FAR 53.201-1—Contracting authority and responsibilities (SF 1402).
Plain-English Summary
FAR 53.201-1 is a very short but important prescription that tells agencies which Standard Form to use when appointing contracting officers. It covers SF 1402, Certificate of Appointment, and ties that form to the appointment authority in FAR 1.603-3. In practice, this section exists to ensure that contracting officers are formally designated in writing before they exercise contracting authority, so there is a clear record of who is authorized to bind the Government. The section does not itself describe the appointment process in detail, but it points users to the rule that governs how contracting officers are appointed, what authority they receive, and how that authority is documented. For contracting personnel, the practical significance is that a valid SF 1402 is the foundational evidence of a contracting officer’s authority; without it, actions taken may be unauthorized or vulnerable to challenge. For contractors, it is one of the documents that helps confirm the Government representative they are dealing with actually has authority to act for the Government.
Key Rules
Use SF 1402
SF 1402, Certificate of Appointment, is the prescribed form for appointing contracting officers. Agencies use this form to document the appointment and the scope of authority granted.
Follow 1.603-3
This section does not stand alone; it directs users to FAR 1.603-3, which governs the appointment of contracting officers. The appointment must be made in accordance with that authority and its requirements.
Authority must be formal
The purpose of the form is to create a formal written certificate of appointment. Contracting authority is not assumed or implied; it must be expressly conferred through the appointment process.
Responsibilities
Agency
Use SF 1402 when appointing contracting officers and ensure the appointment is made under the procedures and limits in FAR 1.603-3.
Contracting Officer
Obtain and rely on a valid SF 1402 before exercising contracting authority, and act only within the scope of the appointment.
Contractors
Verify that the Government representative purporting to act as a contracting officer has proper appointment authority when authority is relevant to the transaction.
Practical Implications
This section is a documentation checkpoint: if the appointment is not properly made, the contracting officer’s actions may be questioned as unauthorized.
Contracting offices should keep SF 1402s current and aligned with the individual’s actual warrant or delegated authority; outdated or incomplete appointments create risk.
Contractors should not assume every Government employee can bind the Government; the SF 1402 is part of the evidence that the person has authority.
Because this section is only a prescription, users must read it together with FAR 1.603-3 to understand the full appointment requirements and limitations.
Official Regulatory Text
SF 1402 (10/83), Certificate of Appointment . SF 1402 is prescribed for use in appointing contracting officers, as specified in 1.603-3 .