DHS Orders Federal Agencies to Remove DeepSeek Products and Bar New Purchases

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) order issued on July 24, 2026, and published in the Federal Register on October 20, directs U.S. federal civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their information technology systems. The direction also reaches covered third-party products and services built using DeepSeek technology, extending the compliance question beyond purchases made directly from the named vendor. For agencies, implementation may therefore involve reviewing both installed tools and the technology embedded in products and services supplied by other companies.

The order also prohibits new purchases of covered products and services. That creates two distinct procurement tasks: agencies must account for covered items already in their environments and prevent prohibited new acquisitions. The supplied notices do not specify an effective date, however, so acquisition and IT teams do not have a stated implementation timetable in the available information. They also do not define how agencies should identify a “DeepSeek implementation,” leaving a material scope question for market research, vendor disclosures, and technical reviews.

Contractors should assess whether their covered federal work involves products, services, or supply chains that include DeepSeek technology. The source material specifically flags contracts containing FAR 52.204-30: contractors performing covered contracts with that clause may be restricted from providing or using covered products or services unless a waiver applies. This is not described as an unconditional restriction across every contractor relationship; applicability depends on covered contract terms and any relevant waiver. Contractors should therefore examine contract language and dependencies rather than assume that either all or none of their work is affected.

The notices describe a route for agencies seeking an exception: they may request one through a written justification. That process may be important where an agency identifies an operational need or where removal cannot be addressed immediately, but the supplied material does not provide waiver criteria, approval procedures, or timelines. Until those details are clarified, contracting officers, program managers, and vendors should document affected systems and dependencies, identify potential exposure, and track agency guidance. The order is a federal procurement and technology-compliance signal, not a reported contract award or solicitation; its practical reach will depend on how agencies define covered products, apply the contract clause, and handle exceptions.

• DHS issued the order on July 24, 2026; it was published in the Federal Register on October 20, 2026.
• Federal civilian agencies are directed to remove covered DeepSeek products from their IT systems.
• The restriction also covers certain third-party products or services built using DeepSeek technology.
• Agencies are prohibited from making new purchases of covered products and services.
• Contractors should review covered federal contracts that contain FAR 52.204-30 and assess product, service, and supply-chain dependencies.
• Contractors may be restricted from providing or using covered offerings under applicable contracts, subject to any waiver that applies.
• An agency seeking an exception may submit a written justification; the supplied notices do not detail approval standards or timelines.
• The notices provide no specified effective date and do not define how a covered “DeepSeek implementation” is identified.
• Action for acquisition and compliance teams: map potentially affected tools and suppliers, review contract clauses, and monitor agency instructions before making assumptions about scope.