FAR Overhaul Targets Contractor Reporting Burden Across Acquisition Parts 9, 27, and 47
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council has requested public input on information collection burdens tied to FAR Case 2026-011. The sweeping overhaul impacts FAR Parts 9, 27, and 47, aiming to modernize compliance rules, reduce paperwork, and leverage automated reporting across federal defense contracting.
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council—comprising the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)—has issued a request for public comment on proposed Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) changes linked to FAR Case 2026-011. Titled the "Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul," this regulatory action systematically revises FAR Parts 9 (Contractor Qualifications), 27 (Patents, Data, and Copyrights), and 47 (Transportation). The solicitation focuses specifically on assessing and mitigating the operational administrative burden imposed on commercial and defense contractors.
The targeted FAR sections directly dictate how the government vets vendor risk, protects intellectual property, and executes defense logistics. Re-evaluating information collection under Part 9 impacts vendor qualification requirements and responsibility determinations, potentially lowering entry barriers for non-traditional defense suppliers. Revisions to Part 27 address technical data rights, software licensing, and patent disclosures, where streamlined paperwork is vital for software-defined mission systems and commercial technology transfer. Meanwhile, updates to Part 47 focus on transportation and freight reporting, directly influencing supply chain visibility and operational logistics across global supply chains.
For defense prime contractors, technology vendors, and program managers, this rulemaking offers a critical window to shape future regulatory compliance standards. The FAR Council is soliciting feedback on whether requested information maintains practical utility, the accuracy of federal burden hour estimates, and concrete methods to minimize reporting friction through automated collection tools and enterprise digital integration. Eliminating redundant data submittals directly decreases administrative overhead, enabling industry partners to reallocate capital toward core operational execution and software capability delivery.
Defense executives, procurement leaders, and legal counsels should immediately audit their administrative compliance workflows across qualification disclosures, data right assertions, and freight logistics tracking. Submitting empirical, data-driven public comments will allow industry leaders to highlight specific compliance bottlenecks and advocate for automated, API-driven reporting systems. As the DoD and civil space agencies push to accelerate acquisition timelines, reforming these foundational FAR provisions is necessary to build a leaner, faster, and more resilient defense industrial base. (Source: Federal Register — DoD)
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