FAR Overhaul Deviations Published By GSA With New Guidance To Contracting Officers

“The General Services Administration (GSA) is publishing Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Deviations as a part of their Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO).

GSA has now published deviations for all FAR parts and new, non-regulatory guidance to contracting officers to help them navigate the changes. The “Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement” has submitted comments to GSA, which are published here, on each deviation”

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“Introduction:

The General Services Administration (GSA) is publishing Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Deviations as a part of their Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO). The RFO was initiated by an April 15 Executive Order entitled “Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement” which directs GSA to amend the FAR so it contains “only provisions required by statute or essential to sound procurement.” GSA’s RFO aims to achieve this by publishing FAR Deviations for each FAR Part.

GSA is also providing new, non-regulatory guidance to contracting officers to help them navigate the new FAR Part Deviations. Guidance includes “Practitioner Albums” for each deviation. The Albums provide “a summary of key changes made by the deviation, a line-out document highlighting what was removed from the FAR, and any additional resources, such as best practices, videos, and tested practitioner tools.” GSA has also published a FAR Companion Guide which “provides context, practical advice, and seasoned practitioner insight to support planning, awarding, managing, and closing out contracts.”

GSA has held two webinars on the RFO. Slides and recording will be posted here.

GSA has now published deviations for all FAR parts.

Coalition Comments

• Our comments on Part 4 – Administrative and Information Matters can be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 8 – Required Sources of Supplies and Services may be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 11 – Describing Agency Needs can be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 18 – Emergency Acquisitions can be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 19 – Small Business can be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 26 – Other Socioeconomic Programs can be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 30 – Cost Accounting Standards Administration can be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 31 – Contract Cost Principles and Procedures can be accessed here.

• Our comments on Part 39 – Acquisition of Information and Communication Technology can be accessed here.

  
  

Coalition Analysis

Rolling Back Clauses in Commercial Item Contracts Imposed Since the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (White Paper)

View the White Paper

FAR Part 4 Draft Analysis (Administrative and Information Matters)

FAR Part 19 Draft Analysis (Small Business)

FAR Part 27 Draft Analysis (Patents, Data, and Copyrights)

FAR Part 37 Draft Analysis (Service Contracting)

FAR Part 43 Draft Analysis (Contract Modifications)

FAR Part 52 Draft Analysis (Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses)

Member Publications

• FAR on the Chopping Block: Potential Impacts on Protests, Blank Rome LLP (4/3/25)

• Executive Orders Issued to Overhaul FAR, Direct Procurement of Commercial Products and Services, Holland & Knight LLP (4/18/25)

• First Round of FAR Rewrites Released, Crowell & Moring LLP (5/5/25)

• The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul: What Government Contractors Need to Know, Piliero Mazza (5/6/25)

• Market Research Slimmed Down: How the FAR Part 10 Overhaul Impacts Government Contractors, Piliero Mazza (5/30/25) “

https://thecgp.org/the-revolutionary-far-overhaul-rfo/