Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the principal set of rules in the Federal Acquisition Regulation System. This system consists of sets of regulations issued by Federal agencies to govern the acquisition process.  That process consists of three phases: (1) need recognition and acquisition planning, (2) contract formation, and (3) contract administration.

The purpose of the FAR is to provide "uniform policies and procedures for acquisition." FAR 1.101. Among its guiding principles is to have an acquisition system that (1) satisfies customer's needs in terms of cost, quality, and timeliness; (2) minimizes administrative operating costs; (3) conducts business with integrity, fairness, and openness; and (4) fulfills other public policy objectives. FAR 1.102(b).

The FAR can be found online at:  https://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html