FAR 52.250-4—SAFETY Act Pre-qualification Designation Notice.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 52.250-4 is a solicitation provision used when the Government wants to tell offerors that the technology being acquired has been identified by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through a SAFETY Act pre-qualification designation notice. The provision explains the key SAFETY Act terms used in the notice, including act of terrorism, block designation, block certification, pre-qualification designation notice, qualified anti-terrorism technology (QATT), SAFETY Act designation, and SAFETY Act certification. It also describes what the SAFETY Act does in practice: it can provide liability protections and other benefits for technologies used to prevent, detect, identify, deter, or limit harm from terrorism. The provision makes clear that the solicitation includes an attached DHS notice with the detailed technology description, application requirements, deadlines, expiration date, and other conditions for streamlined or expedited SAFETY Act processing. It also emphasizes that DHS makes its own independent determinations under the SAFETY Act and that those determinations do not decide whether a product meets the solicitation’s requirements. Finally, the provision states that SAFETY Act designation or certification is optional, not a requirement of the procurement, and warns offerors not to make pricing or other proposal terms contingent on obtaining SAFETY Act status.
Key Rules
Defines SAFETY Act terms
The provision supplies specific definitions for terms central to the SAFETY Act process, including act of terrorism, QATT, designation, certification, block designation, block certification, and pre-qualification designation notice. These definitions control how the notice is read and how offerors understand the DHS process.
Explains SAFETY Act benefits
The provision states that the SAFETY Act can provide liability limitations for claims arising out of terrorism-related incidents involving QATTs, along with other benefits. It is intended to encourage development and deployment of anti-terrorism technologies.
Incorporates DHS notice details
The solicitation must attach the DHS pre-qualification designation notice, which contains the technology description, technical criteria, application timing, required application portions, expiration date, and any other conditions. Offerors must follow those notice-specific terms if they want to seek SAFETY Act coverage.
DHS makes independent determinations
A DHS decision to issue or deny SAFETY Act designation is based on SAFETY Act criteria and implementing regulations, not on whether the technology satisfies the procurement’s requirements. The SAFETY Act review is separate from the acquisition evaluation process.
SAFETY Act is optional
Neither designation nor certification is required to compete for or receive the contract. The decision to seek SAFETY Act benefits belongs to the offeror, not the Government.
No contingent pricing terms
Proposals should not make pricing or other contract terms contingent on obtaining SAFETY Act designation or certification. Offerors need to structure proposals so they remain valid even if DHS does not grant SAFETY Act status.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Include this provision when prescribed by FAR 50.206(c)(1), attach the DHS pre-qualification designation notice, and ensure the solicitation clearly identifies the notice’s terms, deadlines, and expiration date. The contracting officer should also avoid implying that SAFETY Act status is a procurement requirement or a substitute for meeting solicitation requirements.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Issue and administer the pre-qualification designation notice, evaluate SAFETY Act applications, and determine whether a technology qualifies for designation or certification under the SAFETY Act. DHS must apply the statutory and regulatory criteria in making those determinations.
Offeror
Review the attached DHS notice carefully, decide whether to pursue SAFETY Act designation or certification, and comply with the notice’s application requirements and deadlines if it does. The offeror must also avoid making proposal pricing or other terms contingent on receiving SAFETY Act status.
Selected Awardee(s)
If the notice requires post-selection or post-award submission of portions of the SAFETY Act application, complete and submit those materials within the specified time periods. The awardee must follow any additional conditions stated in the notice.
Practical Implications
This provision is mainly about giving industry an early path to SAFETY Act protection, not about changing the basic procurement evaluation. Contractors should treat the DHS notice as a separate compliance track that runs alongside the proposal process.
A common pitfall is assuming that DHS pre-qualification means the product automatically satisfies the solicitation. It does not; the contracting agency still evaluates proposals against the solicitation’s requirements.
Offerors should watch the notice’s deadlines closely, especially if only selected awardees may submit parts of the SAFETY Act application later. Missing those dates can forfeit the streamlined processing opportunity.
Another common mistake is tying pricing, delivery, or other proposal terms to obtaining SAFETY Act designation. That can create an unacceptable contingent proposal and complicate evaluation or award.
Contracting officers should ensure the solicitation language and the attached notice are consistent, because the notice may contain special conditions, expiration dates, or application steps that affect how offerors structure their submissions.
Official Regulatory Text
As prescribed in 50.206 (c)(1) , insert the following provision: SAFETY Act Pre-qualification Designation Notice (Feb 2009) (a) Definitions . As used in this provision- Act of terrorism means any act determined to have met the following requirements or such other requirements as defined and specified by the Secretary of Homeland Security: (1) Is unlawful. (2) Causes harm, including financial harm, to a person, property, or entity, in the United States, or in the case of a domestic United States air carrier or a United States-flag vessel (or a vessel based principally in the United States on which United States income tax is paid and whose insurance coverage is subject to regulation in the United States), in or outside the United States. (3) Uses or attempts to use instrumentalities, weapons or other methods designed or intended to cause mass destruction, injury or other loss to citizens or institutions of the United States. Block certification means SAFETY Act certification of a technology class that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has determined to be an approved class of approved products for homeland security. Block designation means SAFETY Act designation of a technology class that the DHS has determined to be a Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology (QATT). Pre-qualification designation notice means a notice in a procurement solicitation or other publication by the Government stating that the technology to be procured either affirmatively or presumptively satisfies the technical criteria necessary to be deemed a qualified anti-terrorism technology. A pre-qualification designation notice authorizes offeror(s) to submit streamlined SAFETY Act applications for SAFETY Act designation and receive expedited processing of those applications. Qualified Anti-Terrorism Technology (QATT) means any technology designed, developed, modified, procured, or sold for the purpose of preventing, detecting, identifying, or deterring acts of terrorism or limiting the harm such acts might otherwise cause, for which a SAFETY Act designation has been issued. For purposes of defining a QATT, technology means any product, equipment, service (including support services), device, or technology (including information technology) or any combination of the foregoing. Design services, consulting services, engineering services, software development services, software integration services, threat assessments, vulnerability studies, and other analyses relevant to homeland security may be deemed a technology. SAFETY Act certification means a determination by DHS pursuant to 6 U.S.C. 442(d) , as further delineated in 6 CFR 25.9 , that a QATT for which a SAFETY Act designation has been issued is an approved product for homeland security, i.e. , it will perform as intended, conforms to the seller’s specifications, and is safe for use as intended. SAFETY Act designation means a determination by DHS pursuant to 6 U.S.C. 441(b) and 6 U.S.C. 443(a) , as further delineated in 6 CFR 25.4 , that a particular Anti-Terrorism Technology constitutes a QATT under the SAFETY Act. (b) The Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 (SAFETY Act), 6 U.S.C. 441 - 444 , creates certain liability limitations for claims arising out of, relating to, or resulting from an act of terrorism where QATTs have been deployed. It also confers other important benefits. SAFETY Act designation and SAFETY Act certification are designed to support effective technologies aimed at preventing, detecting, identifying, or deterring acts of terrorism, or limiting the harm that such acts might otherwise cause, and which also meet other prescribed criteria. (c) (1) DHS has issued a SAFETY Act pre-qualification designation notice for the technology to be acquired under this solicitation. (2) This notice is attached to this solicitation and contains essential information, including- (i) A detailed description of and specification for the technology covered by the notice; (ii) A statement that the technology described and specified in the notice satisfies the technical criteria to be deemed a QATT and the offeror’s proposed technology either may presumptively or will qualify for the issuance of a designation provided the offeror complies with terms and conditions in the notice and its application is approved; (iii) The period of time within which DHS will take action upon submission of a SAFETY Act application submitted pursuant to the notice; (iv) A listing of those portions of the application that must be completed and submitted by selected awardees and the time periods for such submissions; (v) The date of expiration of the notice; and (vi) Any other terms and conditions concerning the notice. (3) Offerors should read this notice carefully to make sure they comply with the terms of the notice if they plan on taking advantage of SAFETY Act coverage for their technologies. (d) All determinations by DHS are based on factors set forth in the SAFETY Act and its implementing regulations. A determination by DHS to issue a SAFETY Act designation, or not to issue a SAFETY Act designation for a particular Technology as a QATT is not a determination that the Technology meets, or fails to meet, the requirements of any solicitation issued by any Federal, State, local or tribal governments. Determinations by DHS with respect to whether to issue a SAFETY Act designation for Technologies submitted for DHS review are based on the factors identified in 6 CFR 25.4 (b). (e) Neither SAFETY Act designation nor certification is in any way a requirement of this action. Whether to seek the benefits of the SAFETY Act for a proposed product or service is entirely up to the offeror. Additional information about the SAFETY Act may be found at the SAFETY Act website at http://www.SAFETYAct.gov . (f) Proposals in which pricing or any other terms or conditions are offered contingent upon SAFETY Act designation or certification of the proposed product(s) or service(s) will not be considered for award. (End of provision) Alternate I (Feb 2009) . As prescribed in 50.206 (c)(2), substitute the following paragraph (f): (f)(1) Offerors are authorized to submit proposals made contingent upon SAFETY Act designation before award. When an offer is made contingent upon SAFETY Act designation, the offeror also may submit an alternate offer without the contingency. (2) If an offer is submitted contingent upon receipt of SAFETY Act designation prior to contract award, then the Government may not award a contract based on such offer unless the offeror demonstrates prior to award that DHS has issued a SAFETY Act designation for the offeror’s technology. (3) The Government reserves the right to award the contract based on a noncontingent offer, prior to DHS resolution of the offeror’s application for SAFETY Act designation. Alternate II (Feb 2009) . As prescribed in 50.206 (c)(3), substitute the following paragraph (f): (f)(1) Offerors are authorized to submit proposals presuming SAFETY Act designation before or after award. (2) An offeror is eligible for award only if the offeror- (i) Files a SAFETY Act designation application, limited to the scope of the applicable prequalification designation notice, within 15 days after submission of the proposal; (ii) Pursues its SAFETY Act designation application in good faith; and (iii) Agrees to obtain the amount of insurance DHS requires for issuing the offeror’s SAFETY Act designation. (3) If DHS has not issued a SAFETY Act designation to the successful offeror before contract award, the contracting officer will include the clause at 52.250-5 in the resulting contract.