FAR 53.243—Contract modifications (SF 30).
Plain-English Summary
FAR 53.243 addresses the use of Standard Form 30 (SF 30), "Amendment of Solicitation/Modification of Contract." This section tells contracting personnel when SF 30 must or may be used to amend invitations for bids, modify purchase and delivery orders, modify contracts, and amend solicitations for negotiated procurements. It also points to the FAR provisions that prescribe SF 30 for specific actions, including 14.208, 13.302-3, 42.1203(h), 43.301, 49.602-5, and 15.210(b). In addition, it contains a specific instruction on the effective date entry in Item 3 of the form for two termination-related situations: a confirming notice of termination for convenience and a modification confirming a prior letter determination of the amount due in a termination settlement. In practice, this section matters because SF 30 is the standard document used to create a clear, auditable record of changes to solicitations and contracts, and the effective date controls when the modification takes legal effect. Getting the form and date right is important for enforceability, funding, performance obligations, and termination settlement administration.
Key Rules
Use SF 30 for prescribed actions
SF 30 is the standard form for amending invitations for bids, modifying purchase and delivery orders, modifying contracts, and amending certain negotiated solicitations. The section ties its use to specific FAR citations, so users should confirm the underlying authority for the action before issuing the form.
Amend sealed bidding solicitations
For invitations for bids, SF 30 is used to issue amendments as required by FAR 14.208. This ensures bidders receive a formal, traceable change to the solicitation terms before award.
Modify orders and contracts
SF 30 is prescribed for modifying purchase and delivery orders under FAR 13.302-3 and for modifying contracts under FAR 42.1203(h), 43.301, and 49.602-5, among other places in the FAR. This makes the form the standard vehicle for documenting bilateral or unilateral contract changes when the FAR requires or permits it.
Amend negotiated solicitations
The form may also be used to amend solicitations for negotiated procurements under FAR 15.210(b). This gives contracting officers a standard method to notify offerors of changes to proposal instructions, terms, or requirements.
Confirming termination notices
For a modification issued as a confirming notice of termination for convenience, Item 3 effective date must match the effective date of the initial notice. The confirming document does not create a new termination date; it memorializes the original action.
Confirming settlement determinations
For a modification confirming the termination contracting officer’s prior letter determination of the amount due in a termination-for-convenience settlement, Item 3 effective date must match the effective date of the earlier letter determination. This preserves continuity between the informal determination and the formal modification.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Use SF 30 when the FAR prescribes or permits it for amendments or modifications; ensure the correct FAR authority supports the action; enter the proper effective date in Item 3; and, for termination-related confirmations, match the effective date to the original notice or prior letter determination as required.
Termination Contracting Officer
When issuing or confirming termination-for-convenience actions and settlement determinations, ensure the SF 30 reflects the correct effective date tied to the earlier action and accurately documents the settlement amount or termination notice being confirmed.
Offerors/Bidders/Contractors
Review SF 30 amendments and modifications promptly, understand that the form may change solicitation terms or contract obligations, and adjust pricing, performance, or settlement positions based on the effective date and content of the modification.
Agency Contracting Activity
Maintain procedures and templates that ensure SF 30 is used consistently where prescribed, and support proper recordkeeping and auditability for solicitation amendments, contract modifications, and termination-related confirmations.
Practical Implications
SF 30 is the default paper trail for many procurement changes, so using the wrong form or omitting it can create confusion about what changed and when.
The effective date in Item 3 is not a clerical detail; it can affect when obligations start or stop, when performance changes take effect, and how termination settlements are calculated.
Termination-for-convenience confirmations must track the original notice or prior settlement determination exactly on effective date, or the record may appear to create a new action instead of confirming an earlier one.
Contractors should treat SF 30 amendments as legally significant and verify whether the change affects price, delivery, scope, or settlement rights before proceeding.
Contracting officers should always check the specific FAR citation for the action, because SF 30 is prescribed in several different contexts and the required handling may vary by procurement type.
Official Regulatory Text
SF 30 (Rev.11/2016), Amendment of Solicitation/ Modification of Contract. SF 30 is prescribed for use in amending invitation for bids, as specified in 14.208 ; modifying purchase and delivery orders, as specified in 13.302-3 ; and modifying contracts, as specified in 42.1203 (h) , 43.301 , 49.602-5 , and elsewhere in this regulation. The form may also be used to amend solicitations for negotiated contracts, as specified in 15.210 (b). Pending the publication of a new edition of the form, Instruction (b), Item 3 (effective date), is revised in paragraphs (3) and (5) as follows: (b) Item3 (effective date). (3) For a modification issued as a confirming notice of termination for the convenience of the Government, the effective date of the confirming notice shall be the same as the effective date of the initial notice. (5) For a modification confirming the termination contracting officer’s previous letter determination of the amount due in settlement of a contract termination for convenience, the effective date shall be the same as the effective date of the previous letter determination.