FAR 6.302—Circumstances permitting other than full and open competition.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 6.302 identifies the statutory authorities that allow an agency to award a contract without full and open competition, and it points readers to FAR 6.303 for the justification requirements that must support use of those authorities. In practice, this section is the gateway to sole-source or otherwise limited-competition contracting, so it matters whenever an agency believes competition is not feasible, not appropriate, or would conflict with another legal requirement. The section covers the concept of “other than full and open competition,” the fact that the listed authorities are statutory rather than discretionary policy choices, and the need to stay within the specific applications and limitations attached to each authority. It also signals that using one of these authorities does not eliminate documentation obligations; instead, it triggers a formal justification process. For contracting officers and contractors, the practical significance is that the legal basis for limiting competition must be identified early, matched carefully to the facts, and supported by a compliant justification before award.
Key Rules
Only statutory authorities qualify
An agency may bypass full and open competition only when one of the statutory authorities recognized in this section applies. The authority must fit the facts of the acquisition and cannot be used simply for convenience, speed, or preference.
Applications and limits matter
Each authority comes with its own scope, conditions, and limitations. The contracting officer must ensure the acquisition falls within the permitted use of the authority and does not exceed what the statute allows.
Justification is required
Using an authority under this section requires a written justification under FAR 6.303. The justification is the formal record explaining why competition is not being provided and why the selected authority applies.
Competition is the default
This section is an exception to the normal requirement for full and open competition. Agencies should use it only when the legal standard is met, not as a routine procurement method.
Authority must be documented
The agency must be able to show the legal basis for the noncompetitive action in the contract file. Proper documentation is essential for review, approval, audit, and protest defense.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Identify whether a statutory authority under FAR 6.302 applies, confirm that the acquisition fits the authority’s applications and limitations, prepare or ensure preparation of the required justification under FAR 6.303, and maintain the supporting record in the contract file.
Agency
Ensure its procurement actions comply with the statutory authorities for limiting competition, provide internal review and approval processes for justifications, and support oversight of noncompetitive awards.
Legal/Policy Review Officials
Review the proposed use of an authority and the supporting justification for legal sufficiency, consistency with the statute and FAR, and adequacy of documentation before award when required by agency procedures.
Contractor
Understand that award under this section may be made without full and open competition, but recognize that the government must still have a valid legal basis and justification; if competing for follow-on work, monitor whether the cited authority is properly applied.
Practical Implications
This section is often the first stop when an agency is considering a sole-source or limited-source award, so the contracting officer must match the acquisition facts to the correct authority before moving forward.
A common pitfall is treating a business preference, schedule pressure, or lack of planning as a valid reason to avoid competition; those are not substitutes for a statutory authority.
Another frequent issue is using the right authority but failing to document the specific facts and limitations well enough to support the justification under FAR 6.303.
Contractors should expect that noncompetitive awards can still be challenged if the authority is misapplied or the justification is weak, so the administrative record matters.
Because this section points to the justification rules rather than restating them, users must read it together with FAR 6.303 and the specific authority being invoked to understand the full compliance burden.
Official Regulatory Text
The following statutory authorities (including applications and limitations) permit contracting without providing for full and open competition. Requirements for justifications to support the use of these authorities are in 6.303 .