FAR 13.501 — Special documentation requirements
Regulatory text. Not legal advice.
(a)
(a) Sole source (including brand name) acquisitions. (1) Acquisitions conducted under simplified acquisition procedures are exempt from the requirements in part 6. However, contracting officers must—
(i) Conduct sole source acquisitions, as defined in FAR 2.101, (including brand name) under this subpart only if the need to do so is justified in writing and approved at the levels specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section;
(ii) Prepare sole source (including brand name) justifications using the format at FAR 6.303-2, modified to reflect that the procedures in FAR Subpart 13.5 were used in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 1901 or the authority of 41 U.S.C. 1903;
(iii) Make publicly available the justifications (excluding brand name) required by FAR 6.305(a) within 14 days after contract award or in the case of unusual and compelling urgency within 30 days after contract award, in accordance with FAR 6.305 procedures at paragraphs (b), (d), (e), and (f); and
(iv) Make publicly available brand name justifications with the solicitation, in accordance with FAR 5.102(a)(6).
(2) Justifications and approvals are required under this subpart for sole-source (including brand-name) acquisitions or portions of an acquisition requiring a brand-name. If the justification is to cover only the portion of the acquisition which is brand-name, then it should so state; the approval level requirements will then only apply to that portion.
(i) For a proposed contract exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, but not exceeding $900,000, the contracting officer’s certification that the justification is accurate and complete to the best of the contracting officer’s knowledge and belief will serve as approval, unless a higher approval level is established in accordance with agency procedures.
(ii) For a proposed contract exceeding 20 million, the advocate for competition for the procuring activity, designated pursuant to FAR 6.501, or an official described in FAR 6.304(a)(3) or (a)(4) must approve the justification and approval. This authority is not delegable.
(iii) For a proposed contract exceeding 90 million or, for DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard, not exceeding $150 million, the head of the procuring activity or the official described in FAR 6.304(a)(3) or (a)(4) must approve the justification and approval. This authority is not delegable.
(iv) For a proposed contract exceeding 150 million, the official described in FAR 6.304(a)(4) must approve the justification and approval. This authority is not delegable except as provided in FAR 6.304(a)(4).
(b)
(b) Contract file documentation. The contract file must include—
(1) A brief written description of the procedures used in awarding the contract, including the fact that the procedures in FAR Subpart 13.5 were used;
(2) The number of offers received;
(3) An explanation, tailored to the size and complexity of the acquisition, of the basis for the contract award decision; and
(4) Any justification approved under paragraph (a) of this section.
Citation history: [62 FR 64917, Dec. 9, 1997, as amended at 64 FR 72448, Dec. 27, 1999; 66 FR 2128, Jan. 10, 2001; 68 FR 4050, Jan. 27, 2003; 69 FR 8314, Feb. 23, 2004; 69 FR 76352, Dec. 20, 2004; 70 FR 57457, Sept. 30, 2005; 71 FR 57360, 57366, Sept. 28, 2006; 75 FR 34276, June 16, 2010; 75 FR 53132, Aug. 30, 2010; 77 FR 193, Jan. 3, 2012; 79 FR 24201, Apr. 29, 2014; 80 FR 38297, 38312, July 2, 2015; 85 FR 27090, May 6, 2020; 85 FR 40067, July 2, 2020; 85 FR 62488, Oct. 2, 2020; 90 FR 41877, Aug. 27, 2025]
Source: eCFR • Pulled 2026-04-16