FAR 4.1105—Solicitation provision and contract clauses.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 4.1105 tells contracting personnel when to include the System for Award Management (SAM) solicitation provision and the related SAM maintenance contract clause. It covers two related topics: the provision at 52.204-7, System for Award Management, including Alternate I when a solicitation is expected to be awarded under the special procedures in 4.1102(a)(5), and the clause at 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance. In practice, this section ensures offerors are properly registered in SAM before award and remain current after award, which supports responsibility determinations, accurate contractor identification, and reliable payment and reporting data. The rule is a drafting instruction for solicitations and resulting contracts, so its main significance is procedural: if the solicitation includes the SAM provision, the contract must also include the SAM maintenance clause. Contracting officers must apply the correct version of the provision based on the acquisition method and must not omit these clauses when they are required.
Key Rules
Use SAM provision generally
Insert 52.204-7, System for Award Management, in all solicitations unless the exception in 4.1102(a) applies. This makes SAM registration a standard solicitation requirement for most procurements.
Use Alternate I when applicable
If the solicitation is anticipated to be awarded under 4.1102(a)(5), insert 52.204-7 with Alternate I. The alternate is required only for that specific award circumstance, so the contracting officer must match the provision version to the planned award method.
Add SAM maintenance clause
Insert 52.204-13, System for Award Management Maintenance, in any solicitation that contains 52.204-7 and in the resulting contract. The clause carries the registration-maintenance obligation forward into contract performance.
Clause follows the provision
The maintenance clause is tied to the presence of the SAM provision. If the solicitation includes the SAM provision, the resulting contract must include the SAM maintenance clause as well.
Apply exceptions carefully
The only stated exception to inserting 52.204-7 is when the conditions in 4.1102(a) apply. Contracting officers must confirm the exception before omitting the provision, because the default rule is inclusion.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Determine whether the solicitation falls under the exception in 4.1102(a); insert 52.204-7 in the solicitation unless an exception applies; use Alternate I when the solicitation is anticipated to be awarded under 4.1102(a)(5); and include 52.204-13 in both the solicitation and the resulting contract when 52.204-7 is used.
Offeror/Contractor
Maintain an active and accurate SAM registration as required by the solicitation provision and the contract clause; ensure registration information remains current so the offer can be considered and the contract can be administered properly.
Agency
Support contracting personnel with acquisition policy and systems that ensure the correct SAM provision and clause are used consistently across solicitations and awards.
Practical Implications
This section is a drafting checkpoint: if the solicitation includes SAM registration requirements, the contract package must carry the maintenance clause too.
A common pitfall is using the wrong version of 52.204-7 or forgetting Alternate I when the award method calls for it.
Another frequent error is omitting 52.204-13 from the resulting contract even though the solicitation contained 52.204-7.
For contractors, the practical effect is that SAM registration is not a one-time pre-award task; it must remain current throughout performance.
For contracting officers, the key watch item is consistency between the solicitation, award method, and final contract clauses, because mismatches can create compliance and administration problems.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) (1) Insert the provision at 52.204-7 , System for Award Management, in all solicitations except when the conditions in 4.1102 (a) apply. (2) Insert the provision at 52.204-7 , System for Award Management, with its Alternate I when the solicitation is anticipated to be awarded in accordance with 4.1102 (a)(5). (b) Insert the clause at 52.204-13 , System for Award Management Maintenance, in solicitations that contain the provision at 52.204-7 , and resulting contracts.