Documents › Executive orders › 14275
Executive Order 14275
Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement
Signed April 15, 2025, printed at 90 FR 16447. 6 sections of substance, 1,171 words.
This order rewrites the rules for federal buying. The aim is to make selling to the state simpler.
Sec. 1. Purpose
The Federal Government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world--yet conducting business with the Federal Government is often prohibitively inefficient and costly. More than 40 years ago, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) was implemented to establish uniform procedures for acquisitions across executive departments and agencies (agencies). The ``vision'' of the Federal Acquisition System, codified at section 1.102 of the FAR, is to ``deliver on a timely basis the best value product or service to the customer, while maintaining the public's trust and fulfilling public policy objectives[,]'' but since its inception, the FAR has swelled to more than 2,000 pages of regulations, evolving into an excessive and overcomplicated regulatory framework and resulting in an onerous bureaucracy. Federal procurement under the FAR receives consistently negative assessments regarding
The Federal Government is the largest buyer of goods and services in the world--yet conducting business with the Federal Government is often prohibitively inefficient and costly. More than 40 years ago, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) was implemented to establish uniform procedures for acquisitions across executive departments and agencies (agencies). The ``vision'' of the Federal Acquisition System, codified at section 1.102 of the FAR, is to ``deliver on a timely basis the best value product or service to the customer, while maintaining the public's trust and fulfilling public policy objectives[,]'' but since its inception, the FAR has swelled to more than 2,000 pages of regulations, evolving into an excessive and overcomplicated regulatory framework and resulting in an onerous bureaucracy. Federal procurement under the FAR receives consistently negative assessments regarding
This sets out the case the order makes. It calls the government the largest buyer in the world. It says doing business with it is slow and costly. It says the buying rule book began 40 years ago. It says it has grown past 2,000 pages. It calls the result an onerous bureaucracy.
Sec. 2. Policy
It is the policy of the United States to create the most agile, effective, and efficient procurement system possible. Removing undue barriers, such as unnecessary regulations, while simultaneously allowing for the expansion of the national and defense industrial bases is paramount. Accordingly, the FAR should contain only provisions required by statute or essential to sound procurement, and any FAR provisions that do not advance these objectives should be removed.
It is the policy of the United States to create the most agile, effective, and efficient procurement system possible. Removing undue barriers, such as unnecessary regulations, while simultaneously allowing for the expansion of the national and defense industrial bases is paramount. Accordingly, the FAR should contain only provisions required by statute or essential to sound procurement, and any FAR provisions that do not advance these objectives should be removed.
This states the policy. The buying system must be quick and effective. Needless rules are to be removed. The industrial base is to be widened. The rule book should hold only what the law requires. Anything else must serve sound buying. The rest should go.
Sec. 3. Definitions
(a) ``FAR'' means the Federal Acquisition Regulation codified at title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) ``Administrator'' refers to the Administrator of the Office of Federal Public Procurement Policy. (c) ``Agency'' means an executive department, a military department, or any independent establishment within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 101, 102, and 104(1), respectively, and any wholly owned Government corporation within the meaning of 31 U.S.C. 9101. [[Page 16448]]
(a) ``FAR'' means the Federal Acquisition Regulation codified at title 48 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (b) ``Administrator'' refers to the Administrator of the Office of Federal Public Procurement Policy. (c) ``Agency'' means an executive department, a military department, or any independent establishment within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 101, 102, and 104(1), respectively, and any wholly owned Government corporation within the meaning of 31 U.S.C. 9101. [[Page 16448]]
This says what three words mean here. FAR means the federal buying rule book. Administrator means the head of the buying policy office. Agency means a federal body. It covers a department or an armed service. It covers a firm the state owns.
Sec. 4. Reforming the Federal Acquisition Regulation
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Administrator, in coordination with the other members of the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council), the heads of agencies, and appropriate senior acquisition and procurement officials from agencies, shall take appropriate actions to amend the FAR to ensure that it contains only provisions that are required by statute or that are otherwise necessary to support simplicity and usability, strengthen the efficacy of the procurement system, or protect economic or national security interests.
Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Administrator, in coordination with the other members of the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council (FAR Council), the heads of agencies, and appropriate senior acquisition and procurement officials from agencies, shall take appropriate actions to amend the FAR to ensure that it contains only provisions that are required by statute or that are otherwise necessary to support simplicity and usability, strengthen the efficacy of the procurement system, or protect economic or national security interests.
This orders the rewrite. Within 180 days the rule book must be amended. A council of buying officials does the work. Agency heads and senior buyers help. Only provisions required by law may stay. Others must serve simplicity or security.
Sec. 5. Aligning Agency Supplements to the FAR
(a) Within 15 days of the date of this order, each agency exercising procurement authority pursuant to the FAR shall designate a senior acquisition or procurement official to work with the Administrator and the FAR Council to ensure agency alignment with FAR reform and to provide recommendations regarding any agency- specific supplemental regulations to the FAR. The Administrator, the FAR Council, and each agency designee under this subsection shall collaborate to identify and appropriately address FAR provisions that are inconsistent with the policy objectives described in section 2 of this order. (b) Within 20 days of the date of this order, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Administrator, shall issue a memorandum to agencies that provides guidance regarding implementation of this order. That memorandum shall ensure consistency and alignment
(a) Within 15 days of the date of this order, each agency exercising procurement authority pursuant to the FAR shall designate a senior acquisition or procurement official to work with the Administrator and the FAR Council to ensure agency alignment with FAR reform and to provide recommendations regarding any agency- specific supplemental regulations to the FAR. The Administrator, the FAR Council, and each agency designee under this subsection shall collaborate to identify and appropriately address FAR provisions that are inconsistent with the policy objectives described in section 2 of this order. (b) Within 20 days of the date of this order, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Administrator, shall issue a memorandum to agencies that provides guidance regarding implementation of this order. That memorandum shall ensure consistency and alignment
This is about agency add ons. Within 15 days each agency must name a senior official. That person works with the council on reform. They must find agency rules that clash with the policy. Within 20 days the budget office must issue guidance. That guidance keeps the work consistent.
Sec. 6. Regulatory Sunset
In amending the FAR under section 4 of this order, the Administrator, in coordination with the FAR Council, shall: (a) identify all FAR provisions not required by statute that will remain in the FAR; (b) consider amending the FAR such that any provisions identified in accordance with subsection (a) of this section will expire 4 years after the effective date of the final rule promulgated in accordance with section 4 of this order unless renewed by the FAR Council; and (c) consider whether any new FAR provision not required by statute that is promulgated after the effective date of the final rule promulgated in accordance with subsection (b) of this section should include a provision stating that it will expire 4 years after its effective date unless renewed by the FAR Council.
In amending the FAR under section 4 of this order, the Administrator, in coordination with the FAR Council, shall: (a) identify all FAR provisions not required by statute that will remain in the FAR; (b) consider amending the FAR such that any provisions identified in accordance with subsection (a) of this section will expire 4 years after the effective date of the final rule promulgated in accordance with section 4 of this order unless renewed by the FAR Council; and (c) consider whether any new FAR provision not required by statute that is promulgated after the effective date of the final rule promulgated in accordance with subsection (b) of this section should include a provision stating that it will expire 4 years after its effective date unless renewed by the FAR Council.
This puts an end date on those rules. The council must list rules not required by law. Those would expire four years after the new rule takes effect. The council could renew them. New rules not required by law would carry the same clause. Each would expire in four years unless renewed.
Sec. 7. General Provisions
Every order carries this. It is not what the order does.
(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party [[Page 16449]] against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT> (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, April 15, 2025. [FR Doc. 2025-06839 Filed 4-17-25; 8:45 am] Billing code 3395-F4-P </pre></body> </html>
(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party [[Page 16449]] against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT> (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, April 15, 2025. [FR Doc. 2025-06839 Filed 4-17-25; 8:45 am] Billing code 3395-F4-P </pre></body> </html>
This is the closing clause that nearly every order carries. It says the order does not change what the law already allows. It also says no one can sue to enforce it.
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