DOD Issues Final Rule to Accommodate Updates to Contracting Activities

December 31, 2012

On December 31, 2012, the Department of Defense (DOD) issued a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to revise the definitions of contracting activity and departments and agencies found at DFARS 202.101. Pursuant to the final rule, contracting activity means elements designated by the director of a defense agency whom has been delegated contracting authority through the agency charter and has changed with the inclusion of DOD contracting activities listed under the DOD Procedures, Guidance, and Information subpart 202.101. The final rule defines departments and agencies to include the military departments and the defense agencies. The military departments include:

The Department of the Army,
The Department of the Navy (including the Marine Corps), and
The Department of the Air Force.

The defense agencies include:

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency,
The Defense Commissary Agency,
The Defense Contract Management Agency,
The Defense Finance and Accounting Service,
The Defense Information Systems Agency,
The Defense Intelligence Agency,
The Defense Logistics Agency,
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency,
The Defense Security Service,
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency,
The Missile Defense Agency,
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and
The National Security Agency.

The rule adds the U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Transportation Command. The rule became effective January 18, 2013. (77 Fed. Reg. 76,938, 12/31/12.)