View Rule

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement policies addressing the effective use of reverse auctions. Reverse auctions involve offerors lowering their pricing over multiple rounds of bidding in order to win Federal contracts. This change incorporates guidance from the Office of Federal Procurement Policy memorandum, "Effective Use of Reverse Auctions," which was issued in response to recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, Reverse Auctions: Guidance is Needed to Maximize Competition and Achieve Cost Savings” (GAO-14-108). Reverse auctions are one tool used by Federal agencies to increase competition and reduce the cost of certain items. Reverse auctions differ from traditional auctions in that sellers compete against one another to provide the lowest price or highest-value offer to a buyer. This change to the FAR will include guidance that will standardize agencies' use of reverse auctions to help agencies maximize competition and savings when using reverse auctions.