Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, and 51
Key claim: Federal agencies are proposing to rewrite core buying rules for commercial purchases, simplified acquisitions, negotiated contracts, and supply schedules to cut procurement red tape under a presidential order.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Management and Budget Office, Federal Procurement Policy Office, Defense Department, General Services Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration) OFPP, DoD, GSA, and NASA (collectively referred to as the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council or FAR Council) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement Executive Order (E.O.) 14275, Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement. The E.O. directs the elimination of excessive acquisition regulations to stop the inefficient use of American taxpayer dollars. The FAR Council is issuing twelve proposed rules that collectively will streamline the FAR in its entirety. This rule proposes revisions to FAR parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, 51, and 52.
Why this matters
FAR Parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, and 51 collectively govern the lion’s share of federal procurement dollars — commercial-item buys, simplified acquisitions, negotiated contracts, and GSA schedule orders. Rewriting them under EO 14275 would reshape baseline solicitation, source-selection, and subcontracting procedures across civilian and defense agencies, with downstream effects on contractor compliance costs and competition.
Source
Cross-references (2)
| Relation | Item | Note |
|---|---|---|
| acts on | “The Administrator of the Office of Federal Public Procurement Policy, working with the FAR Council and agencies, will amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to contain only provisions required by statute or otherwise necessary for simplicity, usability, procurement efficacy, or economic and national security within 180 days.” — Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement | Forward-tagged at scan extraction (specific-intent match). |
| acts on | “The Administrator, FAR Council, and agency designees will identify and address FAR provisions inconsistent with the order's policy objectives.” — Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement | Forward-tagged at scan extraction (specific-intent match). |