FAR 8—Required Sources of Supplies and Services

Scope of part.

FAR 8.000 is the opening scope statement for FAR Part 8, and it tells readers that this part is about prioritizing sources of supplies and services for Government use. In practical terms, it introduces the rules that determine where agencies should look first when buying, rather than treating all commercial sources as equal. The section signals that Part 8 is organized around source-selection priorities and mandatory ordering rules, including special categories of sources that may have to be used before open-market purchasing. For contracting officers and acquisition personnel, this matters because it frames the legal and procedural hierarchy that governs buying decisions and helps ensure compliance with required source preferences. For contractors, it explains why some opportunities may be set aside, directed, or otherwise limited by mandatory sourcing rules rather than competed broadly. Although brief, the section is important because it establishes the purpose of the entire part: to control and prioritize how the Government obtains supplies and services.

Subpart 8.1

General.

FAR 8.001 is a short but important cross-reference rule for information technology (IT) acquisitions. It says that no matter where the supplies or services come from—whether through the Federal Supply Schedules, another mandatory source, a commercial source, or any other acquisition method—IT buys must still comply with capital planning and investment control requirements in 40 U.S.C. 11312 and OMB Circular A-130. In practice, this means the acquisition process for IT is not just about price, schedule, and competition; it also has to fit within the agency’s broader investment planning, budgeting, governance, and performance-management framework. The section exists to prevent agencies from buying IT in an ad hoc way and to ensure each IT acquisition is justified, reviewed, and managed as part of a disciplined portfolio of investments. For contracting officers and program officials, the practical significance is that an otherwise proper procurement can still be noncompliant if the required IT planning, approval, or control steps have not been completed. For contractors, the rule means IT opportunities may be subject to additional documentation, review, and approval gates before award or order placement.

Priorities for use of mandatory Government sources.

FAR 8.002 establishes the mandatory order of precedence for meeting federal requirements for supplies and services from government-designated sources. It tells agencies which sources must be used first for supplies—agency inventories, excess from other agencies, Federal Prison Industries, the Procurement List for supplies, and then wholesale supply sources such as GSA, DLA, VA, and military inventory control points—and it separately identifies the mandatory source for services on the Procurement List. The section also explains limited circumstances when other sources may be used, including the rules in 41 CFR 101-26.301 and exceptions for unusual and compelling urgency under FAR 6.302-2 and 41 CFR 101-25.101-5. Finally, it extends the mandatory-source obligation to contractor purchases made for Government use, which means contractors cannot bypass required sources simply because they are buying on behalf of the Government. In practice, this section is about source selection discipline: before buying from commercial sources, agencies and contractors must check whether a mandatory source applies and document any lawful exception.

Use of other mandatory sources.

FAR 8.003 tells agencies that certain categories of supplies and services must be obtained from specific mandatory sources rather than through ordinary open-market buying. It covers four subject areas: public utility services, printing and related supplies, leased motor vehicles, and strategic and critical materials such as metals and ores from inventories above Defense National Stockpile requirements. The purpose is to direct agencies to the governmentwide or designated sources that Congress, executive policy, or specialized procurement programs have established for these items. In practice, this means contracting personnel must check whether a need falls into one of these categories before using standard acquisition methods, because the normal competition or ordering process may not apply. The section is a gateway rule: it does not itself provide the detailed procedures, but it points users to the controlling parts of the FAR and related sources where those procedures live. For contractors, it signals that some requirements are reserved for specific channels and may not be available for direct award or standard competition.

Subpart 8.4

Use of other sources.

FAR 8.004 explains what agencies should do when they cannot meet a supply or service requirement through the mandatory sources in FAR 8.002 and 8.003. It identifies the next places agencies are encouraged to look, starting with non-mandatory government sources such as Federal Supply Schedules, Governmentwide acquisition contracts (GWACs), multi-agency contracts (MACs), other procurement instruments intended for use by multiple agencies, and blanket purchase agreements (BPAs) under Federal Supply Schedule contracts, including Federal Strategic Sourcing Initiative (FSSI) agreements. For services, it also points agencies to Federal Prison Industries, Inc. and the same multi-agency sources. Only after considering those sources should agencies move to commercial open-market sources, including educational and nonprofit institutions. The section also reminds agencies that when using non-mandatory sources, they must still consider small business programs and socioeconomic priorities under FAR 7.105(b) and FAR part 19, including small business, veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone small business, small disadvantaged business (including 8(a) participants), and women-owned small business concerns. In practice, this section is about acquisition planning and source selection discipline: it tells contracting personnel the order of consideration, reinforces small business policy obligations, and helps agencies use existing government buying vehicles before going to the open market.

Contract clause.

FAR 8.005 tells contracting officers when to include the clause at 52.208-9, Contractor Use of Mandatory Sources of Supply and Services, in solicitations and contracts. It applies when the Government is buying supplies or services for Government use and those items appear on the Procurement List maintained by the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, meaning the items must be obtained from the designated mandatory source rather than through open competition. The section also requires the contracting officer to identify in the contract schedule exactly which supplies or services are subject to the mandatory-source requirement and to name the specific source. In practice, this provision ensures compliance with the AbilityOne mandatory-source program, gives contractors clear notice of what must be sourced from the designated nonprofit agency, and reduces the risk of improper purchasing or contract performance disputes. It is a small but important clause-placement rule that connects the solicitation, the contract schedule, and the mandatory sourcing obligation.

Subpart 8.6

Subpart 8.7

Subpart 8.8