11.002
Policy
FAR 11.002 requires agencies to define acquisition needs to maximize competition, encourage commercial and sustainable solutions, and ensure accessibility and technical compliance.
Overview
FAR 11.002 establishes the foundational policy for how agencies must describe their needs when acquiring supplies and services. It emphasizes the use of market research, competition, commercial solutions, sustainability, metric measurements, accessibility, and technical standards. The regulation aims to ensure requirements are stated in a way that promotes competition, leverages commercial and sustainable products, and accommodates users with disabilities, while also allowing for industry input and flexibility in performance specifications.
Key Rules
- Market Research and Competition
- Agencies must use market research to define needs, promoting full and open competition and avoiding unnecessary restrictive requirements.
- Commercial and Nondevelopmental Items
- Requirements should be defined to encourage commercial or nondevelopmental solutions, and prime/subcontractors should incorporate these where possible.
- Metric System
- Agencies must use the metric system unless impracticable or detrimental to U.S. firms.
- Industry Input and Flexibility
- Agencies should allow offerors to comment on requirements and avoid premature detailed design mandates.
- Sustainable Acquisition
- Agencies must procure sustainable products/services and use the Green Procurement Compilation for guidance, unless exceptions apply.
- Performance Specifications
- Performance levels may be set as targets, not just minimums.
- ICT Accessibility
- Requirements must address accessibility for users with disabilities and reference applicable standards.
- IPv6 Requirements
- IT acquisitions must reference USGv6 standards unless waived.
- Telecommuting
- Agencies cannot prohibit telecommuting in solicitations without a written determination.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Ensure requirements promote competition, sustainability, accessibility, and technical compliance; obtain necessary documentation; avoid unnecessary restrictions.
- Contractors: Respond to requirements as defined, provide commercial/sustainable solutions, and comply with accessibility and technical standards.
- Agencies: Oversee compliance, provide guidance, and allow industry input.
Practical Implications
- This policy ensures acquisitions are competitive, innovative, and inclusive, while supporting sustainability and technical modernization. Contractors must be prepared to offer commercial, sustainable, and accessible solutions, and agencies must justify any restrictive or non-standard requirements. Common pitfalls include overly restrictive specifications, failure to consider sustainability or accessibility, and not leveraging commercial solutions.