FAR 47.207—Solicitation provisions, contract clauses, and special requirements.
Plain-English Summary
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.
Key Rules
Use prescribed transportation clauses
The contracting officer must include the provisions, clauses, and special requirements that are prescribed in FAR 47.207-1 through 47.207-9. This section is a directive to follow the detailed transportation-specific prescriptions, not a standalone list of all required language.
Apply to transportation acquisitions
These requirements apply to solicitations and contracts for transportation or transportation-related services. The section is intended for acquisitions where transportation rules, routing, service conditions, or related operational requirements are part of the procurement.
Follow subpart-by-subpart prescriptions
The actual content to be included is determined by the specific prescriptions in the referenced subsections. The contracting officer must review each applicable subsection to identify the correct provisions, clauses, and special requirements for the particular acquisition.
Tailor to the service or mode
Because transportation acquisitions can involve different modes and service types, the required clauses and special requirements may vary depending on what is being bought. The contracting officer must match the solicitation and contract terms to the specific transportation need.
Include terms in both solicitation and contract
The rule covers both solicitations and contracts, meaning required transportation terms must be addressed at the offer stage and carried into the final contract. This helps ensure offerors understand the requirements and the resulting contract is enforceable and complete.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Identify whether the acquisition is for transportation or transportation-related services, review FAR 47.207-1 through 47.207-9, and include all applicable provisions, clauses, and special requirements in the solicitation and contract.
Contractor/Offeror
Review the transportation-specific solicitation terms, account for any special routing, service, documentation, or performance requirements in the offer, and comply with the resulting contract clauses if awarded.
Agency/Acquiring Activity
Support the contracting officer by defining the transportation need clearly, ensuring the acquisition strategy reflects applicable transportation requirements, and using the correct transportation terms for the mode or service being procured.
Practical Implications
This section is a cross-reference, so the main risk is omission: if the contracting officer does not check FAR 47.207-1 through 47.207-9, required transportation clauses may be left out.
Transportation buys often have specialized terms that affect pricing, routing, liability, documentation, and performance timing, so generic service-contract templates may be insufficient.
Offerors should read transportation solicitations carefully because special requirements may change how they plan logistics, estimate costs, or structure their proposal.
Contracting officers should verify that the solicitation and final contract match the applicable transportation prescriptions; inconsistencies can create performance disputes or administration problems.
A common pitfall is assuming all transportation-related services are the same; the required clauses can vary based on the exact service or transportation mode involved.
Official Regulatory Text
The contracting officer shall include provisions, clauses, and special requirements in solicitations and contracts for transportation or for transportation-related services as prescribed in 47.207-1 through 47.207-9 .