The Trump administration is accelerating a major revision of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, aiming to simplify procedures, reduce red tape, and foster competition in government contracting, with a deadline set for mid-October 2025.
A sweeping effort to reform the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is underway under the direction of the Trump administration, aiming to streamline government procurement, enhance competition, and reduce regulatory burdens. This initiative, driven primarily by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in April 2025, mandates a comprehensive revision of FAR — the extensive rulebook that governs federal contract acquisition.
The executive order instructed the FAR Council, a collaboration of federal agencies responsible for procurement policy, to remove non-statutory and duplicative regulations from the FAR and simplify its provisions to focus strictly on what is legally required or essential to efficient, secure, and cost-effective government purchases. Since its inception in the 1980s, FAR has grown increasingly complex with numerous additions, prompting this overhaul to make federal procurement more agile and accessible. Kevin Rhodes, a senior advisor in the effort, emphasised that the revisions are designed to shift focus “from paperwork… to performance,” expanding opportunities particularly for small businesses and others who have not traditionally participated in government contracts.
As of late August, the FAR Council had updated 27 parts of the regulation, with plans to amend 26 more sections and retire two parts entirely, signalling steady progress toward the mid-October deadline set for completing the overhaul. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), further directed agencies to remove any contract requirements that are not mandated by statute or executive order in future procurements, reinforcing the push toward eliminating unnecessary regulatory layers.
These changes aim to foster a procurement system characterised by greater competition, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. The Trump administration’s vision is to replace dense, bureaucratic regulations with plain-language guidance and practical buying frameworks, enabling agencies to procure goods and services more swiftly and with reduced administrative overhead. A website launched collectively by GSA, OMB, NASA, and the Department of Defense in May 2025 showcases the overhaul progress and serves as a platform for transparency, underscoring the government’s commitment to this deregulation drive.
Despite general support from industry experts who welcome the promise of streamlined and more performance-oriented procurement, certain concerns remain. Jordan Howard, counsel for federal and regulatory affairs at the Associated General Contractors of America, expressed apprehension over the retention of specific provisions, notably those under FAR Part 36 relating to construction and architect-engineer contracts. In particular, the requirement for project labor agreements on most federal projects valued at $35 million or more remains intact, a point of contention for some contractors. Additionally, changes that appear to make site visits optional could impact contractors’ ability to accurately assess project conditions prior to bidding, an issue highlighted by Howard as potentially detrimental to effective contract execution.
President Trump’s executive order imposes a 180-day timeframe for the overhaul, marking the most extensive changes to federal acquisition policy since the 1990s. Complementing this regulatory reform are directives encouraging agencies to prioritise the procurement of commercially available products and services, reflecting an effort to integrate innovation from the private sector and enhance value for taxpayers.
Overall, the administration’s regulatory simplification initiative is an ambitious attempt to restore “common sense” to federal procurement by cutting red tape, increasing participation, and delivering better outcomes with fewer resources, a vision that aligns with the government’s broader goals of efficiency and fiscal responsibility. As agencies continue to implement the changes, the full impact on government contracting and industry participants will become clearer in the months ahead.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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