter contract”: the first 40

  • FAR 18.112 Letter contracts.
    Letter contracts may be used when contract performance must begin immediately. (See 16.603.)
  • FAR 16.603 Letter contracts.
  • DFARS 216.603 Letter contracts.
  • FAR 16.603-4 Contract clauses.
    (a) The contracting officer shall include in each letter contract the clauses required by this regulation for the type of definitive contract contemplated and any additional clauses known to be appropriate for it. (b) In addition, the cont…
  • FAR 52.216-25 Contract Definitization.
    …uses required by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) on the date of execution of the letter contract, (2) all clauses required by law on the date of execution of the definitive contract, and (3) any other mutually agreeable clauses, te…
  • FAR 15.408 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
    … of contract action (that is, new contract, change order, price revision/redetermination, letter contract, unpriced order, or other); (6) Proposed cost; profit or fee; and total; (7) Whether you will require the use of Government property…
  • FAR 28.204-3 Irrevocable letter of credit.
    …son required to furnish a bond has the option to furnish a bond secured by an irrevocable letter of credit (ILC) in an amount equal to the penal sum required to be secured (see 28.204). A separate ILC is required for each bond. (b) The ILC…
  • FAR 32.406 Letters of credit.
    …nt of the Treasury (Treasury) prescribes regulations and instructions covering the use of letters of credit for advance payments under contracts. See Treasury Department Circular 1075 (31 CFR part 205), and the implementing instructions in …
  • FAR 52.228-14 Irrevocable Letter of Credit.
    As prescribed in 28.204-4, insert the following clause: Irrevocable Letter of Credit (NOV 2014) (a) “Irrevocable letter of credit” (ILC), as used in this clause, means a written commitment by a federally insured financial institution to p…
  • DFARS 252.225-7040 Contractor Personnel Supporting U.S. Armed Forces Deployed Outside the United States.
    …y U.S. Armed Forces in applicable operations and have been afforded CAAF status through a letter of authorization. CAAF generally include all U.S. citizen and third-country national employees not normally residing within the operational are…
  • FAR 2.101 Definitions.
    …ntracts include (but are not limited to) awards and notices of awards; job orders or task letters issued under basic ordering agreements; letter contracts; orders, such as purchase orders, under which the contract becomes effective by writt…
  • FAR 16.603-2 Application.
    (a) A letter contract may be used when (1) the Government's interests demand that the contractor be given a binding commitment so that work can start immediately and (2) negotiating a definitive contract is not possible in sufficient time t…
  • FAR 16.603-3 Limitations.
    A letter contract may be used only after the head of the contracting activity or a designee determines in writing that no other contract is suitable. Letter contracts shall not— (a) Commit the Government to a definitive contract in excess …
  • FAR 52.232-16 Progress Payments.
    …mall business concerns (see FAR 32.501-1). Alternate II (APR 2003). If the contract is a letter contract, add paragraphs (n) and (o). The amount specified in paragraph (o) shall not exceed 80 percent of the maximum liability of the Governm…
  • DFARS 204.1603 Procedures.
    …ly alpha-numeric characters, as prescribed in FAR 4.1603 and this subpart. Do not use the letter I or O in any part of the PIID. (3) Position 9. (A) DoD will use three of the letters reserved for departmental or agency use in FAR 4.1603(a…
  • FAR 19.705-5 Awards involving subcontracting plans.
    …at an acceptable plan is incorporated into and made a material part of the contract. (b) Letter contracts and similar undefinitized instruments, which would otherwise meet the requirements of 19.702(a)(1)(i) and (ii), shall contain at leas…
  • FAR 32.501-3 Contract price.
    …cer may provisionally increase the price up to the ceiling or maximum price. (4) Under a letter contract, the contract price is the maximum amount obligated by the contract as modified. (5) Under an unpriced order issued against a basic o…
  • FAR 32.502-4 Contract clauses.
    … a small business concern, use the clause with its Alternate I. (c) If the contract is a letter contract, use the clause with its Alternate II. (d) If the contractor is not a small business concern, and progress payments are authorized un…
  • FAR 43.103 Types of contract modifications.
    …ated equitable adjustments resulting from the issuance of a change order; (2) Definitize letter contracts; and (3) Reflect other agreements of the parties modifying the terms of contracts. (b) Unilateral. A unilateral modification is a c…
  • FAR 44.204 Contract clauses.
    …licitations and contracts when contemplating— (i) A cost-reimbursement contract; (ii) A letter contract that exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold; (iii) A fixed-price contract that exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold und…
  • FAR 42.504 Postaward letters.
    In some circumstances, a letter or other written form of communication to the contractor may be adequate postaward orientation (in lieu of a conference). The letter should identify the Government representative responsible for administering…
  • FAR 49.604 Release of excess funds under terminated contracts.
    …_ [Contractor] Refs: (a) [Cite termination notice and effective date.] (b) [Cite prior letters releasing excess funds, if any.] 1. Referenced termination notice, ______ [insert “completely” or “partially”] terminated contract ______. 2…
  • FAR 49.606 Granting subcontract settlement authorization.
    …icers shall use the following format when granting subcontract settlement authorization: LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION (a) Your request of ______ (date) is approved, and you are authorized, subject to the limitations of subsection 49.108-4 and …
  • FAR 52.216-23 Execution and Commencement of Work.
    …ibed in 16.603-4(b)(1), insert the following clause in solicitations and contracts when a letter contract is contemplated, except that it may be omitted from letter contracts awarded on SF 26: Execution and Commencement of Work (APR 1984) …
  • FAR 53.243 Contract modifications (SF 30).
    …notice. (5) For a modification confirming the termination contracting officer's previous letter determination of the amount due in settlement of a contract termination for convenience, the effective date shall be the same as the effective …
  • DFARS 249.7000 Terminated contracts with Canadian Commercial Corporation.
    …Terminate contracts with the Canadian Commercial Corporation in accordance with— (1) The Letter of Agreement (LOA) between the Department of Defence Production (Canada) and the U.S. DoD, “Canadian Agreement” (for a copy of the LOA or for q…
  • DFARS 252.229-7004 Status of contractors as a direct contractor (Spain).
    …r disposed of, in accordance with Spanish law, the Contractor shall obtain a written bank letter of guaranty payable to the Treasurer of the United States, or such other authority as may be designated by the Contracting Officer, in the amou…
  • FAR 1.604 Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).
    …d contract. The file must include, at a minimum— (a) A copy of the contracting officer's letter of designation and other documents describing the COR's duties and responsibilities; (b) A copy of the contract administration functions deleg…
  • FAR 4.1603 Procedures.
    …) Position 9. Indicate the type of instrument by entering one of the following upper case letters in position nine. Departments and independent agencies may assign those letters identified for department use below in accordance with their a…
  • FAR 15.204 Contract format.
    …ats prescribed elsewhere in this part that are inconsistent with the uniform format. (d) Letter requests for proposals (see 15.203(e)). (e) Contracts exempted by the agency head or designee.
  • FAR 19.804-2 Agency offering.
    …that are reserved in accordance with 19.503. The notification, referred to as an offering letter, shall identify the time frames within which resulting 8(a) awards must be completed in order for the agency to meet its responsibilities. The …
  • FAR 19.804-3 SBA acceptance.
    (a) Upon receipt of the contracting office's offering letter, SBA will determine whether to accept the requirement for the 8(a) program. SBA's decision whether to accept the requirement will be transmitted to the contracting office in writi…
  • FAR 22.805 Procedures.
    … office before— (i) Award of any contract, including any indefinite delivery contract or letter contract; or (ii) Modification of an existing contract for new effort that would constitute a contract award. (2) Preaward clearance for each…
  • FAR 28.204-4 Contract clause.
    Insert the clause at 52.228-14, Irrevocable Letter of Credit, in solicitations and contracts for services, supplies, or construction, when a bid guarantee, or performance bonds, or performance and payment bonds are required.
  • FAR 32.501-2 Unusual progress payments.
    …stances. (c) Progress payments will not be considered unusual merely because they are on letter contracts or the definitive contracts that supersede letter contracts.
  • FAR 37.504 Contracting officials' responsibilities.
    …n contracting for services and in contract management and administration (see OFPP Policy Letter 93-1).
  • FAR 49.105 Duties of termination contracting officer after issuance of notice of termination.
    …ize impact upon employees affected adversely by the termination (see paragraph (g) of the letter notice in 49.601-2); and (15) Obligation of the contractor to furnish accurate, complete, and current cost or pricing data, and to certify to …
  • FAR 49.108-4 Authorization for subcontract settlements without approval or ratification.
    …ommended formats for a request to settle subcontractor settlement proposals and the TCO's letter of authorization to the contractor are in 49.605 and 49.606, respectively.
  • FAR 49.601-2 Letter notice.
    The following letter notice of termination is suggested for use if a contract for supplies is being terminated for convenience. With appropriate modifications, it may be used in terminating contracts for other than supplies and in terminati…
  • FAR 50.103-3 Contract adjustment.
    …icate to the contracting officer or an authorized representative. The request, normally a letter, shall state as a minimum— (1) The precise adjustment requested; (2) The essential facts, summarized chronologically in narrative form; (3) …

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.