FAR 5.404-2—Announcements of long-range acquisition estimates.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 5.404-2 addresses a narrow but important publicizing step for long-range acquisition planning. It explains that, when appropriate for the individual case, an agency may further publicize the existence of long-range acquisition estimates by announcing in the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE) that those estimates have been published and can be obtained from the contracting officer upon request. The section is about notice, not award, and it sits within the broader FAR Part 5 framework for publicizing contract actions. In practice, it gives agencies a way to let industry know that forward-looking acquisition information exists without necessarily posting the estimates themselves in the GPE. This can help improve market awareness, encourage early industry planning, and support competition, while still allowing the contracting officer to control distribution of the underlying estimates. The phrase “consistent with the needs of the individual case” means the contracting officer or agency must use judgment about whether this extra publicity is useful and appropriate for the acquisition.
Key Rules
Optional further publicizing
The section does not require a GPE announcement in every case. It permits additional publicizing when the agency determines that doing so fits the needs of the particular acquisition.
Use the GPE for notice
If the agency chooses to further publicize, the announcement must be made through the Governmentwide Point of Entry. The GPE serves as the public notice mechanism for telling interested parties that the estimates exist.
State availability on request
The announcement should tell the public that the long-range acquisition estimates have been published and are obtainable from the contracting officer upon request. The rule contemplates access to the estimates through the contracting officer rather than automatic public posting of the full document.
Contracting officer controls access
The contracting officer is the point of contact for obtaining the estimates. This allows the government to manage distribution and ensure requests are handled appropriately.
Case-by-case judgment
The decision to announce long-range acquisition estimates depends on the needs of the individual case. Agencies should consider whether the added notice will improve market awareness without creating unnecessary administrative burden or disclosure concerns.
Responsibilities
Agency
Decide whether further publicizing is appropriate for the acquisition and, if so, ensure the notice is issued through the GPE.
Contracting Officer
Make the long-range acquisition estimates available upon request and serve as the contact for obtaining them. The contracting officer also helps determine whether the case warrants this additional public notice.
Potential Offerors / Industry
Monitor the GPE for notices of published long-range acquisition estimates and request the estimates from the contracting officer if interested.
Practical Implications
This provision is mainly a market-research and planning tool, not a solicitation notice. Contractors should not treat it as a promise of a future procurement, only as an early signal that planning information exists.
Because the estimates are obtained from the contracting officer, interested firms may need to follow up directly rather than expecting the full content to appear online.
A common pitfall is over-publicizing sensitive or preliminary planning information. The rule leaves room for judgment, so agencies should consider whether disclosure is appropriate for the specific acquisition.
For contractors, these notices can provide an early opportunity to align resources, teaming, and capture planning with anticipated government needs.
For contracting officers, the key operational issue is consistency: if the agency chooses to announce availability, the notice should clearly identify where and how the estimates can be requested.
Official Regulatory Text
Further publicizing, consistent with the needs of the individual case, may be accomplished by announcing through the GPE that long-range acquisition estimates have been published and are obtainable, upon request, from the contracting officer.