FAR 15.204-2—Part I-The Schedule.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 15.204-2 tells the contracting officer how to build Part I of the Uniform Contract Format, known as the Schedule. This section covers the required contents of Sections A through H: the solicitation/contract form, supplies or services and prices/costs, description/specifications/statement of work, packaging and marking, inspection and acceptance, deliveries or performance, contract administration data, and special contract requirements. It also explains when Optional Form 308 or Standard Form 33 may be used, and what information must appear on the first page of the solicitation when another form is used. In practice, this rule is about organizing the solicitation so offerors can find the essential terms, pricing structure, performance requirements, administrative instructions, and special conditions in a predictable place. It helps reduce ambiguity, supports fair competition, and makes later contract administration easier because the key business terms are placed in the Schedule rather than scattered across the document. For contractors, it signals where to look for the core requirements that drive proposal preparation and pricing. For contracting officers, it is a checklist for ensuring the solicitation is complete, internally consistent, and compliant with the Uniform Contract Format.
Key Rules
Use the Uniform Contract Format
The contracting officer must prepare the Schedule using the required section structure for Part I. The Schedule is organized into Sections A through H so the solicitation and resulting contract present the essential terms in a standard, easy-to-follow format.
Section A identifies the solicitation
Section A contains the solicitation/contract form. OF 308 or SF 33 may be used for RFPs, and if another form is used, the first page must include specific identifying information such as the issuing activity, solicitation number, issuance date, closing date and time, page count, authority, brief description, offeror contact information, and offer expiration date.
Section B states supplies and prices
Section B must briefly describe the supplies or services and the associated quantities, including item numbers, national stock numbers or part numbers if applicable, nouns, nomenclature, and incidental deliverables such as manuals and reports. This is the pricing and line-item section, so it must clearly tie the requirement to the items being offered.
Section C contains the work description
Section C includes any additional description, specifications, or statement of work needed beyond Section B. It is the place to state the agency’s detailed needs and should be prepared with the requirements-writing rules in Part 11 in mind.
Section D covers packaging and marking
Section D must state any packaging, packing, preservation, and marking requirements. If the government has special handling or labeling needs, they belong here so the contractor knows how deliverables must be prepared for shipment or receipt.
Section E addresses inspection and acceptance
Section E must include inspection, acceptance, quality assurance, and reliability requirements. This section ties directly to Part 46 and tells the contractor how the government will evaluate whether supplies or services meet contract requirements.
Section F sets delivery or performance terms
Section F must specify the time, place, and method of delivery or performance. These requirements should be clear enough for the contractor to schedule work and for the government to measure timeliness and compliance.
Section G provides administration data
Section G must include required accounting and appropriation data and any contract administration information or instructions not already on the solicitation form. It must also tell the offeror to include the payment address in the proposal if it differs from the offeror address shown elsewhere.
Section H states special requirements
Section H is reserved for clear statements of special contract requirements that are not already covered in Section I clauses or elsewhere in the Uniform Contract Format. This section is for unique conditions that need to be highlighted so they are not overlooked.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Prepare the Schedule in the required section order and ensure each section contains the information required by FAR 15.204-2. Select OF 308 or SF 33 when appropriate, or if another form is used, place all required first-page data in the solicitation and make sure the sections are complete, consistent, and aligned with the acquisition requirements.
Agency Requirements Personnel
Provide the technical, delivery, packaging, inspection, and special requirement information needed to populate Sections B through H. They must ensure the statement of work, specifications, acceptance criteria, and special conditions are clear, accurate, and supportable.
Contractor or Offeror
Review the Schedule carefully and use the information in Sections A through H to prepare a responsive proposal. The offeror must provide required identifying information, including the payment address if it differs from the main offeror address, and must price and plan performance based on the stated line items, delivery terms, and special requirements.
Contract Administration Personnel
Use the information in Sections G and related parts of the Schedule to administer the contract after award, including accounting data, payment instructions, and any administration-specific directions that affect performance or invoicing.
Practical Implications
This section is a drafting checklist: if a required item is missing from the Schedule, the solicitation may be unclear, harder to evaluate, or vulnerable to protest or later dispute.
Section A is often overlooked when a form other than SF 33 or OF 308 is used; missing the required first-page data can create avoidable administrative errors and confusion about deadlines or submission instructions.
Sections B and C must work together: line items and quantities in Section B should match the detailed requirement in Section C, or offerors may price the wrong scope.
Inspection, acceptance, and delivery terms should be written plainly and consistently with the clauses in Section I; mismatches between the Schedule and clauses are a common source of performance disputes.
Special requirements belong in Section H only when they are not already covered elsewhere; duplicating or burying them in multiple sections can create conflicts and make the solicitation harder to interpret.
Official Regulatory Text
The contracting officer shall prepare the contract Schedule as follows: (a) Section A, Solicitation/contract form. (1) Optional Form (OF) 308 , Solicitation and Offer-Negotiated Acquisition, or Standard Form (SF) 33 , Solicitation, Offer and Award, may be used to prepare RFPs. (2) When other than OF 308 or SF 33 is used, include the following information on the first page of the solicitation: (i) Name, address, and location of issuing activity, including room and building where proposals or information must be submitted. (ii) Solicitation number. (iii) Date of issuance. (iv) Closing date and time. (v) Number of pages. (vi) Requisition or other purchase authority. (vii) Brief description of item or service. (viii) Requirement for the offeror to provide its name and complete address, including street, city, county, state, and ZIP code, and electronic address (including facsimile address), if appropriate. (ix) Offer expiration date. (b) Section B, Supplies or services and prices/costs . Include a brief description of the supplies or services; e.g., item number, national stock number/part number if applicable, nouns, nomenclature, and quantities. (This includes incidental deliverables such as manuals and reports.) (c) Section C, Description/specifications/statement of work . Include any description or specifications needed in addition to Section B (see part 11 , Describing Agency Needs). (d) Section D, Packaging and marking . Provide packaging, packing, preservation, and marking requirements, if any. (e) Section E, Inspection and acceptance . Include inspection, acceptance, quality assurance, and reliability requirements (see part 46 , Quality Assurance). (f) Section F, Deliveries or performance . Specify the requirements for time, place, and method of delivery or performance (see subpart 11.4 , Delivery or Performance Schedules, and 47.301-1 ). (g) Section G, Contract administration data . Include any required accounting and appropriation data and any required contract administration information or instructions other than those on the solicitation form. Include a statement that the offeror should include the payment address in the proposal, if it is different from that shown for the offeror. (h) Section H, Special contract requirements . Include a clear statement of any special contract requirements that are not included in Section I, Contract clauses, or in other sections of the uniform contract format.