FAR 23.502—Solicitation provision.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 23.502 is a narrow solicitation rule that tells contracting officers when to include the representation provision at 52.223-22, Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction Goals—Representation. Its only subject is the trigger for using that provision: it must be included only when the solicitation also includes 52.204-7, System for Award Management, as part of the annual representations and certifications framework referenced in 52.204-8. In practice, this section links a climate-related representation to the broader SAM registration/representation process rather than making it a stand-alone solicitation requirement. The purpose is to ensure consistency in when offerors are asked to make this representation and to avoid inserting it into solicitations that do not use the standard SAM representation structure. For contracting officers, the rule is a simple but important checklist item; for offerors, it means the disclosure/representation requirement appears only in solicitations that already require the SAM-based representation package.
Key Rules
Only when SAM provision included
The provision at 52.223-22 is required only if the solicitation includes 52.204-7, System for Award Management. If the solicitation does not include 52.204-7, the greenhouse gas representation provision is not required under this section.
Tied to annual reps and certs
This rule operates through the annual representations and certifications process referenced in 52.204-8. The section does not create a separate stand-alone disclosure regime; it simply conditions use of 52.223-22 on the solicitation’s use of the SAM representation framework.
Solicitation-level requirement
The instruction applies at the solicitation stage, not after award. Contracting officers must decide whether to include the provision when preparing the solicitation, based on whether 52.204-7 is present.
No broader substantive standard here
FAR 23.502 does not itself define what greenhouse gas information must be disclosed or how the representation is evaluated. It only governs when the provision is inserted into the solicitation.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Determine whether the solicitation includes 52.204-7, System for Award Management, and include 52.223-22 only when that condition is met. Ensure the solicitation’s representation and certification clauses are assembled consistently with FAR 52.204-8 and related requirements.
Contractor/Offeror
Review the solicitation to see whether 52.223-22 is included and, if so, complete the required representation accurately as part of the offer package and SAM-related representations.
Agency
Use the FAR-prescribed solicitation structure and ensure contracting personnel apply the greenhouse gas representation provision only in solicitations that include the SAM representation framework.
Practical Implications
This is a checklist rule: if 52.204-7 is in the solicitation, 52.223-22 must be considered for inclusion; if not, it should not be added under this section.
A common pitfall is treating the greenhouse gas provision as universally required for all solicitations; FAR 23.502 makes it conditional, not automatic.
Contracting officers should verify the solicitation’s representation package early, because omission or improper inclusion can create solicitation defects or inconsistent offeror instructions.
Offerors should not assume the provision will appear in every procurement; its presence depends on the solicitation’s use of the SAM annual reps and certs structure.
Because this section is limited to inclusion criteria, users should look to 52.223-22 and 52.204-8 for the actual representation content and submission mechanics.
Official Regulatory Text
The provision at 52.223-22 , Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction Goals—Representation, is required only when 52.204-7 , System for Award Management, is included in the solicitation (see 52.204-8 , Annual Representations and Certifications).