On this page
Start with the incorporated clause and its version
First-article testing checks an initial article against the requirements specified for that contract. It is not a requirement in every federal or private equipment sale. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart and the displayed 52.209-3 clause must be read with the actual solicitation, contract, amendments and any agency deviation.
The basic clause describes a written decision by the contracting officer and can provide conditional approval, approval or disapproval. Conditional approval can require further action; approval does not remove the other specification and contract requirements.
The basic clause puts the early production commitment at contractor risk
Before first-article approval, basic paragraph (g) places acquisition of materials/components or production for the remaining quantity at the contractor’s risk. It also excludes those costs from allocation for the specified progress-payment and convenience-termination purposes. That is a narrower statement than saying no payment or recovery could ever occur under any contract.
Alternate II changes that paragraph. It permits the contracting officer to authorise specific early materials or production in writing under its conditions. A salesperson’s expectation of approval or an informal customer conversation is not that written authorisation.
Give the owner the approval evidence beside the cash request
Fictional example: management wants to place a US$40,000 materials order for the remaining production while the first-article report is still awaiting a decision. The owner should see the exact clause, the report/decision status, any specific written early-production authorisation and the cash at risk before approving the order.
The figure is an invented commitment, not a government threshold or normal first-article cost. A waiver request is also different from an actual waiver.
| Milestone | Evidence to ask management for |
|---|---|
| Required test/report | The actual specification, units, notice and report deadlines. |
| Submission | Receipt and the report that was submitted. |
| Decision | The contracting officer’s written status and any conditions. |
| Early production | Specific written authorisation if the actual clause permits it. |
| Remaining commitment | Materials, capacity and cash that would be committed before the next decision. |
Allow time for the decision and any required further work
Ask who checks the contract-specific schedule, re-testing exposure and effect on the remaining production plan. Do not treat a test completion date as an automatic production release date.
Use the contract specialist and qualified technical team for the actual interpretation. In the commercial plan, identify the commitment, evidence still needed and person authorised to make the next decision.
Scope
- Selected discussion of the displayed FAR 52.209-3 basic clause and Alternate II. The actual incorporated clause, agency deviation, contract facts, approval/waiver and other requirements control; this is not complete federal procurement advice.
Next step
Use Launch dependencies to assign the contract-version check, first-article evidence and written production-release decision. Keep the actual contract documents in the authorised project file.
Sources & review notes
General Services Administration — Acquisition.gov
Passage, dates and research notes
federal-contract-clause · Basic clause paragraphs (a)–(h), particularly written decisions and pre-approval production risk; Alternate II
Read the complete displayed clause and alternates. The article is conditional on the actual incorporated clause, version, schedule and any agency deviation. It does not assume this clause governs every federal or private purchase.
General Services Administration — Acquisition.gov
Passage, dates and research notes
federal-regulation · Sections 9.302,9.305,9.306 and 9.308: scope, risk, schedule and clauses
Read the actual displayed subpart. Contract-specific clauses and deviations must be checked. The article does not infer all federal purchases require first-article approval or treat the FAR Overhaul deviation materials as one universally incorporated version.
Detailed rule records (1)
Under the displayed basic FAR 52.209-3, the contracting officer provides a written first-article decision. Before approval, materials/components or production for the balance are at contractor risk and their costs are not allocable for the stated progress-payment or convenience-termination purposes.
FAR 52.209-3: First Article Approval—Contractor Testing FAR Subpart 9.3: First Article Testing and ApprovalBookmark this guide or mark it as read.
Progress privacy
Saving is off by default. Without it, progress lasts only on this page. If you turn it on, this browser profile stores public content IDs and the progress you record. Anyone sharing the profile could see them. No plan inputs or contact details are included. Reset or export in learning settings.
This is a reading aid, not evidence of disclosure delivery, expertise or legal approval.