Commerce Acquisition Regulation; Minor Amendments

Legal Status This site displays a prototype of a “Web 2.0” version of the daily
Federal Register. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal
Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official
electronic version on GPO’s govinfo.gov.

The documents posted on this site are XML renditions of published Federal
Register documents. Each document posted on the site includes a link to the
corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. This prototype edition of the
daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov will remain an unofficial
informational resource until the Administrative Committee of the Federal
Register (ACFR) issues a regulation granting it official legal status.
For complete information about, and access to, our official publications
and services, go to About the Federal Register on NARA's archives.gov.

The OFR/GPO partnership is committed to presenting accurate and reliable
regulatory information on FederalRegister.gov with the objective of
establishing the XML-based Federal Register as an ACFR-sanctioned
publication in the future. While every effort has been made to ensure that
the material on FederalRegister.gov is accurately displayed, consistent with
the official SGML-based PDF version on govinfo.gov, those relying on it for
legal research should verify their results against an official edition of
the Federal Register. Until the ACFR grants it official status, the XML
rendition of the daily Federal Register on FederalRegister.gov does not
provide legal notice to the public or judicial notice to the courts.

Legal Status

Rule

Commerce Acquisition Regulation; Minor Amendments

A Rule by the Commerce Department on 04/02/2026

• 1.

1.

• Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agency Department of Commerce Agency/Docket Number Docket No. 260317-0083 CFR 48 CFR chapter XIII Document Citation 91 FR 16578 Document Number 2026-06382 Document Type Rule Pages 16578-16580
  (3 pages) Publication Date 04/02/2026 RIN 0605-AA87 Published Content - Document Details

• PDF Official Content

  • View printed version (PDF) Official Content

• Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agency Department of Commerce Agency/Docket Number Docket No. 260317-0083 CFR 48 CFR chapter XIII Document Citation 91 FR 16578 Document Number 2026-06382 Document Type Rule Pages 16578-16580
  (3 pages) Publication Date 04/02/2026 RIN 0605-AA87 Published Content - Document Details

• Document Dates Published Content - Document Dates Effective Date 2026-04-02 Dates Text The rule is effective April 2, 2026. Published Content - Document Dates

• Table of Contents Enhanced Content - Table of Contents This table of contents is a navigational tool, processed from the
  headings within the legal text of Federal Register documents.
  This repetition of headings to form internal navigation links
  has no substantive legal effect.

  • AGENCY:
  • ACTION:
  • SUMMARY:
  • DATES:
  • FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
  • SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
  • Regulatory Classifications
  • A. Administrative Procedure Act
  • B. Executive Orders 12866, 14192, and 13132
  • C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
  • D. Paperwork Reduction Act
  • List of Subjects
  • 48 CFR Part 1301
  • 48 CFR Part 1302
  • 48 CFR Part 1303
  • 48 CFR Part 1322
  • 48 CFR Part 1323
  • 48 CFR Part 1326
  • CHAPTER 13—DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
  • SUBCHAPTER A—GENERAL
  • PART 1301—DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
  • Subpart 1301.1—Purpose, Authority, Issuance
  • Subpart 1301.3—Agency Acquisition Regulations
  • PART 1302—DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND TERMS
  • PART 1303—IMPROPER BUSINESS PRACTICES AND PERSONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
  • Subpart 1303.1—Safeguards
  • Subchapter D—Socioeconomic Program
  • PART 1322—APPLICATION OF LABOR LAWS TO GOVERNMENT ACQUISITIONS
  • Subpart 1322.10—Service Contract Act of 1965, as Amended
  • PART 1323—ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
  • Subpart 1323.5—[Removed and Reserved]
  • PART 1326—OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS
  • Subpart 1326.5—Drug-Free Workplace Enhanced Content - Table of Contents

• Public Comments Enhanced Content - Public Comments Comments are no longer being accepted.
  See DATES for details.

Enhanced Content - Public Comments
- Regulations.gov Data Enhanced Content - Regulations.gov Data Additional information is not currently available for this document.

Enhanced Content - Regulations.gov Data

- Sharing Enhanced Content - Sharing Shorter Document URL https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-06382 Email Email this document to a friend Enhanced Content - Sharing

• Print Enhanced Content - Print
  • Print this document Enhanced Content - Print
• Document Statistics Enhanced Content - Document Statistics Document page views are updated periodically throughout the day and are cumulative counts for this document. Counts are subject to sampling, reprocessing and revision (up or down) throughout the day.

Page views 130
as of
04/09/2026 at 2:15 am EDT Enhanced Content - Document Statistics
- Other Formats Enhanced Content - Other Formats This document is also available in the following formats:

JSON Normalized attributes and metadata XML Original full text XML MODS Government Publishing Office metadata More information and documentation can be found in our developer tools pages.

Enhanced Content - Other Formats
- Public Inspection Public Inspection This PDF is FR Doc. 2026-06382 as it appeared on Public Inspection on
04/01/2026 at 8:45 am.

It was viewed
35
times while on Public Inspection.

If you are using public inspection listings for legal research, you
should verify the contents of the documents against a final, official
edition of the Federal Register. Only official editions of the
Federal Register provide legal notice of publication to the public and judicial notice
to the courts under 44 U.S.C. 1503 & 1507. Learn more here.

Public Inspection
Published Document: 2026-06382 (91 FR 16578) This document has been published in the Federal Register. Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format.

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain
the following:

1. the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document
2. the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to
3. the agency docket number / agency internal file number
4. the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details.

Department of Commerce

1. 48 CFR Chapter 13
2. [Docket No. 260317-0083]
3. RIN 0605-AA87

AGENCY:

Department of Commerce (Commerce).

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

By this rule, Commerce amends its agency-specific acquisition regulation by updating or removing certain outdated and unnecessary regulatory language, by moving a subpart to better track and correspond with the structure of the government-wide Federal Acquisition Regulation, and by correcting a typographical error. This action is intended to update, correct, and streamline Commerce's agency-specific acquisition regulation and make it easier to navigate, thereby promoting efficiency, without creating or altering any entitlements, restrictions, or obligations.

DATES:

The rule is effective April 2, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Daniel Sweeney, Senior Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, at (202) 482-1395.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This action amends 48 CFR Chapter 13, which contains Commerce's agency-specific acquisition regulation (CAR). The CAR supplements, and generally corresponds with, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) found at 48 CFR Chapter 1. This action amends the CAR in the following ways.

First, this action updates § 1301.105-3, which addresses how the public can obtain copies of the CAR. See 48 CFR 1301.105-3. Currently, § 1301.105-3 indicates that copies of the CAR may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents at the Government Printing Office, and that the CAR is available online at a provided link. But the described superintendent is no longer the appropriate point of contact for ( printed page 16579) purchasing copies of the CAR, and the provided link is no longer active. This action revises § 1301.105-3 to simply identify the correct, current method of obtaining printed copies of the CAR: by purchasing them from the Bookstore of the Government Publishing Office. The contents of the CAR, which are codified at 48 CFR Chapter 13, can be accessed and viewed online in the eCFR.

Second, this action removes § 1301.304, which states that “[o]perating unit counsel shall limit issuance of directives that restrain the flexibilities found in the FAR.” 48 CFR 1301.304. This language essentially restates 48 CFR 1.304(a), which requires agencies to “control and limit issuance of agency acquisition regulations and, in particular, local agency directives that restrain the flexibilities found in the FAR.” Upon review, Commerce finds it sufficiently clear, without any restatement needed, that Commerce's operating unit counsel must adhere to the requirement set forth broadly by § 1.304(a).

Third, this action corrects the spelling of the word “Definitions” in the part heading of part 1302.

Fourth, this action removes § 1303.101-3, which states that “[Commerce] has issued rules implementing Executive Order 11222 prescribing employee standards of conduct (see DOC Office of [the] General Counsel website).” 48 CFR 1303.101-3. This language is referring to 15 CFR part 0, which Commerce removed in its entirety via final rule on January 15, 2026 (91 FR 1674), given its near-total overlap with the government-wide employee conduct regulations in Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Thus, the removal of § 1303.101-3 will properly reflect the removal of part 0.

Fifth, this action updates § 1322.1001 by removing a reference to an official position that no longer exists within Commerce (i.e., the Assistant General Counsel for Administration/Employment & Labor Law Division) and replacing it with the appropriate, current position (i.e., the Deputy General Counsel for Administration).

Sixth, this action removes the drug-free workplace requirements from part 1323 and moves them to part 1326, to better track and correspond with the FAR (specifically, 48 CFR part 26 and subpart 26.5) and thereby make it easier to locate and understand the drug-free workplace requirements of the CAR. This action also makes a conforming edit to the heading of part 1323, to account for the removal of the described requirements from that part.

In sum, this action makes a series of minor updates, corrections, and other amendments to the CAR to promote accuracy, simplicity, and efficiency. None of these changes is expected to create or alter any entitlements, restrictions, or obligations.

Regulatory Classifications

A. Administrative Procedure Act

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), Commerce finds good cause to waive the prior notice and opportunity for public participation requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act for this final rule. Commerce considers this rule to be uncontroversial, and has determined that prior notice and opportunity for public participation is unnecessary, because this rule only makes minor updates, corrections, and amendments to the CAR that do not create or alter any entitlements, restrictions, or obligations. These changes are consistent with the FAR, the underlying statutory authority, and Commerce's broader regulatory policies; public participation would not justify the continued maintenance of any of the outdated, inaccurate, misplaced, and/or otherwise unwarranted regulatory language at issue. For the same reasons, Commerce has determined that delaying the effectiveness of these amendments would be contrary to the public interest. The changes described above will immediately promote accuracy, simplicity, and efficiency—thereby benefiting the public—at little to no cost. Commerce therefore finds good cause to waive the public notice and comment period under 553(b)(B) and to waive the 30-day delay in effectiveness under 553(d).

B. Executive Orders 12866, 14192, and 13132

The Office of Management and Budget has determined this rule is not significant pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 12866. This rule is an E.O. 14192 deregulatory action. This rule does not contain policies having federalism implications as the term is defined in E.O. 13132.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

Because a notice of proposed rulemaking and an opportunity for public participation are not required to be given for this rule by 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are not applicable. Accordingly, no regulatory flexibility analysis is required, and none has been prepared.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

This rule will not impose additional reporting or recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.

List of Subjects

48 CFR Part 1301

• Acquisition regulations
• Federal acquisition regulations
• Government procurement
• Government contracts
• Procurement
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

48 CFR Part 1302

• Definitions
• Government procurement
• Terms

48 CFR Part 1303

• Antitrust
• Conflict of interests
• Ethical conduct
• Government procurement
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements

48 CFR Part 1322

• Age
• Child labor
• Civil rights
• Equal employment opportunity
• Government procurement
• Individuals with disabilities
• Labor
• Labor disputes
• Prisoners
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Veterans
• Wages
• Work stoppages

48 CFR Part 1323

• Affirmative procurement program
• Air pollution control
• Energy conservation
• Environmental
• Government procurement
• Hazardous substances
• Recycling
• Renewable energy
• Water pollution control

48 CFR Part 1326

• Disaster assistance
• Drug abuse
• Drug-free workplace
• Government procurement Dated: March 27, 2026.

Jennifer Hesch,

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration.

For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Department of Commerce amends 48 CFR chapter 13 as follows:

CHAPTER 13—DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

SUBCHAPTER A—GENERAL

PART 1301—DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM

1. The authority citation for part 1301 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 414; 48 CFR 1.301-1.304.

( printed page 16580)

Subpart 1301.1—Purpose, Authority, Issuance

1. Revise § 1301.105-3 to read as follows:

§ 1301.105-3 Copies. Copies of the FAR in CFR form may be purchased from the Bookstore of the Government Publishing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402.

Subpart 1301.3—Agency Acquisition Regulations

§ 1301.304 [Removed and Reserved] 3. Remove and reserve § 1301.304.

PART 1302—DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND TERMS

1. The authority citation for part 1302 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 414; 48 CFR 1.301-1.304.

1. Revise the heading for part 1302 to read as set forth above.

PART 1303—IMPROPER BUSINESS PRACTICES AND PERSONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

1. The authority citation for part 1303 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 414; 48 CFR 1.301-1.304.

Subpart 1303.1—Safeguards

§ 1303.101-3 [Removed and Reserved] 7. Remove and reserve § 1303.101-3.

Subchapter D—Socioeconomic Program

PART 1322—APPLICATION OF LABOR LAWS TO GOVERNMENT ACQUISITIONS

1. The authority citation for part 1322 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 414; 48 CFR 1.301-1.304.

Subpart 1322.10—Service Contract Act of 1965, as Amended

1. Revise § 1322.1001 to read as follows:

§ 1322.1001 Definitions. The DOC labor advisor is the Deputy General Counsel for Administration.

PART 1323—ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY, RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY

1. The authority citation for part 1323 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 414; 48 CFR 1.301-1.304.

1. Revise the heading for part 1323 to read as set forth above.

Subpart 1323.5—[Removed and Reserved]

1. Remove and reserve subpart 1323.5.

PART 1326—OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS

1. The authority citation for part 1326 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 41 U.S.C. 414; 48 CFR 1.301-1.304.

1. Add subpart 1326.5, consisting of § 1326.5, to read as follows:

Subpart 1326.5—Drug-Free Workplace

§ 1326.5 Suspension of payments, termination of contract and debarment and suspension actions. The designee authorized to waive a determination to suspend contract payments, terminate a contract for default, or debar or suspend a contractor for Drug-Free Workplace violations, is set forth in CAM 1301.70. This authority may not be delegated.

[FR Doc. 2026-06382 Filed 4-1-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-03-P

Published Document: 2026-06382 (91 FR 16578)