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FAR Clause

52.211-6

Brand name or equal.
View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov
Effective Date
AUG 1999
Active Deviations
Versions
1 (since 2017-01-01)
RFO
RFO Removes This Clause

The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul marks this clause as [Reserved]. The clause content below is as it appears in the most recent eCFR data, which has not yet incorporated the RFO. For contracts using the RFO model, this clause is removed.

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52.211-6 Brand name or equal.

As prescribed in 11.107(a), insert the following provision:

Brand Name or Equal (AUG 1999)

(a) If an item in this solicitation is identified as "brand name or equal," the purchase description reflects the characteristics and level of quality that will satisfy the Government's needs. The salient physical, functional, or performance characteristics that "equal" products must meet are specified in the solicitation.

(b) To be considered for award, offers of "equal" products, including "equal" products of the brand name manufacturer, must—

(1) Meet the salient physical, functional, or performance characteristic specified in this solicitation;

(2) Clearly identify the item by—

(i) Brand name, if any; and

(ii) Make or model number;

(3) Include descriptive literature such as illustrations, drawings, or a clear reference to previously furnished descriptive data or information available to the Contracting Officer; and

(4) Clearly describe any modifications the offeror plans to make in a product to make it conform to the solicitation requirements. Mark any descriptive material to clearly show the modifications.

(c) The Contracting Officer will evaluate "equal" products on the basis of information furnished by the offeror or identified in the offer and reasonably available to the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer is not responsible for locating or obtaining any information not identified in the offer.

(d) Unless the offeror clearly indicates in its offer that the product being offered is an "equal" product, the offeror shall provide the brand name product referenced in the solicitation.

(End of provision)

[64 FR 32742, June 17, 1999, as amended at 64 FR 51850, Sept. 24, 1999; 64 FR 53264, Oct. 1, 1999]
11.107(a)
(a) Insert the provision at 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal, when brand name or equal purchase descriptions are included in a solicitation.

DFARS Supplementary Guidance

211.107
(b) To comply with section 875(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Pub. L. 114-328), use the provision at FAR 52.211-7, Alternatives to Government-Unique Standards, in DoD solicitations that include military or Government-unique specifications and standards.
Prescription data sourced from eCFR as of 2026-06-10 03:16 UTC. Cross-references within the prescription are not resolved automatically.

Regulatory Stack

The layers of regulation that govern this clause, from the FAR prescription through agency-specific supplements and any active deviations.

RFO RFO Version Overhauled clause text
The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul publishes a revised version of this clause. See the RFO Version tab for the controlling authority under the RFO model.

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FAR FAR Prescription 11.107(a)
(a) Insert the provision at 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal, when brand name or equal purchase descriptions are included in a solicitation.

View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov

DFARS DFARS Supplement (eCFR) 211.107
(b) To comply with section 875(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Pub. L. 114-328), use the provision at FAR 52.211-7, Alternatives to Government-Unique Standards, in DoD solicitations that include military or Government-unique specifications and standards.

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Version History

Version history is sourced from the codified eCFR. Changes published only as class deviations or by the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul do not appear here until they are incorporated into the eCFR. For RFO-driven changes see the RFO Version tab and any active deviations cited above.

No version history available from eCFR.

RFO Version

Comparison of the codified eCFR text against the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul revision. Highlights show additions (green) and deletions (red, struck through).

Clause Text

RFO marks this clause as Reserved. The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul removed this clause under the overhauled FAR model. The eCFR text on the Current Text tab remains in force for contracts not using the RFO model.

Prescription

RFO prescription not available. See the eCFR prescription on the Prescription tab.

Source: acquisition.gov RFO Part 52

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