FAR 47.2—Subpart 47.2

Scope of subpart.

FAR 47.200 defines the scope of FAR Subpart 47.2, which sets the procedures for acquiring transportation services and related logistics support by sealed bid or negotiated contract. It covers freight transportation by rail, motor, domestic water, and freight forwarders, as well as transportation-related services such as stevedoring, storage, packing, marking, and ocean freight forwarding. The section also explains important exclusions, including air carriers, international ocean carriers, transportation acquired by bills of lading, certain household goods moves priced under specific statutory rates, and acquisitions at or below the simplified acquisition threshold. It further identifies situations where the subpart may still be used with modifications, including freight from air and international ocean carriers and passenger transportation from any carrier or mode. In addition, it addresses household goods transportation for government-funded relocations and points users to special rules for DoD and for commuted rate schedules under the Federal Travel Regulation. In practice, this section is the gateway for deciding whether the FAR transportation acquisition procedures apply, which acquisition method is appropriate, and whether another regulatory framework controls the purchase.

Definitions.

FAR 47.201 provides the basic definitions used in this subpart for transportation and moving-related contracting. It defines two key terms: "general freight" and "office furniture." General freight is the catch-all category for supplies, goods, and other transportable property that are not covered by the separate definition of "household goods" or "office furniture." Office furniture is defined broadly to include furniture, equipment, fixtures, records, and other equipment and materials used in Government offices, hospitals, and similar establishments. In practice, these definitions matter because they help contracting officers, transportation personnel, and contractors determine which transportation or moving requirements apply to a shipment, how to classify property correctly, and which services or contract terms should be used. The section exists to reduce ambiguity and ensure that property is categorized consistently before movement, which affects pricing, handling, liability, and compliance with the applicable transportation rules.

Presolicitation planning.

FAR 47.202 tells contracting officers to give advance notice to the activities that are planning transportation or transportation-related acquisitions about the lead-time they may need before issuing a solicitation or starting negotiations. The section covers three specific planning items: first, the need to obtain a Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS) wage determination before issuing an invitation for bids, request for proposals, or beginning negotiations for any covered contract over $2,500; second, the possible need to build time into the solicitation period for prospective offerors or contractors to inspect origin and destination locations; and third, the possible need for agency personnel to inspect prospective contractor facilities and equipment. Its purpose is to prevent schedule delays, incomplete solicitations, and avoidable procurement errors by making sure transportation acquisitions are planned early enough to satisfy labor standards and operational inspection needs. In practice, this means contracting officers must coordinate early with requiring activities so they can identify whether the acquisition may trigger wage-determination steps, site visits, or facility inspections and then allow enough time in the acquisition schedule to complete those actions before award.

[Reserved]

Single-movement contracts.

FAR 47.204 addresses when the Government may use a single-movement contract for transportation services. The section is narrow and practical: it allows award of a contract for a one-time or otherwise unique movement when the service is not available under published carrier tariffs and is not already covered by Department of Defense (DoD) or General Services Administration (GSA) transportation contracts. It specifically points to situations involving special requirements at the origin and/or destination, which means the movement may need unusual handling, access, equipment, timing, security, or delivery conditions that standard transportation arrangements do not cover. In practice, this section gives contracting officers a way to obtain tailored transportation support when ordinary commercial transportation channels are insufficient. It also signals to contractors and transportation planners that these awards are reserved for exceptional movements, not routine freight or recurring shipping needs. The section is brief, but its significance is in identifying the threshold for using a special-purpose contract instead of standard tariff-based or existing Government transportation arrangements.

Availability of term contracts and basic ordering agreements for transportation or for transportation-related services.

FAR 47.205 explains when agencies may use term contracts and basic ordering agreements (BOAs) for transportation and transportation-related services, and when they may instead buy these services directly. It covers the general authority for all Government agencies to contract for transportation services and establish BOAs, the preference for using term contracts and BOAs already executed by agencies with transportation contracting expertise, the role of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the General Services Administration (GSA) in contracting on behalf of other agencies, examples of services GSA commonly covers such as local drayage, office moves, and ocean-freight forwarding, and the fallback rule allowing agencies to acquire transportation-related services at or below the simplified acquisition threshold when term contracts or BOAs are not available. In practice, this section is about efficiency, specialization, and avoiding duplicative contracting efforts by steering agencies toward existing transportation contracting vehicles where possible. It also signals that transportation procurement is a specialized area where experienced contracting offices can achieve better pricing, service, and administrative control. For contractors, this section matters because it affects how transportation work is competed, ordered, and administered across agencies. For contracting officers, it clarifies when to rely on existing term contracts or BOAs and when direct acquisition is permissible.

Preparation of solicitations and contracts.

FAR 47.206 tells contracting officers how to build solicitations and contracts for transportation and transportation-related services. It has two core ideas: first, use the normal FAR preparation rules for fixed-price service contracts when they fit and do not conflict with Subpart 47.2; second, add the specific transportation provisions, clauses, and instructions required by FAR 47.207. In practice, this section is a cross-reference rule that prevents contracting officers from treating transportation buys as completely separate from the rest of the FAR, while also ensuring the special transportation requirements are not missed. It matters because transportation contracts often involve unique pricing, routing, documentation, and performance issues, so the solicitation and contract must be drafted carefully to reflect both general FAR requirements and transportation-specific terms. The section is about document preparation, not evaluation or administration, but it directly affects how the acquisition is competed, awarded, and later enforced.

Solicitation provisions, contract clauses, and special requirements.

FAR 47.207 is the umbrella instruction for what must be inserted into solicitations and contracts when the Government is buying transportation or transportation-related services. It does not itself list every clause; instead, it directs the contracting officer to include the provisions, clauses, and special requirements prescribed in FAR 47.207-1 through 47.207-9. In practice, this section is the gateway to the transportation-specific rules that govern how offers are structured, how contracts address routing and service requirements, and what special terms apply to different modes or types of transportation support. Its purpose is to ensure that transportation acquisitions contain the mandatory terms needed to protect the Government’s interests, support proper performance, and align the solicitation and contract with the applicable transportation regulations. For contractors, this means transportation solicitations may contain requirements that differ from ordinary supply or service buys, and those requirements can affect pricing, routing, documentation, and performance obligations. For contracting officers, it means they must not rely on generic FAR clauses alone; they must check the transportation-specific prescriptions and tailor the solicitation and contract accordingly.

Report of shipment (REPSHIP).