PF 2025-52 Class Deviation to Adopt Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) Part 35 – Research and Development Contracting

DATE: August 28, 2025

TO: HCAs/Procurement Directors/Contracting Officers

FROM: Director, Contract and Financial Assistance Policy Division, Office of Policy, Office of Acquisition Management

SUMMARY: This class deviation, issued pursuant to Section 2 of Executive Order 14275, Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memorandum M-25-26, Overhauling the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and FAR Council memorandum titled Deviation Guidance to Support the Overhaul of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, implements the FAR Council’s RFO model deviation text for FAR Part 35. Contracting offices shall follow the RFO Model Deviation text for Part 35 in lieu of 48 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 35.

The DOE class deviation, OMB Memorandum M-25-26, Overhauling the Federal Acquisition Regulation, FAR Council Memorandum titled Deviation Guidance to Support the Overhaul of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and RFO Parts 35 Model Deviation Text are attached. The FAR Council’s RFO Part 35 model deviation texts are also available at Acquisition.gov, under the FAR Overhaul link.

Contracting officers should review the FAR 11 Practitioner Album at Practitioner Album: FAR Part 35 – Research and Development Contracting for further information regarding a summary of changes, line out, smart accelerators, practitioner’s perspective on buying Government technologies, and earning CLPs by completing the Practitioner Album.

Questions concerning this policy flash should be directed to the Contract and Financial Assistance Policy Division at DOE_oapmpolicy@hq.doe.gov.

For NNSA questions concerning this policy flash, please contact Acquisition Policy and Oversight Division, Policy & Oversight Branch (NA-PAS-111), at (505) 845-5639.