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Preferred Federal Purchasing

Preferred Federal Purchasing

Preferred federal purchasing requirements for biobased products were established in the 2002 Farm Bill and expanded in the 2008, 2014, and 2018 Farm Bills. Federal law and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) direct that all federal agencies and their contractors purchase biobased products in categories designated by USDA. To date, USDA has designated more than 125 categories (e.g. cleaners, carpet, lubricants, paints) of biobased products for which agencies and their contractors have purchasing requirements. As USDA identifies product categories for preferred federal purchasing, minimum biobased content requirements are established for each category. 

Biobased product purchasing requirements are included in solicitations, blanket purchase agreements, contracts, and specifications. Requirements also extend to purchases made through purchase cards, electronic catalogs, and other procurement vehicles. 

Contractor Reporting of Biobased Product Purchases 

Biobased purchasing requirements are detailed throughout the FAR, including acquisition planning, preferred purchasing by purchase card, source selection, required contract clauses, and general policies and provisions. FAR 52.223-2, Reporting of Biobased Products under Service and Construction Contracts (DEVIATION FEB 2025) requires services and construction contractors to report their purchases of biobased products to the reporting portal within the System for Award Management (SAM). This annual reporting requirement is to be completed by October 31 for the previous fiscal year. 

Report Your Biobased Purchases in SAM.gov FAR Reporting Requirement (FAR 52.223-2)