# Federal Acquisition Regulation: Socioeconomic Program Parity
> **US Department of Defense** · Final rule. · Published 2012-03-02 · Effective 2012-04-02 · 77 FR 12930
## Document
- **Document number:** 2012-4488
- **Category:** personnel
- **Sub-agency:** US Department of Defense
- **Federal Register citation:** 77 FR 12930
- **CFR reference:** 48 CFR 13
- **Publication date:** 2012-03-02
- **Effective date:** 2012-04-02
- **DOD docket:** FAC 2005-56
## Abstract

DoD, GSA, and NASA have adopted as final, with changes, the interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 that clarifies that there is no order of precedence among the small business socioeconomic contracting programs. Accordingly, this final rule amends the FAR to clarify the existence of socioeconomic parity and that contracting officers may exercise discretion when determining whether an acquisition will be restricted to small businesses participating in the 8(a) Business Development Program (8(a)), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) Program, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Program, or the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program.

## Source
- [Federal Register document](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/03/02/2012-4488/federal-acquisition-regulation-socioeconomic-program-parity)
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