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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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100 sections with “sole source acquisition”: the first 40

  • FAR 19.1506 Women-Owned Small Business Program sole-source awards.
    (a) A contracting officer shall consider a contract award to an EDWOSB concern on a sole-source basis (see 6.302-5(b)(7)) before considering small business set-asides (see 19.203 and subpart 19.5) provided none of the exclusions at 19.1504 …
  • FAR 19.808-1 Sole source.
    (a) The SBA may not accept for negotiation a sole-source 8(a) contract that exceeds $30 million unless the requesting agency has completed a justification in accordance with the requirements of 6.303. (b) The SBA is responsible for initiat…
  • FAR 2.101 Definitions.
    … These projections may include rates for such things as labor, indirect costs, material obsolescence and usage, spare parts provisioning, and material handling. Forward pricing rate recommendation means a rate set unilaterally by the admin…
  • FAR 15.002 Types of negotiated acquisition.
    (a) Sole source acquisitions. When contracting in a sole source environment, the request for proposals (RFP) should be tailored to remove unnecessary information and requirements; e.g., evaluation criteria and voluminous proposal preparatio…
  • DFARS 225.7301-2 Solicitation approval for sole source contracts.
    …fense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy, prior to issuing a solicitation for a sole source contract for U.S./FMS combined requirements for a major system that has an estimated contract value that exceeds $500 million. See also 20…
  • FAR 13.501 Special documentation requirements.
    (a) Sole source (including brand name) acquisitions. (1) Acquisitions conducted under simplified acquisition procedures are exempt from the requirements in part 6. However, contracting officers must— (i) Conduct sole source acquisitions, a…
  • FAR 19.811-1 Sole source.
    (a) The contract to be awarded by the agency to the SBA shall be prepared in accordance with agency procedures and in the same detail as would be required in a contract with a business concern. The contracting officer shall use the Standard…
  • DFARS 215.408 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
    …t 12 procedures for the acquisition of commercial products and commercial services, for a sole source acquisition from the Canadian Commercial Corporation that is— (i) Cost-reimbursement, if the contract value is expected to exceed $700,00…
  • FAR 6.302-5 Authorized or required by statute.
    ….7). (3) Government Printing and Binding—44 U.S.C. 501-504, 1121 (see subpart 8.8). (4) Sole source awards under the 8(a) Program (15 U.S.C. 637), but see 6.303 for requirements for justification and approval of sole-source 8(a) awards ov…
  • FAR 19.307 Protesting a firm's status as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business concern.
    … used in this section, has the meaning given in 13 CFR 134.1002(b). (b) General. (1) For sole source acquisitions, the contracting officer, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), or SBA may protest the apparently successful offeror's ser…
  • FAR 19.308 Protesting a firm's status as an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business concern or women-owned small business concern eligible under the Women-Owned Small Business Program.
    …sted party, as used in this section, has the meaning given in 13 CFR 127.102. (b)(1) For sole source acquisitions, the contracting officer or SBA may protest the offeror's status as an economically disadvantaged women-owned small business …
  • FAR 19.804-3 SBA acceptance.
    …nation to the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals under subpart C of 13 CFR part 134. (c) Sole source 8(a) awards. If an appropriate match exists, SBA will advise the contracting officer whether it will participate in contract negotiations …
  • FAR 7.401 Acquisition considerations.
    …storage costs; (vi) Maintenance, repair, and other service costs; and (vii) Potential obsolescence of the equipment because of imminent technological improvements. (2) The following additional factors should be considered, as appropriate…
  • FAR 8.405-6 Limiting sources.
    …ordering procedures. The original order or BPA must not have been previously issued under sole-source or limited-sources procedures. (ii) See 8.405-6(c) for the content of the justification for an order or BPA exceeding the simplified acqu…
  • FAR 15.203 Requests for proposals.
    …e the complete, original signed proposal at a later date. (e) Letter RFPs may be used in sole source acquisitions and other appropriate circumstances. Use of a letter RFP does not relieve the contracting officer from complying with other F…
  • FAR 19.803 Selecting acquisitions for the 8(a) program.
    …nformation as to the bonding capability of the participant(s); and (4) Either— (i) If a sole source request— (A) The reasons why the participant is considered suitable for this particular acquisition; e.g., previous contracts for the sam…
  • FAR 19.806 Pricing the 8(a) contract.
    … requests audit assistance to determine the proposed price to be fair and reasonable in a sole source acquisition, the contracting activity shall furnish it to the extent it is available. (b) An 8(a) contract, sole source or competitive, m…
  • FAR 19.1508 Contract clauses.
    …The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-29, Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions that are set asi…
  • FAR 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Products and Commercial Services.
    …18) (41 U.S.C. 2313). __(14) [Reserved] __(15) 52.219-3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole-Source Award (OCT 2022) (15 U.S.C. 657a). __(16) 52.219-4, Notice of Price Evaluation Preference for HUBZone Small Business Concerns (OCT 2022) …
  • FAR 52.213-4 Terms and Conditions—Simplified Acquisitions (Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services).
    …The Government reserves the right to terminate this contract, or any part hereof, for its sole convenience. In the event of such termination, the Contractor shall immediately stop all work hereunder and shall immediately cause any and all o…
  • FAR 52.248-1 Value Engineering.
    …nly; (ii) In research and development (R&D) end items or R&D test quantities that is due solely to results of previous testing under this contract; or (iii) To the contract type only. (c) VECP preparation. As a minimum, the Contractor sh…
  • DFARS 208.7003-2 Assignments under coordinated acquisition.
    … This exception does not permit acquisitions of recurring requirements for an item, based solely on the fact that the item is not stock numbered, nor may it be used to acquire items which have only slightly different characteristics than pr…
  • FAR 6.001 Applicability.
    …mplified acquisition procedures of part 13 (but see 13.501 for requirements pertaining to sole source acquisitions of commercial products or commercial services under subpart 13.5). (b) Contracts awarded using contracting procedures (other…
  • FAR 6.303-1 Requirements.
    (a) A contracting officer shall not commence negotiations for a sole source contract, commence negotiations for a contract resulting from an unsolicited proposal, or award any other contract without providing for full and open competition u…
  • FAR 6.303-2 Content.
    … of the specific authority cited. (b) As a minimum, each justification, except those for sole-source 8(a) contracts over $30 million (see paragraph (d) of this section), shall include the following information: (1) Identification of the a…
  • FAR 15.502 Applicability.
    … 15.506, 15.507, 15.508, and 15.509, with reasonable modification, should be followed for sole source acquisitions and acquisitions described in 6.102(d)(1) and (2).
  • FAR 19.306 Protesting a firm's status as a HUBZone small business concern.
    …d in this section— Interested party has the meaning given in 13 CFR 126.103. (b)(1) For sole-source procurements, SBA or the contracting officer may protest the prospective contractor's certified HUBZone status; for all other procurements…
  • FAR 25.401 Exceptions.
    …en the limitation of competition would preclude use of the procedures of this subpart; or sole source acquisitions justified in accordance with 13.501(a); and (6) Goods and services specifically excluded under individual trade agreements, …
  • FAR 52.219-1 Small Business Program Representations.
    …a program that authorizes contracting officers to limit competition, including award on a sole-source basis, to SDVOSB concerns eligible under the SDVOSB Program. Small business concern—(1) Means a concern, including its affiliates, that i…
  • FAR 52.219-9 Small Business Subcontracting Plan.
    …lanned subcontracting generally, for both commercial and Government business, rather than solely to the Government contract. Once the Contractor's commercial plan has been approved, the Government will not require another subcontracting pla…
  • DFARS 225.870-4 Contracting procedures.
    …adian Commercial Corporation in the following circumstances: (A) In a solicitation for a sole source acquisition that is— (1) Cost-reimbursement, if the contract value is expected to exceed $700,000; or (2) Fixed-price, if the contract v…
  • FAR 3.104-1 Definitions.
    …ating in a critical step may be substantial. However, the review of procurement documents solely to determine compliance with regulatory, administrative, or budgetary procedures, does not constitute substantial participation in a procuremen…
  • FAR 5.207 Preparation and transmittal of synopses.
    …tatement of the reason justifying the lack of competition. (16)(i) Except when using the sole source authority at 6.302-1, insert a statement that all responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered b…
  • FAR 13.106-1 Soliciting competition.
    …is section shall not apply to solicitations for multiple-award contracts that provide for sole source orders pursuant to section 8(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)). (v) Except for DoD, contracting officers shall ensure the c…
  • FAR 16.505 Ordering.
    … or services ordered are unique or highly specialized. (C) The order must be issued on a sole-source basis in the interest of economy and efficiency because it is a logical follow-on to an order already issued under the contract, provided …
  • FAR 19.507 Solicitation provisions and contract clauses.
    …tion threshold, and in any solicitations and contracts that are set aside or awarded on a sole-source basis in accordance with subparts 19.8, 19.13, 19.14, or 19.15, regardless of dollar value. This includes multiple-award contracts when or…
  • FAR 19.800 General.
    …racts may be awarded to the SBA for performance by eligible 8(a) participants on either a sole source or competitive basis. (c) Acting under the authority of the program, the SBA certifies to an agency that SBA is competent and responsible…
  • FAR 19.804-2 Agency offering.
    …quirement with a contract value over the applicable competitive threshold be awarded as a sole source contract (see 19.805-1(b)). (16) Any other pertinent and reasonably available data. (b)(1) An agency offering a construction requirement…
  • FAR 19.805-1 General.
    …hreshold (see paragraph (a)(2) of this section), the SBA may accept the requirement for a sole source 8(a) award if— (1) There is not a reasonable expectation that at least two eligible and responsible 8(a) participants will submit offers …
  • FAR 19.1309 Contract clauses.
    …e contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-3, Notice of HUBZone Set-Aside or Sole-Source Award, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions that are set aside or awarded on a sole-source basis to, HUBZone small business con…

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.