BEGINNER'S INTRODUCTION
FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR)
PART 19 SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS

FAR Part 19 - Small Business Programs:

Which I call the beginner's Introduction Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 19 is what small businesses actually need to be aware of, review it and become knowledgeable about the FAR to some degree and know how the FAR compliance can affect businesses bidding on federal government contracts.

The federal acquisition regulation (FAR) it is essentially the U.S. federal government's main rulebook for buying goods and services from companies. 

The FAR is developed and used for establishing rules for:

1. Federal government contracts: How agencies purchase products, services, construction, etc.

2. Soliciting bids/proposals: How the government asks companies to compete for contracts.

3. Contract awards: How agencies evaluate offers and select contractors.

4. Contract terms: Standard clauses and requirements that may be included in federal contracts

5. Contract administration: How contracts are managed after they're awarded.

6. Contractor responsibilities: Things companies must do to remain compliant.

7. Pricing and payment: rules around pricing, costs, invoicing, and payments.

8. Small-business contracting: Various requirements and programs related to small-business participation.

Simple Example:

Suppose the Department of Defense wants to buy $20 million worth of IT services.

The FAR Helps Determine Things Like:

Government: How do we legally and fairly solicit this contract?
       ↓
FAR: Establishes applicable acquisition procedures.
       ↓
Companies: Submit proposals according to the solicitation.
       ↓
Government: Evaluates proposals using the stated criteria.
       ↓
Contract: FAR provisions and applicable agency-specific rules become part of the      contractual framework.                                                                                                           ↓                                                                                                                  Performance: FAR provides rules for managing the contract and handling issues          that arise.

FAR vs. DFARS

If you're looking at government contracting, you'll often encounter both:

• FAR: Federal Acquisition Regulation applies broadly across federal agencies.

• DFARS: Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement adds/changes requirements specifically for Department of Defense contracting.