FAR 53.242-1—Novation and change-of-name agreements (SF 30).
Plain-English Summary
FAR 53.242-1 is a very short but important prescription that tells contracting personnel which Standard Form to use when documenting a novation agreement or a change-of-name agreement. It specifically requires use of SF 30, Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract, and ties that requirement to the procedures in FAR 42.1203(h), which governs how novation and name-change actions are processed. In practice, this section is about the paperwork vehicle, not the substantive legal standards for approving a novation or recognizing a contractor name change. Its purpose is to ensure the Government records the contract modification in a standardized, auditable format that properly reflects the transfer of contractual rights and obligations or the contractor’s revised legal name. For contractors, this means the approved corporate transaction or name change must be memorialized on the correct form before the Government recognizes the new party or new name in the contract file and payment system. For contracting officers, it provides a mandatory administrative step that supports consistency, traceability, and contract administration control.
Key Rules
Use SF 30
SF 30 must be used to document novation agreements and change-of-name agreements. This is the required modification form for these actions, not an optional or alternative format.
Follow 42.1203(h)
The SF 30 requirement applies as specified in FAR 42.1203(h), which is the procedural authority for processing novation and name-change actions. This section does not create the substantive approval rules; it points users to the governing novation/name-change procedures.
Applies to contract modifications
The form is used in connection with contract modifications that reflect a novation or a legal name change. The action must be recorded as a formal modification to the affected contract(s).
Administrative documentation only
This section addresses the documentation method, not whether a novation or name change should be approved. The underlying legal and administrative review must be completed under the applicable FAR procedures before the SF 30 is issued.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Use SF 30 to execute the novation or change-of-name modification once the action has been processed under FAR 42.1203(h). Ensure the contract file reflects the correct legal entity or name and that the modification is properly documented.
Contractor
Submit the novation or name-change request and supporting documentation through the procedures in FAR 42.1203(h). Provide the information needed for the Government to prepare and issue the SF 30 modification.
Agency
Process novation and change-of-name actions in accordance with FAR 42.1203(h) and maintain consistent contract administration records. Ensure the modification is captured in the official file and related systems.
Practical Implications
This section is a form-selection rule: if the action is a novation or a legal name change, SF 30 is the required modification instrument.
A common pitfall is confusing the paperwork requirement with the approval standard; the SF 30 does not itself authorize the novation or name change.
Contracting officers should make sure the modification matches the exact legal entity and contract coverage addressed in the novation or name-change agreement.
Contractors should not assume a corporate transaction or rebranding is effective for Government contracting purposes until the proper novation/name-change process is completed and documented.
Because the rule is cross-referenced to FAR 42.1203(h), users must read this section together with the novation and name-change procedures to understand the full process.
Official Regulatory Text
SF 30 , Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract . SF 30 , prescribed in 53.243 , shall be used in connection with novation and change of name agreements, as specified in 42.1203 (h).