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FAR Clause

52.214-21

Descriptive Literature.
View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov
Effective Date
APR 2002
Active Deviations
Versions
2 (since 2017-01-01)
RFO
RFO Version Available

The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul has published a revised version of this clause. The RFO version supersedes the eCFR text below for contracts using the RFO model; see the RFO deviation for applicability.

View RFO version
52.214-21 Descriptive Literature.

As prescribed in 14.201-6(p)(1), insert the following provision:

Descriptive Literature (APR 2002)

(a)
Descriptive literature,
as used in this provision, means information furnished by a bidder, such as cuts, illustrations, drawings, and brochures, that shows a product's characteristics or construction or explains its operation. The term includes only that information required to evaluate the acceptability of the product and excludes other information for operating or maintaining the product.

(b) Descriptive literature is required to establish, for the purpose of evaluation and award, details of the product offered that are specified elsewhere in the solicitation and pertain to significant elements such as—

(1) Design;

(2) Materials;

(3) Components;

(4) Performance characteristics; and

(5) Methods of manufacture, assembly, construction, or operation.

(c) Descriptive literature, required elsewhere in this solicitation, shall be—

(1) Identified to show the item(s) of the offer to which it applies; and

(2) Received by the time specified in this solicitation.

(d) If the bidder fails to submit descriptive literature on time, the Government will reject the bid, except that late descriptive literature sent by mail may be considered under the Late Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals of Bids provision of this solicitation.

(e) If the descriptive literature fails to show that the product offered conforms to the requirements of the solicitation, the Government will reject the bid.

(End of provision)

Alternate I
(JAN 2017). As prescribed in 14.201-6(p)(2), add the following paragraphs (f) and (g) to the basic provision:

(f) The Contracting Officer may waive the requirement for furnishing descriptive literature if the offeror has supplied a product that is the same as that required by this solicitation under a prior contract. A bidder that requests a waiver of this requirement shall provide the following information:

Prior contract number

Date of prior contract

Line item number of product

supplied

Name and address of Government activity to which delivery was made

Date of final delivery product supplied

(g) Bidders shall submit bids on the basis of required descriptive literature or on the basis of a previously supplied product under paragraph (f) of this provision. A bidder submitting a bid on one of these two bases may not elect to have its bid considered on the alternative basis after the time specified for receipt of bids. The Government will disregard a bidder's request for a waiver under paragraph (f) if that bidder has submitted the descriptive literature requested under this solicitation.

[67 FR 13056, Mar. 20, 2002, as amended at 82 FR 4715, Jan. 13, 2017]
14.201-6(p)
(p)
(1) Insert the provision at 52.214-21, Descriptive Literature, in invitations for bids if-

(i) Descriptive literature is required to evaluate the technical acceptability of an offered product; and

(ii) The required information will not be readily available unless it is submitted by bidders.

(2) Use the basic clause with its Alternate I if the possibility exists that the contracting officer may waive the requirement for furnishing descriptive literature for a bidder offering a previously supplied product that meets specification requirements of the current solicitation.

(3) See 14.202-5(d)(2) regarding waiving the requirement for all bidders.

DFARS Supplementary Guidance

214.201-6
(2) Use the provisions at 252.215-7007, Notice of Intent to Resolicit, and 252.215-7008, Only One Offer, as prescribed at 215.371-6 and 215.408(3), respectively.
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 14.201-6(p)
(p)
(1) Insert the provision at 52.214-21, Descriptive Literature, in invitations for bids if-

(i) Descriptive literature is required to evaluate the technical acceptability of an offered product; and

(ii) The required information will not be readily available unless it is submitted by bidders.

(2) Use the basic clause with its Alternate I if the possibility exists that the contracting officer may waive the requirement for furnishing descriptive literature for a bidder offering a previously supplied product that meets specification requirements of the current solicitation.

(3) See 14.202-5(d)(2) regarding waiving the requirement for all bidders.

View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov

DFARS DFARS Supplement (eCFR) 214.201-6
(2) Use the provisions at 252.215-7007, Notice of Intent to Resolicit, and 252.215-7008, Only One Offer, as prescribed at 215.371-6 and 215.408(3), respectively.

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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.

2 versions tracked from 2017-01-01 to 2017-01-13.
JAN 2017 January 13, 2017 CURRENT
Removed in this version
Added in this version
Unchanged
January 1, 2017 (previous)
January 13, 2017 (current)
2 added, 2 removed
(e)
(e) If the descriptive literature fails to show that the product offered conforms to the requirements of the solicitation, the Government will reject the bid. (End of provision) Alternate I (APR 2002). As prescribed in 14.201-6(p)(2), add the following paragraphs (f) and (g) to the basic provision:
(e)
(e) If the descriptive literature fails to show that the product offered conforms to the requirements of the solicitation, the Government will reject the bid. (End of provision) Alternate I (JAN 2017). As prescribed in 14.201-6(p)(2), add the following paragraphs (f) and (g) to the basic provision:
1 removed
(f)
(f) The Contracting Officer may waive the requirement for furnishing descriptive literature if the offeror has supplied a product that is the same as that required by this solicitation under a prior contract. A bidder that requests a waiver of this requirement shall provide the following information: Contract line item number of product Date of final delivery product supplied
(f)
(f) The Contracting Officer may waive the requirement for furnishing descriptive literature if the offeror has supplied a product that is the same as that required by this solicitation under a prior contract. A bidder that requests a waiver of this requirement shall provide the following information: Line item number of product Date of final delivery product supplied
JAN 2017 January 1, 2017 SUBSTANTIVE
Earliest version available from the 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

Minor revisions. The RFO version has formatting or editorial changes from the eCFR text.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.214-21 Descriptive Literature.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
1 added, 1 removed
As prescribed in 14.201-6(p)(1), insert the following provision:
As prescribed in 14.207(k)(1), insert the following provision:
3 added, 3 removed
(a)
(a) Descriptive literature, as used in this provision, means information furnished by a bidder, such as cuts, illustrations, drawings, and brochures, that shows a product's characteristics or construction or explains its operation. The term includes only that information required to evaluate the acceptability of the product and excludes other information for operating or maintaining the product.
(a)
(a) "Descriptive literature," as used in this provision, means information furnished by a bidder, such as cuts, illustrations, drawings, and brochures, that shows a product’s characteristics or construction or explains its operation. The term includes only that information required to evaluate the acceptability of the product and excludes other information for operating or maintaining the product.
1 added, 1 removed
Alternate I (JAN 2017). As prescribed in 14.201-6(p)(2), add the following paragraphs (f) and (g) to the basic provision:
Alternate I (Jan 2017). As prescribed in 14.207(k)(2), add the following paragraphs (f) and (g) to the basic provision:
1 added
Prior contract number
Prior contract number ____________
1 added
Date of prior contract
Date of prior contract ____________
2 added
Line item number of product
Line item number of product supplied ______
12 added, 1 removed
supplied
Name and address of Government activity to which delivery was made ___________________________
6 added, 9 removed
Name and address of Government activity to which delivery was made
Date of final delivery of product supplied ____________
6 removed
Date of final delivery product supplied
15 removed
[67 FR 13056, Mar. 20, 2002, as amended at 82 FR 4715, Jan. 13, 2017]

Prescription

Substantive changes. The RFO prescription differs materially from the eCFR prescription.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.214-21 Descriptive Literature.: Prescription
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
1 added, 2 removed
(p)
(p) (1) Insert the provision at 52.214-21, Descriptive Literature, in invitations for bids if-
(p)
(1) Insert the provision at 52.214-21, Descriptive Literature, in invitations for bids if—
15 removed
(i)
(i) Descriptive literature is required to evaluate the technical acceptability of an offered product; and
(i)
15 removed
(ii)
(ii) The required information will not be readily available unless it is submitted by bidders.
(ii)
41 removed
(2)
(2) Use the basic clause with its Alternate I if the possibility exists that the contracting officer may waive the requirement for furnishing descriptive literature for a bidder offering a previously supplied product that meets specification requirements of the current solicitation.
(2)
10 removed
(3)
(3) See 14.202-5(d)(2) regarding waiving the requirement for all bidders.
(3)

Source: acquisition.gov RFO Part 52 · Prescribing Part 14

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