FAR 30.201-3—Solicitation provisions.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 30.201-3 tells contracting officers which Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) solicitation provisions must be included when a procurement is subject to CAS. It covers three related topics: the mandatory use of FAR 52.230-1, Cost Accounting Standards Notices and Certification, for CAS-covered solicitations; a special historical rule for awards to educational institutions before July 1, 1997, including use of Alternate I unless an FFRDC exception or another specified exception applies; and the requirement to include FAR 52.230-7, Proposal Disclosure—Cost Accounting Practice Changes, in solicitations for CAS-covered contracts. In practice, this section ensures offerors are properly notified of CAS obligations, certification requirements, and disclosure expectations before award. It also helps the Government obtain the information needed to evaluate compliance risk and to protect against inconsistent or undisclosed cost accounting practices. For contractors, the section matters because it determines when CAS-related representations, certifications, and disclosures become part of the competition and can affect proposal preparation, pricing, and post-award compliance.
Key Rules
Insert CAS notice and certification
For solicitations for proposed contracts subject to CAS, the contracting officer must include FAR 52.230-1, Cost Accounting Standards Notices and Certification, as required by 48 CFR 9903.201. This is the standard CAS solicitation provision that alerts offerors to CAS applicability and certification obligations.
Special rule for educational institutions
If an award to an educational institution is contemplated before July 1, 1997, the contracting officer must use the basic 52.230-1 provision with Alternate I, unless the contract will be performed by an FFRDC or another exception in 48 CFR 9903.201-2(c)(6) applies. This is a narrow historical exception tied to the regulatory treatment of educational institutions.
Insert proposal disclosure provision
For solicitations for contracts subject to CAS, the contracting officer must also include FAR 52.230-7, Proposal Disclosure—Cost Accounting Practice Changes, as specified in 48 CFR 9903.201. This provision supports disclosure of proposed changes in cost accounting practices during the proposal stage.
Applicability depends on CAS coverage
These solicitation provisions are required only when the contemplated contract is subject to CAS under the applicable CAS coverage rules in 48 CFR 9903.201. The contracting officer must determine CAS applicability before issuing the solicitation.
Exceptions must be checked
The educational institution rule includes specific exceptions for FFRDC performance and another regulatory exception at 48 CFR 9903.201-2(c)(6). The contracting officer must verify whether an exception applies before selecting the provision or alternate.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Determine whether the contemplated procurement is subject to CAS, then insert FAR 52.230-1 in the solicitation when required. If the solicitation contemplates award to an educational institution before July 1, 1997, use the basic provision with Alternate I unless an FFRDC or other specified exception applies. Also insert FAR 52.230-7 in CAS-covered solicitations and ensure the correct version or alternate is used based on the applicable facts and CAS rules.
Offeror/Contractor
Review the solicitation to identify CAS applicability, certification requirements, and any disclosure obligations tied to proposed cost accounting practice changes. Prepare the proposal and any required certifications or disclosures consistently with the solicitation provisions and CAS requirements.
Agency/Acquisition Team
Support the contracting officer by identifying whether the acquisition is CAS-covered and whether any special categories, such as educational institutions or FFRDC-related performance, affect the required solicitation provisions. Ensure solicitation templates and clause libraries reflect the correct CAS provisions.
Practical Implications
This section is a solicitation-preparation rule, so mistakes happen before award; if the wrong CAS provision is omitted, the solicitation may be defective and may need amendment.
Contracting officers should confirm CAS coverage early, because the required provisions depend on whether the contract is subject to CAS and, in one case, on the type of institution and timing of award.
Offerors should treat these provisions as a signal that CAS compliance, certification, and disclosure issues may affect pricing, proposal content, and post-award administration.
A common pitfall is assuming all solicitations need the same CAS language; the educational institution rule and the FFRDC/other exceptions require careful checking of the facts and the cited CAS rules.
Because FAR 52.230-7 addresses disclosure of cost accounting practice changes, contractors should coordinate proposal preparation with accounting personnel to avoid inconsistent statements or incomplete disclosures.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) The contracting officer shall insert the provision at 52.230-1 , Cost Accounting Standards Notices and Certification, in solicitations for proposed contracts subject to CAS as specified in 48 CFR 9903.201 . (b) If an award to an educational institution is contemplated prior to July 1, 1997, the contracting officer shall insert the basic provision set forth at 52.230-1 with its Alternate I, unless the contract is to be performed by a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) (see 48 CFR 9903.201-2(c)(5) ), or the provision at 48 CFR 9903.201-2(c)(6) applies. (c) Insert the provision at FAR 52.230-7 , Proposal Disclosure-Cost Accounting Practice Changes, in solicitations for contracts subject to CAS as specified in 48 CFR 9903.201 .