The US FAR overhaul moves from agency deviations into formal rulemaking

The Office of Management and Budget announced the first of three proposed rule packages for the Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul. The initial package covers seventeen FAR parts and follows the use of temporary agency deviations during the prior year.^{[1, 2]}

The proposal seeks to move detailed procedural content out of regulation where it is not required by statute or executive order. OMB highlighted shorter acquisition-planning rules, greater use of practitioner guidance, and a risk-based approach to some termination settlement audits.^{[1, 2]}

A shorter rulebook does not automatically create faster or better procurement. Agencies will still need usable internal guidance, trained contracting officers, defensible files, and clear judgment about when additional diligence is warranted.

For suppliers, the important issue is consistency. Removing low-value steps may reduce friction, but different agency interpretations could create a new form of complexity if the non-regulatory guidance and local practice diverge.

Two additional rule packages are expected to address the balance of the FAR. Procurement teams should follow both the final regulatory language and the accompanying Strategic Acquisition Guidance because the operating model will be spread across those two layers.