FAR 1.303—Publication and codification.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 1.303 explains how agency acquisition regulations and certain agency issuances must be published, organized, and numbered so they fit within the overall Federal Acquisition Regulation system. It covers four main topics: publication in the Federal Register when required by law, codification in Title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations under each agency’s assigned chapter, the requirement that agency regulations parallel the FAR’s format, arrangement, and numbering system, and the special numbering rules for agency material that implements a specific FAR provision or contains supplementary material with no FAR counterpart. It also addresses a limited exception for issuances under FAR 1.301(a)(2), which do not have to be published in the Federal Register. In practice, this section is about keeping agency supplements consistent, searchable, and legally proper so contractors and contracting personnel can quickly tell what is government-wide FAR text and what is agency-specific guidance. It helps prevent confusion, conflicting numbering, and improper publication practices that could undermine enforceability or usability of acquisition rules.
Key Rules
Publish when law requires
Agency-wide acquisition regulations must be published in the Federal Register when publication is required by law. This ensures public notice and transparency for rules that have legal effect beyond internal agency use.
Codify in Title 48
Agency acquisition regulations must be codified in the agency’s assigned chapter of Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations. This keeps each agency supplement in the official regulatory structure used for federal procurement.
Match FAR structure
Agency regulations must parallel the FAR in format, arrangement, and numbering system, subject to the cross-reference in FAR 1.105-1(c). In practice, agency supplements should be organized so users can easily locate agency rules alongside the corresponding FAR topics.
Use corresponding numbers for FAR implementations
When an agency regulation implements a specific FAR part, subpart, section, or subsection, it must be numbered and titled to correspond to the related FAR citation. This makes clear which agency text supplements or implements a particular FAR requirement.
Use 70-and-up numbering for unique material
Supplementary material with no FAR counterpart must be numbered using 70 and higher in the relevant chapter, part, subpart, section, or subsection series. The example in the rule shows how agencies add .70 and higher suffixes to distinguish unique agency content from FAR-based text.
No Federal Register publication for certain issuances
Issuances under FAR 1.301(a)(2) do not need to be published in the Federal Register. This creates a narrow exception for that category of agency issuances, even though other agency-wide acquisition regulations may still require publication.
Responsibilities
Agency acquisition officials
Draft, organize, and maintain agency acquisition regulations so they are published when required, codified in the correct Title 48 chapter, and numbered in a way that tracks the FAR structure. They must also separate FAR-implementing text from unique agency material and use the 70-and-up numbering convention for supplemental provisions.
Agency legal and policy staff
Review proposed acquisition regulations and issuances for compliance with publication requirements, codification rules, and numbering conventions. They help ensure the agency supplement is legally proper, internally consistent, and aligned with the FAR.
Contracting officers and acquisition personnel
Use the agency supplement in its codified form and recognize whether a provision is FAR-based or agency-specific. They must apply the correct authority and numbering when preparing solicitations, contracts, and acquisition documents.
Federal Register publication officials / agency publication coordinators
Process and publish agency-wide acquisition regulations in the Federal Register when publication is legally required, and ensure the published text matches the codified regulation.
Agencies issuing FAR 1.301(a)(2) issuances
Determine whether the issuance falls within the exception from Federal Register publication and, if so, maintain it without that publication step while still following any other applicable internal or codification requirements.
Practical Implications
This section is mainly about regulatory housekeeping, but it has real operational consequences: if an agency supplement is not properly numbered or codified, users may misread it, miss it, or apply the wrong rule.
Contractors should pay close attention to whether a requirement comes from the FAR or from an agency supplement, because agency-specific rules can add requirements, procedures, or deviations that matter in proposal preparation and contract performance.
A common pitfall is inconsistent numbering between the FAR and the agency supplement, which makes cross-referencing difficult and can create confusion about whether a provision is implementing FAR text or adding new agency policy.
Another pitfall is assuming every agency acquisition issuance must be published in the Federal Register; FAR 1.303(b) creates an exception for issuances under FAR 1.301(a)(2), so publication obligations depend on the type of issuance.
For contracting officers, the practical takeaway is to verify that the applicable agency regulation is the current codified version in Title 48 and that any agency-specific supplement is cited correctly in solicitations and contracts.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) Agency-wide acquisition regulations shall be published in the Federal Register as required by law, shall be codified under an assigned chapter in Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations , and shall parallel the FAR in format, arrangement, and numbering system (but see 1.105-1 (c)). Coverage in an agency acquisition regulation that implements a specific part, subpart, section, or subsection of the FAR shall be numbered and titled to correspond to the appropriate FAR number and title. Supplementary material for which there is no counterpart in the FAR shall be codified using chapter, part, subpart, section, or subsection numbers of 70 and up ( e.g., for the Department of Interior, whose assigned chapter number in Title 48 is 14, Part 1470, Subpart 1401.70, section 1401.370, or subsection 1401.301-70). (b) Issuances under 1.301 (a)(2) need not be published in the Federal Register .