Subpart 53.1 - General

The requirements for use of the forms prescribed or referenced in this part are contained in parts  1 through 52 , where the subject matter applicable to each form is addressed. The specific location of each requirement is identified in subpart  53.2 .

The form prescriptions in subpart  53.2 and the FAR forms located at https://www.gsa.gov/forms contain current edition dates. Contracting officers shall use the current editions unless otherwise authorized under this regulation.

Agencies shall not-

(a) Alter a standard form prescribed by this regulation; or

(b) Use for the same purpose any form other than the standard form prescribed by this regulation without receiving in advance an exception to the form.

Standard and optional forms (obtained as required by 53.107 ) may be overprinted with names, addresses, and other uniform entries that are consistent with the purpose of the form and that do not alter the form in any way. Exception approval for overprinting is not needed.

(a) The forms prescribed by this part may be computer generated without exception approval (see 53.103), provided-

(1) There is no change to the name, content, or sequence of the data elements, and the form carries the Standard or Optional Form number and edition date (see 53.111); or

(2) The form is in an electronic format covered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) X12 Standards published by the Accredited Standards Committee X12 on Electronic Data Interchange or a format that can be translated into one of those standards.

(b) The standards listed in paragraph (a)(2) of this section may also be used for submission of data set forth in other parts for which specific forms have not been prescribed.

Contracting offices may request exceptions (see 53.103 ) to standard forms for special construction and printing. Examples of common exceptions are as follows:

Standard Forms	Special Construction and Printing
(a) SF 18-	(1) With vertical lines omitted (for listing of supplies and services, unit, etc.);
	(2) As reproducible masters; and/or
	(3) In carbon interleaved pads or sets.
(b) SF’s 26, 30, 33, 1447-	As die-cut stencils or reproducible masters.
(c) SF 44-	(1) With serial numbers and contracting office name and address; and/or
	(2) On special weight of paper and with the type of construction, number of sets per book, 2 and number of parts per set as specified by the contracting officer. (Executive agencies may supplement the administrative instructions on the inside front cover of the book.)
(d) SF 1442-	(1) As die-cut stencils or reproducible masters; and/or
	(2) With additional wording as required by the executive agency. (However, the sequence and wording of the items appearing on the prescribed form should not be altered.

Executive agencies shall obtain standard and optional forms from the General Services Administration (GSA) Forms Library at https://www.gsa.gov/forms . Agency forms are available from the prescribing agency.

Users of this regulation may recommend new forms or the revision, elimination, or consolidation of the forms prescribed or referenced in this regulation. Recommendations from within an executive agency shall be submitted to the cognizant council in accordance with agency procedures. Recommendations from other than executive agencies should be submitted directly to the FAR Secretariat.

Certain forms referred to in subpart  53.2 are prescribed in other regulations and are specified by the FAR for use in acquisition. For each of these forms, the prescribing agency is identified by means of a parenthetical notation after the form number. For example, SF 1165 , which is prescribed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), is identified as SF 1165 (GAO).

Except as may be otherwise indicated in the FAR, all standard forms prescribed by the FAR may be continued on (a) plain paper of similar specification, or (b) specially constructed continuation sheets (e.g., OF336 ). Continuation sheets shall be annotated in the upper right-hand corner with the reference number of the document being continued and the serial page number.

Contracting officers shall insert the clause at 52.253-1 , Computer Generated Forms, in solicitations and contracts that require the contractor to submit data on Standard or Optional Forms prescribed by this regulation; and, unless prohibited by agency regulations, forms prescribed by agency supplements.