FAR 17.805—Solicitation provision and contract clauses.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 17.805 tells contracting officers which reverse-auction clauses and provisions must be included in solicitations and contracts, depending on how the reverse auction will be used. It covers three distinct situations: using a reverse auction to award a contract or blanket purchase agreement, using a reverse auction to place orders under a multiple-award contract or BPA, and buying reverse auction services themselves. The section exists to ensure offerors and contractors are on notice about the reverse-auction process, the rules that will govern it, and the contractual terms that apply when reverse auctions are part of the acquisition strategy. In practice, this means the contracting officer must match the correct FAR 52.217-10, 52.217-11, or 52.217-12 language to the procurement structure so the solicitation and resulting contract are legally and procedurally aligned. The section is narrow, but important: if the wrong clause or provision is omitted, the solicitation may not properly disclose how competition will be conducted, and the contract may not contain the terms needed to support reverse-auction use.
Key Rules
Use 52.217-10 for award auctions
When the Government will use a reverse auction to award a contract or blanket purchase agreement, the contracting officer must insert the provision at FAR 52.217-10, Reverse Auction, in the solicitation. This provision alerts offerors that the award decision will be made through a reverse-auction process rather than only through traditional sealed proposals or discussions.
Use 52.217-11 for order placement
For a multiple-award contract or blanket purchase agreement, if a reverse auction may be used to place orders under the basic contract or BPA, the contracting officer must insert FAR 52.217-11, Reverse Auction—Orders, in both the solicitation and the resulting contract. This ensures the reverse-auction method is authorized and disclosed for future order competitions.
Use 52.217-12 for auction services
When the acquisition is for reverse auction services themselves, the contracting officer must insert FAR 52.217-12, Reverse Auction Services, in all solicitations and contracts. This clause governs the purchase of the service that enables or supports the reverse-auction process.
Match the clause to the acquisition type
The required language depends on whether the reverse auction is being used to award the base contract/BPA, to compete orders under an existing vehicle, or to buy reverse-auction services. The contracting officer must select the clause or provision that corresponds to the actual procurement structure.
Insert language when the condition exists
These insertions are mandatory when the stated condition is present; they are not optional boilerplate. If the acquisition will use a reverse auction in one of the covered ways, the solicitation and, where required, the contract must include the specified FAR text.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Determine whether the acquisition will use a reverse auction to award a contract or BPA, to place orders under a multiple-award contract or BPA, or to purchase reverse auction services. Insert FAR 52.217-10, 52.217-11, or 52.217-12 as required, and ensure the clause or provision appears in the correct documents (solicitation only, or both solicitation and contract where specified).
Agency
Ensure acquisition planning and solicitation templates support proper use of reverse-auction clauses and provisions. Provide oversight so the contracting officer uses the correct FAR language for the intended procurement method.
Offerors/Contractors
Review the solicitation and contract terms to understand whether a reverse auction will be used, how it will affect competition or order placement, and what obligations or risks are associated with participating in the process or providing reverse-auction services.
Practical Implications
The biggest day-to-day issue is document alignment: the reverse-auction clause or provision must match the way the Government plans to use the auction. A mismatch can create ambiguity about competition procedures or contract terms.
Contracting officers should check whether the reverse auction is part of the initial award, a later order competition, or a separate service purchase, because each triggers a different FAR citation.
For multiple-award contracts and BPAs, the clause must be included not just in the solicitation but also in the contract when reverse auctions may be used for orders; missing it in either place can create compliance problems.
Offerors should look closely for these clauses because they signal that price competition may occur in real time and may affect pricing strategy, participation decisions, and internal approval processes.
A common pitfall is treating reverse-auction language as generic boilerplate. FAR 17.805 is specific, and using the wrong clause or omitting it can undermine transparency and the enforceability of the auction process.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) The contracting officer shall insert the provision at 52.217-10 , Reverse Auction, in solicitations when using a reverse auction to award a contract or blanket purchase agreement. (b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.217-11 , Reverse Auction—Orders, in solicitations and contracts for a multiple-award contract or blanket purchase agreement, when a reverse auction may be used to place orders under the basic contract or blanket purchase agreement. (c) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.217-12 , Reverse Auction Services, in all solicitations and contracts for the purchase of reverse auction services.