The FAR is the primary regulation for use by federal executive agencies for the acquisition of supplies and services with appropriated funds. The document, published in 1984, consolidated the major procurement regulations of various departments and agencies. The intent of the FAR is to standardize the content, decrease the volume of documents, and to achieve consistency throughout government. The principal agencies involved in putting together the FAR were DoD, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the three largest buyers. The FAR is broader than just contracting and applies to all goods and services. It directs the defense program manager in many ways, including contract award procedures, acquisition planning, warranties, and establishing guidelines for competition. Besides the FAR, each agency has its supplement to describe its own particular way of doing business. The DoD supplement is called Defense FAR Supplement.
Definition