FAR 1.105-2—Arrangement of regulations.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 1.105-2 explains how the Federal Acquisition Regulation is organized and how to cite it correctly. It covers the overall structure of the FAR (subchapters, parts, subparts, sections, and subsections), the numbering system used to identify each provision, the use of subdivisions and parenthetical alpha-numeric paragraphing, and the rules for references and citations inside and outside the FAR. It also clarifies that the FAR may be called the Federal Acquisition Regulation or the FAR, and it gives examples showing how to cite a part, subpart, section, subsection, and paragraph using a typical FAR reference. Finally, it states that citations of authority such as statutes and Executive orders must follow Federal Register form guides. In practice, this section exists to make FAR references precise, consistent, and easy to locate, which is essential for drafting solicitations, contracts, legal memoranda, policy guidance, and internal acquisition documents without ambiguity.
Key Rules
FAR Has a Fixed Structure
The FAR is organized into subchapters, parts, subparts, sections, and subsections. Each level serves a different organizational purpose, with parts covering separate acquisition topics and lower levels providing more specific requirements.
Numbering Identifies Every Paragraph
The numbering system is designed to uniquely identify each FAR paragraph. The part number appears to the left of the decimal, the subpart and section appear to the right of the decimal and before the dash, and the subsection appears after the dash.
Subdivisions Use Parenthetical Letters and Numbers
Below the section or subsection level, the FAR uses parenthetical alpha-numeric subdivisions such as (a), (1), (i), and (A). These subdivisions allow precise identification of individual paragraphs and subparagraphs within a provision.
Cross-References Are Broad Unless Limited
Unless the text says otherwise, a cross-reference may point to a part, subpart, section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, or subdivision of the FAR. Readers should interpret references broadly unless the context narrows them.
Use the Proper FAR Citation Form
The regulation may be referred to as the Federal Acquisition Regulation or the FAR. Citations should be formatted differently depending on whether they appear inside or outside the FAR, such as 'FAR part 9' outside the FAR and 'part 9' within the FAR.
Authority Citations Follow Federal Register Style
When the FAR cites statutes, Executive orders, or other authority, those citations must follow the Federal Register form guides. This ensures consistency with government-wide citation standards.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officers
Use the FAR’s numbering and citation conventions accurately in solicitations, contracts, determinations, findings, and correspondence. Ensure references are precise enough for contractors and reviewers to locate the correct requirement.
Contractors
Read and interpret FAR citations using the prescribed numbering system so they can identify the exact requirement, clause, or policy being referenced. Verify whether a citation points to a part, section, subsection, or lower-level paragraph before relying on it.
Agency Policy and Legal Staff
Draft, review, and edit acquisition guidance, internal instructions, and legal memoranda using correct FAR citation format and Federal Register citation style for authorities. Avoid ambiguous or inconsistent references that could create interpretation problems.
Regulatory Drafters and Editors
Maintain the FAR’s structural and citation conventions when issuing revisions, ensuring that numbering, subdivisions, and authority citations remain consistent and traceable.
Practical Implications
Precise citation matters because a small formatting difference can change what provision is being referenced, especially when distinguishing between a section, subsection, or paragraph.
Users should not assume a citation is limited to one level of text unless the context clearly says so; broad cross-reference language can include multiple levels of the FAR hierarchy.
When drafting or reviewing acquisition documents, it is important to match the citation format to the setting: use the full 'FAR' citation outside the regulation and the shorter form within it.
Authority citations are not casual references; they must follow Federal Register style, so copying a statute or Executive order citation from another source without checking format can create errors.
A common pitfall is misreading the numbering sequence, especially the difference between the part, subpart, section, and subsection components of a FAR citation.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) General. The FAR is divided into subchapters, parts (each of which covers a separate aspect of acquisition), subparts, sections, and subsections. (b) Numbering. (1) The numbering system permits the discrete identification of every FAR paragraph. The digits to the left of the decimal point represent the part number. The numbers to the right of the decimal point and to the left of the dash represent, in order, the subpart (one or two digits), and the section (two digits). The number to the right of the dash represents the subsection. Subdivisions may be used at the section and subsection level to identify individual paragraphs. The following example illustrates the make-up of a FAR number citation (note that subchapters are not used with citations): (2) Subdivisions below the section or subsection level consist of parenthetical alpha numerics using the following sequence: (a)(1)(i)(A)( 1 )( i ) (c) References and citations. (1) Unless otherwise stated, cross-references indicate parts, subparts, sections, subsections, paragraphs, subparagraphs, or subdivisions of this regulation. (2) This regulation may be referred to as the Federal Acquisition Regulation or the FAR. (3) Using the FAR coverage at 9.106-4 (d) as a typical illustration, reference to the– (i) Part would be "FAR part 9 " outside the FAR and "part 9" within the FAR. (ii) Subpart would be "FAR subpart 9.1 " outside the FAR and "subpart 9.1 " within the FAR. (iii) Section would be "FAR 9.106 " outside the FAR and "9.106" within the FAR. (iv) Subsection would be "FAR 9.106-4 " outside the FAR and "9.106-4" within the FAR. (v) Paragraph would be "FAR 9.106-4 (d)" outside the FAR and "9.106-4(d)" within the FAR. (4) Citations of authority ( e.g., statutes or Executive orders) in the FAR shall follow the Federal Register form guides.