52.204-8 Annual Representations and Certifications
Source: FAR 52.204-8 on acquisition.gov
Keep your SAM representations and certifications current and solicitation-specific, because submitting an offer under FAR 52.204-8 is your confirmation that the applicable entries are accurate, complete, updated within 12 months, and match the solicitation’s NAICS and size standard.
Overview
- FAR 52.204-8, Annual Representations and Certifications, allows offerors to satisfy many solicitation-level representations and certifications by relying on their annual entries in the System for Award Management (SAM), rather than repeating them in each offer.
- Its purpose is to streamline proposal submission while ensuring the Government receives current, solicitation-specific certifications tied to the applicable NAICS code and size standard.
Key Rules
- NAICS code and size standard identification
- The solicitation must identify the applicable NAICS code and small business size standard. Alternate I is used when multiple NAICS codes and size standards apply.
- Use of SAM in lieu of individual reps and certs
- If 52.204-7 is included, paragraph (d) applies. If not, an offeror with an active SAM registration may elect to use paragraph (d) instead of completing individual certifications.
- Applicable incorporated provisions
- Paragraph (c) lists numerous FAR provisions that may be satisfied through SAM, including certifications on lobbying, responsibility matters, small business status, place of performance, equal opportunity, biobased products, Buy American/trade agreements, and Iran/Sudan restrictions.
- Annual update and offer verification
- By submitting an offer, the offeror verifies that applicable SAM representations and certifications were entered or updated within the last 12 months and are current, accurate, complete, and applicable as of the offer date.
Responsibilities
- Contracting Officers: Insert the correct NAICS code(s), size standard(s), and check any optional certifications that apply.
- Contractors: Maintain current SAM reps and certs, verify applicability to the solicitation, and disclose any solicitation-specific changes in the offer.
- Agencies: Rely on SAM-based annual certifications to reduce duplication while preserving solicitation-specific compliance.
Practical Implications
- This provision reduces repetitive paperwork, but it does not eliminate the need to review each solicitation carefully.
- A common pitfall is assuming SAM is sufficient without confirming the entries are updated within 12 months, match the solicitation's NAICS/size standard, and reflect any required changes.
- Any changes submitted with the offer apply only to that solicitation and do not automatically update SAM.
As prescribed in 4.1202(a), insert the following provision:
Annual Representations and Certifications (Mar 2026)
(a)
(1) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this acquisition is__________________ [insert NAICS code].
(2) The small business size standard is _____________ [insert size standard].
(3) The small business size standard for a concern that submits an offer, other than on a construction or service acquisition, but proposes to furnish an end item that it did not itself manufacture, process, or produce is 500 employees, or 150 employees for information technology value-added resellers under NAICS code 541519 if the acquisition—
(i) Is set aside for small business and has a value above the simplified acquisition threshold;
(ii) Uses the HUBZone price evaluation preference regardless of dollar value, unless the offeror waives the price evaluation preference; or
(iii) Is an 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, economically disadvantaged women-owned, or women-owned small business set-aside or sole-source award regardless of dollar value.
(b)
(1) If the provision at 52.204-7, System for Award Management, is included in this solicitation, paragraph (d) of this provision applies.
(2) If the provision at 52.204-7, System for Award Management, is not included in this solicitation, and the Offeror has an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), the Offeror may choose to use paragraph (d) of this provision instead of completing the corresponding individual representations and certifications in the solicitation. The Offeror shall indicate which option applies by checking one of the following boxes:
(i) □ Paragraph (d) applies.
(ii) □ Paragraph (d) does not apply and the offeror has completed the individual representations and certifications in the solicitation.
(c)
(1) The following representations or certifications in SAM are applicable to this solicitation as indicated:
(i) 52.203-2, Certificate of Independent Price Determination. This provision applies to solicitations when a firm-fixed-price contract or fixed-price contract with economic price adjustment is contemplated, unless–
(A) The acquisition is to be made under the simplified acquisition procedures in part 13;
(B) The solicitation is a request for technical proposals under two-step sealed bidding procedures; or
(C) The solicitation is for utility services for which rates are set by law or regulation.
(ii) 52.203-11, Certification and Disclosure Regarding Payments to Influence Certain Federal Transactions. This provision applies to solicitations expected to exceed $200,000.
(iii) 52.203-18, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements or Statements-Representation. This provision applies to all solicitations.
(iv) 52.204-3, Taxpayer Identification. This provision applies to solicitations that do not include the provision at 52.204-7, System for Award Management.
(v) 52.204-5, Women-Owned Business (Other Than Small Business). This provision applies to solicitations that-
(A) Are not set aside for small business concerns;
(B) Exceed the simplified acquisition threshold; and
(C) Are for contracts that will be performed in the United States or its outlying areas.
(vi) 52.204-26, Covered Telecommunications Equipment or Services-Representation. This provision applies to all solicitations.
(vii) 52.209-2, Prohibition on Contracting with Inverted Domestic Corporations-Representation.
(viii) 52.209-5, Certification Regarding Responsibility Matters. This provision applies to solicitations where the contract value is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.
(ix) 52.209-11, Representation by Corporations Regarding Delinquent Tax Liability or a Felony Conviction under any Federal Law. This provision applies to all solicitations.
(x) 52.214-14, Place of Performance-Sealed Bidding. This provision applies to invitations for bids except those in which the place of performance is specified by the Government.
(xi) 52.215-6, Place of Performance. This provision applies to solicitations unless the place of performance is specified by the Government.
(xii) 52.219-1, Small Business Program Representations (Basic, Alternates I, and II). This provision applies to solicitations when the contract is for supplies to be delivered or services to be performed in the United States or its outlying areas, or when the contracting officer has applied part 19 in accordance with 19.000(b)(1)(ii).
(A) The basic provision applies when the solicitations are issued by other than DoD, NASA, and the Coast Guard.
(B) The provision with its Alternate I applies to solicitations issued by DoD, NASA, or the Coast Guard.
(C) The provision with its Alternate II applies to solicitations that will result in a multiple-award contract with more than one NAICS code assigned.
(xiii) 52.219-2, Equal Low Bids. This provision applies to solicitations when contracting by sealed bidding and the contract is for supplies to be delivered or services to be performed in the United States or its outlying areas, or when the contracting officer has applied part 19 in accordance with 19.000(b)(1)(ii).
(xiv) 52.222-22, Previous Contracts and Compliance Reports. This provision applies to solicitations that include the clause at 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity.
(xv) 52.222-25, Affirmative Action Compliance. This provision applies to solicitations, other than those for construction, when the solicitation includes the clause at 52.222-26, Equal Opportunity.
(xvi) 52.222-38, Compliance with Veterans’ Employment Reporting Requirements. This provision applies to solicitations when it is anticipated the contract award will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold and the contract is not for acquisition of commercial products or commercial services.
(xvii) 52.223-1, Biobased Product Certification. This provision applies to solicitations that require the delivery or specify the use of biobased products in USDA-designated product categories; or include the clause at 52.223-2, Reporting of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts.
(xviii) 52.223-4, Recovered Material Certification. This provision applies to solicitations that are for, or specify the use of, EPA–designated items.
(xix) 52.223-22, Public Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Reduction Goals-Representation. This provision applies to solicitations that include the provision at 52.204-7.
(xx) 52.225-2, Buy American Certificate. This provision applies to solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-1.
(xxi) 52.225-4, Buy American-Free Trade Agreements-Israeli Trade Act Certificate. (Basic, Alternates II and III.) This provision applies to solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-3.
(A) If the acquisition value is less than $50,000, the basic provision applies.
(B) If the acquisition value is $50,000 or more but is less than $100,000, the provision with its Alternate II applies.
(C) If the acquisition value is $100,000 or more but is less than $105,767, the provision with its Alternate III applies.
(xxii) 52.225-6, Trade Agreements Certificate. This provision applies to solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-5.
(xxiii) 52.225-20, Prohibition on Conducting Restricted Business Operations in Sudan-Certification. This provision applies to all solicitations.
(xxiv) 52.225-25, Prohibition on Contracting with Entities Engaging in Certain Activities or Transactions Relating to Iran-Representation and Certifications. This provision applies to all solicitations.
(xxv) 52.226-2, Historically Black College or University and Minority Institution Representation. This provision applies to solicitations for research, studies, supplies, or services of the type normally acquired from higher educational institutions.
(2) The following representations or certifications are applicable as indicated by the Contracting Officer:
[Contracting Officer check as appropriate.]
__ (i) 52.204-17, Ownership or Control of Offeror.
__ (ii) 52.204-20, Predecessor of Offeror.
__ (iii) 52.222-18, Certification Regarding Knowledge of Child Labor for Listed End Products.
__ (iv) 52.222-48, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment- Certification.
__ (v) 52.222-52, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Labor Standards to Contracts for Certain Services-Certification.
__ (vi) 52.227-6, Royalty Information.
__ (A) Basic.
__ (B) Alternate I.
__ (vii) 52.227-15, Representation of Limited Rights Data and Restricted Computer Software.
(d) The offeror has completed the annual representations and certifications electronically in SAM website accessed through https://www.sam.gov" target="_blank">https://www.sam.gov. After reviewing the SAM information, the offeror verifies by submission of the offer that the representations and certifications currently posted electronically that apply to this solicitation as indicated in paragraph (c) of this provision have been entered or updated within the last 12 months, are current, accurate, complete, and applicable to this solicitation (including the business size standard applicable to the NAICS code referenced for this solicitation), as of the date of this offer and are incorporated in this offer by reference (see FAR 4.1201); except for the changes identified below [offeror to insert changes, identifying change by clause number, title, date]. These amended representation(s) and/or certification(s) are also incorporated in this offer and are current, accurate, and complete as of the date of this offer.
|
FAR Clause # Title Date Change |
| ________________________ |
Any changes provided by the offeror are applicable to this solicitation only, and do not result in an update to the representations and certifications posted on SAM.
(End of provision)
Alternate I (Mar 2023). As prescribed in 4.1202(a) , substitute the following paragraph (a) for paragraph (a) of the basic provision:
(a)(1) The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and corresponding size standards for this acquisition are as follows; the categories or portions these NAICS codes are assigned to are specified elsewhere in the solicitation:
|
NAICS Code |
Size standard |
|---|---|
|
________________________________ |
________________________________ |
|
________________________________ |
________________________________ |
|
________________________________ |
________________________________ |
[Contracting Officer to insert NAICS codes and size standards].
(2) The small business size standard for a concern that submits an offer, other than on a construction or service acquisition, but proposes to furnish an end item that it did not itself manufacture, process, or produce, (i.e., nonmanufacturer), is 500 employees, or 150 employees for information technology value-added resellers under NAICS code 541519, if the acquisition—
(i) Is set aside for small business and has a value above the simplified acquisition threshold;
(ii) Uses the HUBZone price evaluation preference regardless of dollar value, unless the offeror waives the price evaluation preference; or
(iii) Is an 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, economically disadvantaged women-owned, or women-owned small business set-aside or sole-source award regardless of dollar value.