FAR 19.1508—Contract clauses.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 19.1508 tells contracting officers which contract clauses must be included when using the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) programs. It covers the mandatory use of the notice clauses at 52.219-29 and 52.219-30 for solicitations and contracts that are set aside for, or awarded on a sole-source basis to, EDWOSB or WOSB concerns, including certain multiple-award contract situations where orders may later be set aside or issued directly to one qualifying contractor. It also points the reader to the separate prescription rules for using the limitations on subcontracting clause at 52.219-14 and the nonmanufacturer rule clause at 52.219-33. In practice, this section is about making sure the solicitation and contract documents match the acquisition strategy and the applicable small business program requirements. If the wrong clause is omitted or the wrong one is used, the procurement may not properly notify offerors of the program conditions and may create compliance problems later in performance or order placement.
Key Rules
EDWOSB notice clause required
For acquisitions set aside for, or awarded sole-source to, EDWOSB concerns under 19.1505(b) or 19.1506(a), the contracting officer must insert clause 52.219-29. This requirement also applies to certain multiple-award contracts where EDWOSB set-aside orders may be placed or where orders may be issued directly to one EDWOSB contractor.
WOSB notice clause required
For acquisitions set aside for, or awarded sole-source to, WOSB concerns under 19.1505(c) or 19.1506(b), the contracting officer must insert clause 52.219-30. This also extends to multiple-award contracts where orders may be set aside for eligible WOSB concerns or issued directly to one WOSB contractor under the cited ordering rules.
Multiple-award contracts included
The notice clauses are not limited to stand-alone set-asides or sole-source awards. They also apply when the underlying contract structure allows later orders to be reserved for EDWOSB or WOSB concerns, or to be placed directly with one qualifying contractor under the referenced ordering authorities.
Subcontracting clause governed elsewhere
Use of clause 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting, is not decided by this section itself. The contracting officer must follow the separate prescription at 19.507(e) to determine when that clause belongs in the solicitation or contract.
Nonmanufacturer rule governed elsewhere
Use of clause 52.219-33, Nonmanufacturer Rule, is also controlled by a separate prescription. The contracting officer must consult 19.507(h) to determine when that clause is required.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Insert the correct notice clause—52.219-29 for EDWOSB actions and 52.219-30 for WOSB actions—whenever the acquisition is set aside or awarded sole-source under the cited program authorities, including applicable multiple-award contract situations. Also determine separately whether clauses 52.219-14 and 52.219-33 are required by the prescriptions in 19.507(e) and 19.507(h).
Agency/Acquisition Team
Structure the acquisition so the solicitation, contract, and ordering approach align with the intended WOSB or EDWOSB program use. Ensure the program designation is clear enough that the correct clause and ordering language are included from the start.
Offerors/Contractors
Review the solicitation and contract clauses to understand whether the procurement is an EDWOSB or WOSB set-aside or sole-source action and whether future orders under a multiple-award contract may be reserved for qualifying firms. Comply with any applicable subcontracting or nonmanufacturer requirements if those clauses are included under the separate prescriptions.
Practical Implications
The main day-to-day task is clause selection: EDWOSB actions require 52.219-29, while WOSB actions require 52.219-30. Using the wrong clause, or omitting the clause, can create a mismatch between the procurement strategy and the contract terms.
This section matters for multiple-award contracts because the notice clauses may be needed even when the initial award is not a single set-aside, if later orders can be set aside or issued directly to one qualifying contractor.
Contracting officers should not assume that the limitations on subcontracting clause or the nonmanufacturer rule clause automatically follows from the WOSB/EDWOSB notice clauses; those clauses are controlled by separate FAR prescriptions.
A common pitfall is overlooking the ordering context under FAR parts 8 and 16, where task or delivery orders may be reserved for qualifying women-owned small businesses even though the base contract is multiple-award.
For contractors, the practical significance is that the clause signals program-specific performance and eligibility expectations, so firms should verify they can meet the set-aside, sole-source, subcontracting, and supply-chain requirements before bidding or accepting orders.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-29 , Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Economically Disadvantaged Women-owned Small Business Concerns, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions that are set aside or awarded on a sole-source basis to, EDWOSB concerns under 19.1505 (b) or 19.1506 (a). This includes multiple-award contracts when orders may be set aside for EDWOSB concerns as described in 8.405-5 and 16.505 (b)(2)(i)(F) or when orders may be issued directly to one EDWOSB contractor in accordance with 19.504 (c)(1)(ii). (b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.219-30 , Notice of Set-Aside for, or Sole-Source Award to, Women-Owned Small Business Concerns Eligible Under the Women-Owned Small Business Program, in solicitations and contracts for acquisitions that are set aside or awarded on a sole-source basis to WOSB concerns under 19.1505 (c) or 19.1506 (b). This includes multiple-award contracts when orders may be set aside for WOSB concerns eligible under the WOSB Program as described in 8.405-5 and 16.505 (b)(2)(i)(F) or when orders may be issued directly to one WOSB contractor in accordance with 19.504 (c)(1)(ii). (c) For use of clause 52.219-14 , Limitations on Subcontracting, see the prescription at 19.507 (e). (d) For use of clause 52.219-33 , Nonmanufacturer Rule, see the prescription at 19.507 (h).