Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Contract Period for Task and Delivery Order Contracts

DoD has issued an interim rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement Section 843 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 and Section 813 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005. Section 843 placed a 5-year limit on the period of task or delivery order contracts awarded under 10 U.S.C. 2304a. Section 813 further amended 10 U.S.C. 2304a to permit a total period of up to 10 years, which may be exceeded if the head of the agency determines in writing that exceptional circumstances require a longer contract period. The DFARS rule clarifies that the 10-year limit applies to the ordering period, establishes a limit on the length of orders, and includes other key information regarding applicability.