FAR 3.903 Policy

Section Federal Acquisition Regulation

Facts

Citation
FAR 3.903
Type
Section
Last amended
88 FR 69517 Effective Nov 6, 2023
Proposed changes
1
Text as of
FAC 2026-01
Official text
acquisition.gov

Text from acquisition.gov. Federal Register history from the Federal Register's records of the rules that amended this section.

Text

(a)

(1) Contractors and subcontractors are prohibited from discharging, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against an employee as a reprisal for disclosing, to any of the entities listed at paragraph (b) of this section, information that the employee reasonably believes is—

(i) Evidence of gross mismanagement of a Federal contract;

(ii) A gross waste of Federal funds;

(iii) An abuse of authority relating to a Federal contract;

(iv) A substantial and specific danger to public health or safety; or

(v) A violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a Federal contract (including the competition for or negotiation of a contract).

(2) A reprisal is prohibited even if it is undertaken at the request of an executive branch official, unless the request takes the form of a non-discretionary directive and is within the authority of the executive branch official making the request.

(b) Disclosure may be made to the following entities:

(1) A Member of Congress or a representative of a committee of Congress.

(2) An Inspector General.

(3) The Government Accountability Office.

(4) A Federal employee responsible for contract oversight or management at the relevant agency.

(5) An authorized official of the Department of Justice or other law enforcement agency.

(6) A court or grand jury.

(7) A management official or other employee of the contractor or subcontractor who has the responsibility to investigate, discover, or address misconduct.

(c) An employee who initiates or provides evidence of contractor or subcontractor misconduct in any judicial or administrative proceeding relating to waste, fraud, or abuse on a Federal contract shall be deemed to have made a disclosure.

Federal Register history

Final rule Published Effective
Federal Acquisition Regulation: Whistleblower Protection for Contractor Employees 88 FR 69517 · FAC 2023-06, FAR Case 2017-005, Item II

Proposed changes

Proposed rule Published Comments
Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 3 and 49 91 FR 37698 · FAR Case 2026-007, Docket No. FAR-2026-0007, Sequence No. 1 Closed Jul 23, 2026No final rule found

Quick answers

What is FAR 3.903?

FAR 3.903 is a section of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, titled "Policy".

When was FAR 3.903 last changed?

The most recent final rule on record is "Federal Acquisition Regulation: Whistleblower Protection for Contractor Employees" (88 FR 69517), published Oct 5, 2023 and effective Nov 6, 2023.

Are changes to FAR 3.903 proposed?

One proposed change has no final rule yet.

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