What is the difference between the FAR and the DFARS?

The FAR applies governmentwide; the DFARS is the Department of Defense supplement that adds defense-specific rules on top of the FAR. Other agencies have their own supplements as well.

Does the FAR apply to all government purchases?

It governs executive-branch acquisitions. Some entities (for example, certain legislative-branch or government corporations) operate under their own rules, and micro-purchases use streamlined procedures within the FAR framework.

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Procurement term

FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation)

Q: Where is the FAR published?

The Federal Acquisition Regulation is codified in Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations and is published in full at Acquisition.gov.

The primary rulebook governing how US executive-branch agencies acquire supplies and services, codified in Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

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What is FAR?

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the principal set of rules governing the acquisition process for executive-branch agencies of the US federal government. It is codified at Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations and is organized into parts covering the full lifecycle — competition requirements (Part 6), acquisition planning, contract types, sealed bidding (Part 14), contracting by negotiation (Part 15), simplified acquisition (Part 13), small-business programs (Part 19), and standard contract clauses, among others.

Individual agencies issue supplements that add agency-specific rules on top of the FAR — for example, the DFARS for the Department of Defense. Together, the FAR and its supplements determine which procedures a contracting officer must follow, which clauses appear in a contract, and what representations and certifications a vendor must make.

For vendors, the FAR is the reference that explains why a solicitation is structured the way it is: which competition exception allows a sole-source award, why a contract incorporates particular clauses by reference, or what protest rights apply. Federal contractors do not need to memorize it, but knowing how to locate the relevant FAR part — and any agency supplement — is essential to reading solicitations correctly and staying compliant.

Example

Reading a solicitation, a vendor sees the award will be made under FAR Part 15 negotiated procedures with a best-value tradeoff, and that DFARS clauses apply because the buyer is a Defense agency.

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What is FAR?

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