FAR 19.202—Specific policies.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 19.202 sets out the specific policy controls that contracting officers must follow to implement the government’s small business participation policy in FAR 19.201(a). It requires contracting officers to comply with the section’s mandatory policies and to consider recommendations from the agency Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), or, for the Department of Defense, the Director of the Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP), or that Director’s designee, when deciding whether an acquisition should be set aside or otherwise awarded under the small business programs in subparts 19.5, 19.8, 19.13, 19.14, or 19.15. The section also requires agencies to create internal procedures, including dollar thresholds, for routing acquisitions to the Director or designee for review so they can make those recommendations. In practice, this means the small business office has a formal advisory role in acquisition strategy, and contracting officers must give that advice real consideration rather than treating it as optional. If the contracting officer does not accept the recommendation, the file must be documented in accordance with FAR 19.506, which creates accountability and a record for later review. The section is important because it ties small business policy to acquisition planning, review thresholds, and file documentation, helping ensure that small business opportunities are considered early and consistently.
Key Rules
Follow specific small business policies
Contracting officers must comply with the specific policies in FAR 19.202 as part of carrying out the broader small business policy in FAR 19.201(a). This makes the section mandatory, not merely advisory.
Consider OSDBU or OSBP recommendations
The contracting officer must consider recommendations from the agency OSDBU Director, or for DoD the OSBP Director or designee, on whether an acquisition should be awarded under the listed small business subparts. The recommendation must be part of the acquisition decision-making process.
Programs covered by review
The recommendation process applies to acquisitions potentially awarded under subparts 19.5, 19.8, 19.13, 19.14, or 19.15. These are the small business-related award authorities the section specifically identifies for consideration.
Agency review procedures required
Agencies must establish procedures, including dollar thresholds, for routing acquisitions to the Director or designee for review. This ensures there is a defined process for when small business program recommendations are generated.
Document rejection of recommendations
If the contracting officer does not accept the Director’s recommendation, the contracting officer must document the contract file in accordance with FAR 19.506. The file should show the basis for the decision and preserve the record for oversight and accountability.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Comply with the specific policies in FAR 19.202, seek and consider applicable small business office recommendations, decide whether the acquisition should be awarded under the identified small business subparts, and document the contract file when the recommendation is not accepted.
Agency Director of OSDBU
Review acquisitions under agency procedures and make recommendations on whether a particular acquisition should be awarded under subparts 19.5, 19.8, 19.13, 19.14, or 19.15.
DoD Director of OSBP or Designee
For Department of Defense acquisitions, review acquisitions under DoD procedures and provide recommendations on whether the acquisition should be awarded under the identified small business subparts.
Agency
Establish procedures, including dollar thresholds, for review of acquisitions by the Director or designee so recommendations can be made in a consistent and timely way.
Practical Implications
This section makes small business review part of acquisition planning, so contracting officers should engage the small business office early rather than after the acquisition strategy is already fixed.
The dollar-threshold review procedures matter because they determine which acquisitions get formal small business office review; missing the threshold process can create compliance problems.
If a contracting officer rejects a recommendation without a solid file record, the acquisition is vulnerable to protest, audit findings, or internal review criticism.
The section does not require the contracting officer to follow every recommendation, but it does require meaningful consideration and a documented rationale when the recommendation is not adopted.
Contractors should understand that these internal review steps can affect set-aside decisions, competition strategy, and timing, especially for acquisitions that may fit one of the listed small business programs.
Official Regulatory Text
In order to further the policy in 19.201 (a), contracting officers shall comply with the specific policies listed in this section and shall consider recommendations of the agency Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, or for the Department of Defense, the Director of the Office of Small Business Programs, or the Director’s designee, as to whether a particular acquisition should be awarded under subpart 19.5 , 19.8 , 19.13 , 19.14 , or 19.15 . Agencies shall establish procedures including dollar thresholds for review of acquisitions by the Director or the Director's designee for the purpose of making these recommendations. The contracting officer shall document the contract file whenever the Director's recommendations are not accepted, in accordance with 19.506 .