CMMC & Defense Cybersecurity Brief
Headline
FAR Council proposes sweeping overhaul of Federal Acquisition Regulation across eight parts
Executive Summary
OFPP, DoD, GSA, and NASA jointly published a proposed rule on June 23, 2026 to amend eight parts of the Federal Acquisition Regulation under Executive Order 14275. The proposal is one of twelve planned rules under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul initiative. Comments are due July 23, 2026.
Bottom Line
The FAR Council has published a proposed rule to amend eight parts of the Federal Acquisition Regulation as part of a twelve-rule overhaul series implementing Executive Order 14275. The proposal targets elimination of nonstatutory requirements across Parts 1, 2, 4, 33, 39, 40, 52, and 53, with a comment deadline of July 23, 2026. Cresthaven reading: federal contractors, contracting officers, and legal counsel supporting federal procurement have until July 23, 2026 to assess and respond to proposed changes across foundational, procedural, and forms-related FAR provisions.
Key Regulatory Signals
- Scope of Proposed Revisions: The proposed rule covers FAR Parts 1, 2, 4, 33, 39, 40, 52, and 53, addressing foundational definitions, administrative matters, protests and disputes, information technology acquisition, and contract forms. Cresthaven reading: federal contractors and contracting officers whose work touches any of these parts face potential changes to procedural requirements and contract clause structures.
- Twelve-Rule Overhaul Series: The FAR Council states this proposed rule is one of twelve planned rules that collectively address the FAR in its entirety. The comment period for this rule closes July 23, 2026, and the FAR Council has indicated the twelve rules are intended to produce a final streamlined FAR.
- Executive Order Mandate: Executive Order 14275, issued April 15, 2025, directs the FAR Council to retain only provisions required by statute or essential to sound procurement. OMB Memorandum M-25-26 established the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul roadmap implementing that directive.
- Comment Deadline and Submission Process: Interested parties should submit written comments through the federal eRulemaking portal, citing FAR Case 2026-001, on or before July 23, 2026. The FAR Council states that comments received will be considered in forming the final rule.
Regulatory Delta
- No direct single-rule precedent exists for a FAR overhaul of this stated scope. The last structural reorganization of comparable ambition occurred in the early 1980s, at the regulation's original codification.
- The proposal explicitly frames the overhaul as a reduction to statute-required and procurement-essential provisions only. This signals potential elimination of nonstatutory requirements currently embedded across the eight named parts.
- This rule is one of twelve coordinated proposals under OMB Memorandum M-25-26. The full regulatory picture will not be visible until the remaining eleven rules are published.
Materiality Classification
MEDIUM — Proposed rulemaking with a standard 30-day comment period covering eight FAR parts; no final rule or effective date established, but the proposal signals potential elimination of nonstatutory requirements across foundational procurement provisions affecting the broad federal contractor population.
Time Horizon
comment_close — 2026-07-23
Intelligence Outlook
Monitor the federal eRulemaking portal and FAR Council publications for the remaining eleven proposed rules under this overhaul series and for any final rule issuance following the July 23, 2026 comment close.