FAR 22.1505—Solicitation provision and contract clause.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 22.1505 tells contracting officers when to include the child labor solicitation provision at 52.222-18 and the child labor contract clause at 52.222-19. It applies to acquisitions of supplies/end products that exceed the micro-purchase threshold, and it distinguishes between general supply procurements and commercial products or commercial services acquisitions that use the commercial item representation and certification provision at 52.212-3. The section also requires the contracting officer to identify the specific end products and countries of origin from the government’s List of Products Requiring Contractor Certification as to Forced or Indentured Child Labor, and to remove certain listed items for solicitations estimated to equal or exceed $50,000 when the countries are excluded under FAR 22.1503(b). In practice, this section is about making sure offerors certify knowledge about listed end products and that contracts for supplies include a clause requiring cooperation with authorities and remedies if child labor issues arise. It is a compliance-control provision: it does not itself ban all products, but it ensures the government gets the right certification and contractual protections tied to the identified products and countries. Contracting officers must therefore screen the acquisition type, dollar threshold, commercial-item status, and applicable list entries before issuing the solicitation.
Key Rules
Use 52.222-18 in covered solicitations
For solicitations expected to exceed the micro-purchase threshold and seeking end products of a type identified on the child labor list, the contracting officer must insert 52.222-18. This applies regardless of country of origin, unless the solicitation falls under the commercial products/commercial services exception that uses 52.212-3.
Commercial item exception applies
If the solicitation is for commercial products or commercial services and includes 52.212-3, the contracting officer does not use 52.222-18. Instead, the required representation and certification is handled through the commercial item provision, with the applicable end products and countries identified in the appropriate paragraph of 52.212-3.
Identify listed end products and countries
The contracting officer must specify in the solicitation which end products and countries of origin from the list are applicable. This gives offerors clear notice of what products are covered and what certification they are making.
Apply the $50,000 exclusion rule
For solicitations estimated to equal or exceed $50,000, the contracting officer must exclude from the solicitation list any end products from countries identified at 22.1503(b), consistent with the stated thresholds. This means the solicitation list must be tailored to the applicable countries and products, not copied wholesale.
Use 52.222-19 in supply acquisitions
The clause at 52.222-19 must be inserted in all solicitations and contracts for the acquisition of supplies expected to exceed the micro-purchase threshold. This clause creates the contract-level obligation for cooperation with authorities and remedies if child labor concerns arise.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Determine whether the acquisition exceeds the micro-purchase threshold, whether it is for end products or supplies, and whether it is a commercial products/commercial services procurement. Insert the correct provision or clause, identify the applicable end products and countries of origin, and apply the $50,000 exclusion rule where required.
Offeror/Contractor
Review the solicitation’s identified end products and countries, provide the required certification or representation, and comply with the contract clause requiring cooperation with authorities and any remedies related to child labor issues.
Agency/Acquisition Team
Maintain awareness of the current list of products requiring certification and the country-specific exclusions under FAR 22.1503, and support the contracting officer in tailoring the solicitation correctly.
Practical Implications
This section is a solicitation-setup requirement, so mistakes happen early and can affect the entire procurement. If the wrong provision or clause is used, the solicitation may be noncompliant and may need amendment.
The contracting officer must not treat the list as automatic boilerplate. The applicable end products and countries of origin must be identified specifically, and the $50,000 exclusion rule must be applied when relevant.
Commercial item buys are a common pitfall: 52.222-18 is not inserted when 52.212-3 is used, so the contracting officer must know which representation package governs the acquisition.
Because the clause at 52.222-19 applies to supply acquisitions above the micro-purchase threshold, contracting officers should check that it is included in both the solicitation and resulting contract, not just one or the other.
Contractors should pay close attention to the listed products and countries because the certification is tied to those items; overlooking them can create proposal defects or later compliance issues.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of 22.1503 , insert the provision at 52.222-18 , Certification Regarding Knowledge of Child Labor for Listed End Products, in all solicitations that are expected to exceed the micro-purchase threshold and are for the acquisition of end products (regardless of country of origin) of a type identified by country of origin on the List of Products Requiring Contractor Certification as to Forced or Indentured Child Labor, except solicitations for commercial products or commercial services that include the provision at 52.212-3 , Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Products and Commercial Services. The contracting officer must identify in paragraph (b) of the provision at 52.222-18 , Certification Regarding Knowledge of Child Labor for Listed End Products, or paragraph (i)(1) of the provision at 52.212-3 , any applicable end products and countries of origin from the List. For solicitations estimated to equal or exceed $50,000, the contracting officer must exclude from the List in the solicitation end products from any countries identified at 22.1503 (b), in accordance with the specified thresholds. (b) Insert the clause at 52.222-19 , Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies, in all solicitations and contracts for the acquisition of supplies that are expected to exceed the micro-purchase thresholds.