FAR 8.401 Definitions

Section Federal Acquisition Regulation

Facts

Citation
FAR 8.401
Type
Section
Last amended
79 FR 24192 Effective May 29, 2014
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

As used in this subpart-

Ordering activity means an activity that is authorized to place orders, or establish blanket purchase agreements (BPA), against the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule contracts. A list of eligible ordering activities is available at http://www.gsa.gov/schedules (click "For Customers Ordering from Schedules" and then "Eligibility to Use GSA Sources").

Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) means contracts awarded by GSA or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for similar or comparable supplies, or services, established with more than one supplier, at varying prices. The primary statutory authorities for the MAS program are 41 U.S.C. 152(3), Competitive Procedures, and 40 U.S.C. 501, Services for Executive Agencies.

Requiring agency means the agency needing the supplies or services.

Schedules e-Library means the on-line source for GSA and VA Federal Supply Schedule contract award information. Schedules e-Library may be accessed at http://www.gsa.gov/elibrary.

Special Item Number (SIN) means a group of generically similar (but not identical) supplies or services that are intended to serve the same general purpose or function.

Federal Register history

Final rule Published Effective
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Positive Law Codification of Title 41 79 FR 24192 · FAC 2005-73
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Documentation Requirement for Limited Sources Under Federal Supply Schedules 70 FR 43578 · FAC 2005-05
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Supply Schedules Services and Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) 69 FR 34231 · FAC 2001-24
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Task-Order and Delivery-Order Contracts 67 FR 56117 · FAC 2001-09
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Supply Schedule Order Disputes and Incidental Items 67 FR 43514 · FAC 2001-08

Proposed changes

Proposed rule Published Comments
Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, and 51 91 FR 59406 · FAR Case 2026-003, Docket No. FAR-2026-0003, Sequence No. 1 Closed Oct 19, 2026No final rule found

Terms defined

  • Ordering activity
  • Multiple Award Schedule (MAS)
  • Requiring agency
  • Schedules e-Library
  • Special Item Number (SIN)

Quick answers

What is FAR 8.401?

FAR 8.401 is a section of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, titled "Definitions".

When was FAR 8.401 last changed?

The most recent final rule on record is "Federal Acquisition Regulation; Positive Law Codification of Title 41" (79 FR 24192), published Apr 29, 2014 and effective May 29, 2014.

Are changes to FAR 8.401 proposed?

One proposed change has no final rule yet.

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