Insights

On September 9, 2025, GSA released version 1 of the FAR Companion, a living resource guide aimed primarily at assisting federal acquisition professionals. The FAR Companion is designed to provide guidance and recommendations to acquisition professionals to better understand the FAR and related procurement principles for planning, awarding, managing, and closing out contracts. It consolidates practitioner insights, innovation and vendor engagement strategies, handbooks, training materials, and problem-solving ideas into one source.

On September 10, 2025, the Department of Defense (DoD) published a final rule (CMMC Clause Rule) that will apply its much-anticipated Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program (CMMC) to DoD contractors and subcontractors. Under the CMMC Clause Rule, starting on November 10, 2025, DoD can include CMMC requirements—potentially including third-party cybersecurity assessments—in contracts that require the handling of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or Federal Contract Information (FCI).

The System for Award Management (SAM, available at sam.gov) is set to incorporate Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) changes as early as the first quarter of 2026. The RFO process, which began earlier this year, will trigger matching changes to representations and certifications in SAM.gov.