Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement

[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 74 (Friday, April 18, 2025)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 16447-16449]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2025-06839]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 74 / Friday, April 18, 2025 /

Presidential Documents

[[Page 16447]]

Executive Order 14275 of April 15, 2025

Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement

By the authority vested in me as President by the

Constitution and the laws of the United States of

America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 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.

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 its efficiency.

Comprehensive studies such as the 2024 Senate committee

report entitled ``Restoring Freedom's Forge'' and the

2019 report by the Advisory Panel on Streamlining and

Codifying Acquisition Regulations, created by the

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016

(Public Law 114-92) and made up of experts in

acquisition and procurement policy, conclude that the

FAR is a barrier to, rather than a prudent vehicle for,

doing business with the Federal Government. Its harmful

effects permeate various items paid for by American

taxpayers, from commercial products like laptops and

office supplies to major defense weapons systems. The

management and expenditure of nearly $1 trillion

annually in procurements cannot continue on this

trajectory. Fortunately, its inadequacies are self-

inflicted and can be remedied through a comprehensive

reform of the FAR.

ducts like laptops and

office supplies to major defense weapons systems. The

management and expenditure of nearly $1 trillion

annually in procurements cannot continue on this

trajectory. Fortunately, its inadequacies are self-

inflicted and can be remedied through a comprehensive

reform of the FAR.

Executive Order 14192 of January 31, 2025 (Unleashing

Prosperity Through Deregulation), established that the

policy of the executive branch is to be prudent and

financially responsible in the expenditure of funds and

to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens placed on

the American people. Reforming the FAR will advance

this objective.

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.

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.

sions

that do not advance these objectives should be removed.

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]]

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.

Sec. 5. Aligning Agency Supplements to the FAR.

he 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.

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 of policy objectives

and implementation regarding changes to the FAR and

agencies' supplemental regulations to the FAR.

(c) The memorandum issued pursuant to subsection

memorandum to agencies that provides guidance regarding

implementation of this order. That memorandum shall

ensure consistency and alignment of policy objectives

and implementation regarding changes to the FAR and

agencies' supplemental regulations to the FAR.

(c) The memorandum issued pursuant to subsection

(b) of this section shall propose new agency

supplemental regulations and internal guidance that

promote expedited and streamlined acquisitions. With

respect to such proposals, the Administrator shall

direct the appropriate agency and its subordinate

agencies to adhere to the ten-for-one requirement

described in Executive Order 14192.

(d) The Administrator and the FAR Council shall

issue deviation and interim guidance, as appropriate

and consistent with applicable law, until final rules

reforming the FAR are published.

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

ill 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.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (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.

(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

April 15, 2025.

[FR Doc. 2025-06839

Filed 4-17-25; 8:45 am]

Billing code 3395-F4-P