FAR 11.302—Contract clause.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 11.302 is a very short but important implementation rule that tells contracting officers when to include the Material Requirements clause at FAR 52.211-5. It covers one topic only: the mandatory insertion of that clause in solicitations and contracts for supplies that are not commercial products. In practice, this means the government uses the clause to control or direct the source of materials for noncommercial supply acquisitions, rather than leaving material sourcing entirely to the contractor’s discretion. The section matters because it ties the clause requirement to the type of supply being acquired, helping ensure the government can enforce material-related requirements where commercial-item flexibilities do not apply. For contracting officers, it is a checklist item during solicitation and contract preparation; for contractors, it signals that material sourcing obligations may be contractually imposed when the acquisition is outside the commercial-products framework.
Key Rules
Insert the clause
The contracting officer must include FAR 52.211-5, Material Requirements, in the solicitation and resulting contract. This is not optional when the acquisition falls within the scope of this section.
Applies to supplies only
This requirement applies to solicitations and contracts for supplies, not services. The clause is used to address material requirements associated with the supply being furnished.
Noncommercial products only
The clause is required only when the supplies are not commercial products. If the acquisition is for commercial products, this section does not direct use of the clause.
Clause governs material sourcing
The purpose of the clause is to establish the government’s material requirements for the supply item. It gives the contract a mechanism to control or specify acceptable materials where needed.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Determine whether the acquisition is for supplies that are not commercial products and, if so, insert FAR 52.211-5 in both the solicitation and the contract.
Contractor
Review the clause requirements and ensure the supplies furnished comply with any material requirements stated in the contract.
Agency
Use acquisition planning and solicitation preparation processes to ensure the correct clause is included when the procurement is for noncommercial supplies.
Practical Implications
This is a clause-insertion rule, so the main compliance risk is omission during solicitation or contract drafting.
The key threshold question is whether the item is a commercial product; misclassifying the supply can lead to using the wrong clause set.
Contractors should read the clause carefully because it may affect sourcing, substitutions, and material acceptability for the item being delivered.
Contracting officers should verify the clause is included consistently in both the solicitation and the award document, not just one or the other.
Because the section is narrow, it is easy to overlook during template use or automated clause selection, so checklist controls are important.
Official Regulatory Text
Insert the clause at 52.211-5 , Material Requirements, in solicitations and contracts for supplies that are not commercial products.