Overview
This section establishes the broad scope of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), designating it as the primary regulatory authority for most federal procurement activities.
Key Rules
- Default Coverage: The FAR is universally applicable to all "acquisitions" conducted by the executive branch.
- Definition Dependency: The scope is governed by the formal definition of "acquisition" found in FAR Part 2, which generally involves using appropriated funds to obtain supplies or services.
- Requirement for Express Exclusion: The FAR applies in all instances unless a specific statutory or regulatory provision expressly excludes the activity.
Practical Implications
- Contracting officers and private contractors must assume that FAR requirements (such as competition standards and contract clauses) apply to a project unless they can identify a specific legal exemption.
- Activities not meeting the FAR Part 2 definition—such as grants, cooperative agreements, or "Other Transaction Authority" (OTA) agreements—fall outside this section’s scope.