SpendQueryBeta

48 CFR · Federal Acquisition Regulation and Defense supplement

FAR and DFARS navigator

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.

Ask the FAR

Try: · · ·

Clear

30 sections with “maximum practicable competition”

  • FAR 13.104 Promoting competition.
    The contracting officer must promote competition to the maximum extent practicable to obtain supplies and services from the source whose offer is the most advantageous to the Government, considering the administrative cost of the purchase. …
  • FAR 16.504 Indefinite-quantity contracts.
    … ordered, the contractor must furnish any additional quantities, not to exceed the stated maximum. The contracting officer should establish a reasonable maximum quantity based on market research, trends on recent contracts for similar suppl…
  • FAR 8.405-3 Blanket purchase agreements (BPAs).
    …. (viii) Delivery terms. (3)(i) The ordering activity contracting officer shall, to the maximum extent practicable, give preference to establishing multiple-award BPAs, rather than establishing a single-award BPA. (ii) No single-award BP…
  • FAR 11.002 Policy.
    …research in a manner designed to— (i) Promote full and open competition (see part 6), or maximum practicable competition when using simplified acquisition procedures, with due regard to the nature of the supplies or services to be acquired…
  • FAR 13.003 Policy.
    (a) Agencies shall use simplified acquisition procedures to the maximum extent practicable for all purchases of supplies or services not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold (including purchases at or below the micro-purchase thre…
  • FAR 13.106-1 Soliciting competition.
    …(c) Soliciting orally. (1) The contracting officer shall solicit quotations orally to the maximum extent practicable, if— (i) The acquisition does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold; (ii) Oral solicitation is more efficient t…
  • FAR 13.303-2 Establishment of BPAs.
    …ed with— (1) More than one supplier for supplies or services of the same type to provide maximum practicable competition; (2) A single firm from which numerous individual purchases at or below the simplified acquisition threshold will lik…
  • FAR 11.105 Items peculiar to one manufacturer.
    …ired justifications and approvals (see 6.302-1); or (ii) The basis for not providing for maximum practicable competition is documented in the file (see 13.106-1(b)) or justified (see 13.501) when the acquisition is awarded using simplified…
  • FAR 13.303-5 Purchases under BPAs.
    …ater than the micro-purchase threshold, there is an insufficient number of BPAs to ensure maximum practicable competition, the contracting officer shall— (1) Solicit quotations from other sources (see 13.105) and make the purchase as appro…
  • FAR 16.505 Ordering.
    …ers shall be within the scope, issued within the period of performance, and be within the maximum value of the contract. (3) Performance-based acquisition methods must be used to the maximum extent practicable, if the contract or order is …
  • FAR 19.201 General policy.
    (a) It is the policy of the Government to provide maximum practicable opportunities in its acquisitions to small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvanta…
  • DFARS 213.301 Governmentwide commercial purchase card.
    …; (B) Complies with the requirements of FAR 8.002 in making the purchase; and (C) Seeks maximum practicable competition for the purchase in accordance with FAR 13.104(b). (3) A contracting officer supporting a contingency operation as de…
  • DFARS 215.371-4 Exceptions.
    …graph (a) of this section does not eliminate the need for the contracting officer to seek maximum practicable competition and to ensure that the price is fair and reasonable.
  • FAR 7.102 Policy.
    …cts suitable to meet the agency's needs are not available, nondevelopmental items, to the maximum extent practicable (10 U.S.C. 3453 and 41 U.S.C. 3307); (2) Full and open competition (see part 6) or, when full and open competition is not …
  • FAR 7.103 Agency-head responsibilities.
    …n competition is not required in accordance with part 6, for obtaining competition to the maximum extent practicable, with due regard to the nature of the supplies and services to be acquired (10 U.S.C. 3206(a)(1) and 41 U.S.C. 3306(a)(1)).…
  • FAR 15.403-3 Requiring data other than certified cost or pricing data.
    …necessary to determine the reasonableness of price, the contracting officer shall, to the maximum extent practicable, obtain the additional data from sources other than the offeror. In addition, the contracting officer should request data t…
  • FAR 37.102 Policy.
    …contracts or orders, agencies must— (1) Use performance-based acquisition methods to the maximum extent practicable, except for— (i) Architect-engineer services acquired in accordance with 40 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. (see part 36); (ii) Const…
  • DFARS 207.106 Additional requirements for major systems.
    … the performance of maintenance and sustainment services on a major weapon system, to the maximum extent practicable and consistent with statutory requirements, the acquisition plan shall prescribe that award will be made on a competitive b…
  • FAR 2.101 Definitions.
    …rmance objectives. It is used in solicitations when the Government intends to provide the maximum flexibility to each offeror to propose an innovative approach. Subline item means a subset of a line item. Substantial evidence means inform…
  • FAR 5.202 Exceptions.
    …ed acquisition procedures, if unusual and compelling urgency precludes competition to the maximum extent practicable) and the Government would be seriously injured if the agency complies with the time periods specified in 5.203; (3) The pr…
  • FAR 7.105 Contents of written acquisition plans.
    …er) contemplated, discuss the strategy to transition to firm-fixed-price contracts to the maximum extent practicable. During the requirements development stage, consider structuring the contract requirements, i.e., line items, in a manner t…
  • FAR 8.404 Use of Federal Supply Schedules.
    …) Agencies shall use fixed-price orders for the acquisition of commercial services to the maximum extent practicable. (3)(i) A time-and-materials or labor-hour order may be used for the acquisition of commercial services only when it is no…
  • FAR 12.207 Contract type.
    …es priced on a time-and-materials or labor-hour basis, contracting officers shall, to the maximum extent practicable, also structure the contract to allow issuance of orders on a firm-fixed-price or fixed-price with economic price adjustmen…
  • FAR 15.506 Postaward debriefing of offerors.
    …riefed and furnished the basis for the selection decision and contract award. (2) To the maximum extent practicable, the debriefing should occur within 5 days after receipt of the written request. Offerors that requested a postaward debrie…
  • FAR 16.603-2 Application.
    … subpart 15.4 and part 31, subject to appeal as provided in the Disputes clause. (d) The maximum liability of the Government inserted in the clause at 52.216-24, Limitation of Government Liability, shall be the estimated amount necessary t…
  • FAR 49.402-6 Repurchase against contractor's account.
    …iate for the repurchase. However, the contracting officer shall obtain competition to the maximum extent practicable for the repurchase. The contracting officer shall cite the Default clause as the authority. If the repurchase is for a quan…
  • FAR 52.219-8 Utilization of Small Business Concerns.
    …l disadvantaged business concerns, and women-owned small business concerns shall have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in performing contracts let by any Federal agency, including contracts and subcontracts for subsystems,…
  • DFARS 215.407-4 Should-cost review.
    …or to and during the review. (v) The should-cost review team report shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, review of current, accurate, and complete data, and shall identify cost savings opportunities associated with specific eng…
  • DFARS 216.601 Time-and-materials contracts.
    …to also authorize orders on a cost-reimbursement, incentive, or fixed-price basis, to the maximum extent practicable. (e) Solicitation provisions. Use the provision at FAR 52.216-29, Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements—Othe…
  • DFARS 225.7702-1 Acquisition of small arms.
    …orces, or other Afghani security organizations— (1) Use full and open competition to the maximum extent practicable, consistent with the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 3201; (2) If use of other than full and open competition is justified in acco…

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.