Subpart 201.3 - AGENCY ACQUISITION REGULATIONS

(a)(1) DoD implementation and supplementation of the FAR is issued in the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) under authorization and subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense. The DFARS contains—

(i) Requirements of law;

(ii) DoD-wide policies;

(iii) Delegations of FAR authorities;

(iv) Deviations from FAR requirements; and

(v) Policies/procedures that have a significant effect beyond the internal operating procedures of DoD or a significant cost or administrative impact on contractors or offerors.

(2) Relevant procedures, guidance, and information that do not meet the criteria in paragraph (a)(1) of this section are issued in the DFARS Procedures, Guidance, and Information (PGI).

(b) When Federal Register publication is required for any policy, procedure, clause, or form, the department or agency requesting Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment) (USD(A&S)) approval for use of the policy, procedure, clause, or form (see 201.304 (1)) must include an analysis of the public comments in the request for approval. Information on determining when a clause requires publication in the Federal Register and approval in accordance with 201.304 (1) is provided at PGI 201.301 (b).

(a)(i) The DFARS is codified under chapter 2 in Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations.

(ii) To the extent possible, all DFARS text (whether implemental or supplemental) is numbered as if it were implemental. Supplemental numbering is used only when the text cannot be integrated intelligibly with its FAR counterpart.

(A) Implemental numbering is the same as its FAR counterpart, except when the text exceeds one paragraph, the subdivisions are numbered by skipping a unit in the FAR 1.105-2(b)(2) prescribed numbering sequence. For example, three paragraphs implementing FAR 19.501 would be numbered 219.501(1), (2), and (3) rather than (a), (b), and (c). Three paragraphs implementing FAR 19.501(a) would be numbered 219.501(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) rather than (a)(1), (2), and (3). Further subdivision of the paragraphs follows the prescribed numbering sequence, e.g., 219.501(1)(i)(A)(1)(i).

(B) Supplemental numbering is the same as its FAR counterpart, with the addition of a number of 70 and up or (S-70) and up. Parts, subparts, sections, or subsections are supplemented by the addition of a number of 70 and up. Lower divisions are supplemented by the addition of a number of (S-70) and up. When text exceeds one paragraph, the subdivisions are numbered using the FAR 1.105-2(b)(2) prescribed sequence, without skipping a unit. For example, DFARS text supplementing FAR 19.501 would be numbered 219.501-70. Its subdivisions would be numbered 219.501-70(a), (b), and (c).

(C) Subdivision numbering below the 4th level does not repeat the numbering sequence. It uses italicized Arabic numbers and then italicized lower case Roman numerals.

(D) An example of DFARS numbering is in Table 1-1, DFARS Numbering.

(iii) Department/agency and component supplements must parallel the FAR and DFARS numbering, except department/agency supplemental numbering uses subsection numbering of 90 and up, instead of 70 and up.

TABLE 1-1, DFARS NUMBERING
FAR	Is Implemented As	Is Supplemented As
19	219	219.70
19.5	219.5	219.570
19.501	219.501	219.501-70
19.501-1	219.501-1	219.501-1-70
19.501-1(a)	219.501-1(a)	219.501-1(a)(S-70)
19.501-1(a)(1)	219.501-1(a)(1)	219.501-1(a)(1)(S-70)

Departments and agencies and their component organizations may issue acquisition regulations as necessary to implement or supplement the FAR or DFARS.

(1)(i) Approval of the USD(A&S) is required before including in a department/agency or component supplement, or any other contracting regulation document such as a policy letter or clause book, any policy, procedure, clause, or form that—

(A) Has a significant effect beyond the internal operating procedures of the agency; or

(B) Has a significant cost or administrative impact on contractors or offerors.

(ii) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this section, the USD(A&S) has delegated authority to the Principal Director of Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy (DPCAP) to approve or disapprove the policies, procedures, clauses, and forms subject to paragraph (1)(i) of this section.

(2) In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1304, a new requirement for a certification by a contractor or offeror may not be included in a department/agency or component procurement regulation unless—

(i) The certification requirement is specifically imposed by statute; or

(ii) Written justification for such certification is provided to the Secretary of Defense by USD(A&S), and the Secretary of Defense approves in writing the inclusion of such certification requirement.

(3) Contracting activities must obtain the appropriate approval (see 201.404 ) for any class deviation (as defined in FAR Subpart 1.4) from the FAR or DFARS, before its inclusion in a department/agency or component supplement or any other contracting regulation document such as a policy letter or clause book.

(4) Each department and agency must develop and, upon approval by OUSD(A&S)DPCAP, implement, maintain, and comply with a plan for controlling the use of clauses other than those prescribed by FAR or DFARS. Additional information on department and agency clause control plan requirements is available at PGI 201.304 (4).

(5) Departments and agencies must submit requests for the Secretary of Defense, USD(A&S), and OUSD(A&S)DPCAP approvals required by this section through the Director of the DAR Council. Procedures for requesting approval of department and agency clauses are provided at PGI 201.304 (5).

(6) The Principal Director, DPCAP publishes changes to the DFARS in the Federal Register at https://www.federalregister.gov and on the DPCAP website at https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/change_notices.html. Each change includes an effective date. Unless guidance accompanying a change states otherwise, contracting officers must include any new or revised clauses, provisions, or forms in solicitations issued on or after the effective date of the change.