The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO), launched by OFPP under an executive order, is stripping out hundreds of non‑statutory requirements, retiring FAR Parts 38 and 51, consolidating commercial buying rules under a modernized FAR Part 8, and simplifying SAM registration. Agencies are now authorized to eliminate about one‑third of non‑essential contract requirements and are being directed to favor “Best‑in‑Class” and other government‑wide vehicles for common needs.
For contractors, the near‑term challenge is fragmentation: some agencies, and even some buying offices, will adopt the new models faster than others, creating a patchwork of clause sets and procedures across portfolios. Firms with large IDIQ/GWAC exposure should anticipate greater traffic through preferred vehicles and adjust capture strategies, teaming, and pricing to exploit (or defend against) this re‑centralization of spend.
Acquisition.gov has also posted “new model” FAR text for Part 15 (Contracting by Negotiation) and Part 16 (Types of Contracts) under the FAR Overhaul initiative, and opened them for informal practitioner feedback, supported by “Practitioner Album” guidance. These drafts aim to streamline negotiation procedures and clarify contract‑type selection, aligning with the broader push for simpler, plain‑language rules.
While not yet final, these drafts foreshadow how source‑selection documentation, discussions, and risk allocation will look over the next few years. GovCon capture and pricing teams should begin training on the proposed language, as it may change expectations around competitive range, meaningful discussions, and the balance of fixed‑price versus cost‑type instruments in complex services and R&D.
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