Overview
FAR 4.1000 establishes the policies and procedures for the uniform assignment and identification of contract line items and subline items. It also defines the historical implementation timeline for these standardization requirements across federal agencies.
Key Rules
- Regulatory Focus: Prescribes the specific methods for creating and identifying line items (CLINs) and subline items (SLINs).
- Standardization: Sets the foundation for 4.1002 through 4.1008 to ensure consistent data structures across government contracts.
- Effective Date: While the subpart exists, agencies were granted a transition period ending October 1, 2019, after which the full requirements for item identification became mandatory.
Practical Implications
- Contractors can expect standardized contract structures regardless of the buying agency, which simplifies bid preparation and automated invoice processing.
- Since the 2019 transition deadline has passed, all new federal solicitations and contracts must adhere to the stringent line item identification rules to ensure data interoperability between procurement and financial systems.