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part52.dev Federal Acquisition Clause Monitor
FAR Clause

52.216-21

Requirements.
View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov
Effective Date
OCT 1995
Active Deviations
Versions
1 (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
52.216-21 Requirements.

As prescribed in 16.506(d), insert the following clause:

Requirements (OCT 1995)

(a) This is a requirements contract for the supplies or services specified, and effective for the period stated, in the Schedule. The quantities of supplies or services specified in the Schedule are estimates only and are not purchased by this contract. Except as this contract may otherwise provide, if the Government's requirements do not result in orders in the quantities described as
estimated
or
maximum
in the Schedule, that fact shall not constitute the basis for an equitable price adjustment.

(b) Delivery or performance shall be made only as authorized by orders issued in accordance with the Ordering clause. Subject to any limitations in the Order Limitations clause or elsewhere in this contract, the Contractor shall furnish to the Government all supplies or services specified in the Schedule and called for by orders issued in accordance with the Ordering clause. The Government may issue orders requiring delivery to multiple destinations or performance at multiple locations.

(c) Except as this contract otherwise provides, the Government shall order from the Contractor all the supplies or services specified in the Schedule that are required to be purchased by the Government activity or activities specified in the Schedule.

(d) The Government is not required to purchase from the Contractor requirements in excess of any limit on total orders under this contract.

(e) If the Government urgently requires delivery of any quantity of an item before the earliest date that delivery may be specified under this contract, and if the Contractor will not accept an order providing for the accelerated delivery, the Government may acquire the urgently required goods or services from another source.

(f) Any order issued during the effective period of this contract and not completed within that period shall be completed by the Contractor within the time specified in the order. The contract shall govern the Contractor's and Government's rights and obligations with respect to that order to the same extent as if the order were completed during the contract's effective period;
provided,
that the Contractor shall not be required to make any deliveries under this contract after __ [
insert date
].

(End of clause)

Alternate I
(APR 1984). If the requirements contract is for nonpersonal services and related supplies and covers estimated requirements that exceed a specific Government activity's internal capability to produce or perform, substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause:

(c) The estimated quantities are not the total requirements of the Government activity specified in the Schedule, but are estimates of requirements in excess of the quantities that the activity may itself furnish within its own capabilities. Except as this contract otherwise provides, the Government shall order from the Contractor all of that activity's requirements for supplies and services specified in the Schedule that exceed the quantities that the activity may itself furnish within its own capabilities.

Alternate II
(APR 1984). If the requirements contract includes subsistence for both Government use and resale in the same Schedule, and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis, add the following paragraph (g) to the basic clause:

(g) The requirements referred to in this contract are for items to be manufactured according to Government specifications. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary stated in the contract, the Government may acquire similar products by brand name from other sources for resale.

Alternate III
(OCT 1995). If the requirements contract involves a partial small business set-aside, substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause:

(c) The Government's requirements for each item or subitem of supplies or services described in the Schedule are being purchased through one non-set-aside contract and one set-aside contract. Therefore, the Government shall order from each Contractor approximately one-half of the total supplies or services specified in the Schedule that are required to be purchased by the specified Government activity or activities. The Government may choose between the set-aside Contractor and the non-set-aside Contractor in placing any particular order. However, the Government shall allocate successive orders, in accordance with its delivery requirements, to maintain as close a ratio as is reasonably practicable between the total quantities ordered from the two Contractors.

Alternate IV
(OCT 1995). If the contract includes subsistence for both Government use and resale in the same Schedule and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis and the contract also involves a partial small business set-aside, substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause and add the following paragraph (g) to the basic clause:

(c) The Government's requirements for each item or subitem of supplies or services described in the Schedule are being purchased through one non-set-aside contract and one set-aside contract. Therefore, the Government shall order from each Contractor approximately one-half of the total supplies or services specified in the Schedule that are required to be purchased by the specified Government activity or activities. The Government may choose between the set-aside Contractor and the non-set-aside Contractor in placing any particular order. However, the Government shall allocate successive orders, in accordance with its delivery requirements, to maintain as close a ratio as is reasonably practicable between the total quantities ordered from the two Contractors.

(g) The requirements referred to in this contract are for items to be manufactured according to the Government specifications. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary stated in the contract, the Government may acquire similar products by brand name from other sources for resale.

[48 FR 42478, Sept. 19, 1983, as amended at 60 FR 48264, Sept. 18, 1995; 60 FR 49727, Sept. 26, 1995]
16.506(d)
(d)
(1) Insert the clause at 52.216-21, Requirements, in solicitations and contracts when a requirements contract is contemplated.

(2) If the contract is for nonpersonal services and related supplies and covers estimated requirements that exceed a specific Government activity's internal capability to produce or perform, use the clause with its Alternate I.

(3) If the contract includes subsistence for both Government use and resale in the same Schedule, and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis, use the clause with its Alternate II (but see paragraph (d)(5) of this section).

(4) If the contract involves a partial small business set-aside, use the clause with its Alternate III (but see paragraph (d)(5) of this section).

(5) If the contract-

(i) Includes subsistence for Government use and resale in the same schedule and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis; and

(ii) Involves a partial small business set-aside, use the clause with its Alternate IV.
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 16.506(d)
(d)
(1) Insert the clause at 52.216-21, Requirements, in solicitations and contracts when a requirements contract is contemplated.

(2) If the contract is for nonpersonal services and related supplies and covers estimated requirements that exceed a specific Government activity's internal capability to produce or perform, use the clause with its Alternate I.

(3) If the contract includes subsistence for both Government use and resale in the same Schedule, and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis, use the clause with its Alternate II (but see paragraph (d)(5) of this section).

(4) If the contract involves a partial small business set-aside, use the clause with its Alternate III (but see paragraph (d)(5) of this section).

(5) If the contract-

(i) Includes subsistence for Government use and resale in the same schedule and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis; and

(ii) Involves a partial small business set-aside, use the clause with its Alternate IV.

View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov

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

Substantive changes. The RFO version differs materially from the eCFR text.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.216-21 Requirements.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
1 added, 1 removed
As prescribed in 16.506(d), insert the following clause:
As prescribed in 16.505(d), insert the following clause:
2 added, 2 removed
Requirements (OCT 1995)
Requirements (DEVIATION dATE)
3 added, 3 removed
(a)
(a) This is a requirements contract for the supplies or services specified, and effective for the period stated, in the Schedule. The quantities of supplies or services specified in the Schedule are estimates only and are not purchased by this contract. Except as this contract may otherwise provide, if the Government's requirements do not result in orders in the quantities described as estimated or maximum in the Schedule, that fact shall not constitute the basis for an equitable price adjustment.
(a)
(a) This is a requirements contract for the supplies or services specified, and effective for the period stated, in the Schedule. The quantities of supplies or services specified in the Schedule are estimates only and are not purchased by this contract. Except as this contract may otherwise provide, if the Government’s requirements do not result in orders in the quantities described as "estimated" or "maximum" in the Schedule, that fact shall not constitute the basis for an equitable price adjustment.
6 added, 6 removed
(f)
(f) Any order issued during the effective period of this contract and not completed within that period shall be completed by the Contractor within the time specified in the order. The contract shall govern the Contractor's and Government's rights and obligations with respect to that order to the same extent as if the order were completed during the contract's effective period; provided, that the Contractor shall not be required to make any deliveries under this contract after __ [insert date].
(f)
(f) Any order issued during the ordering period of this contract and not completed within that period shall be completed by the Contractor within the time specified in the order. The contract shall govern the Contractor’s and Government’s rights and obligations with respect to that order to the same extent as if the order were completed during the contract’s ordering period; provided, that the Contractor shall not be required to make any deliveries under this contract after _________________ [insert date].
18 added, 2 removed
(End of clause)
Alternate I (Apr1984). As prescribed in 16.505(d)(2), substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause:
43 removed
Alternate I (APR 1984). If the requirements contract is for nonpersonal services and related supplies and covers estimated requirements that exceed a specific Government activity's internal capability to produce or perform, substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause:
3 added, 25 removed
Alternate II (APR 1984). If the requirements contract includes subsistence for both Government use and resale in the same Schedule, and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis, add the following paragraph (g) to the basic clause:
Alternate II (Apr 1984). As prescribed in 16.505(d)(3), add the following paragraph (g) to the basic clause:
4 added, 10 removed
Alternate III (OCT 1995). If the requirements contract involves a partial small business set-aside, substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause:
Alternate III (Oct 1995). As prescribed in 16.505(d)(4), substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause:
3 added, 34 removed
Alternate IV (OCT 1995). If the contract includes subsistence for both Government use and resale in the same Schedule and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis and the contract also involves a partial small business set-aside, substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause and add the following paragraph (g) to the basic clause:
Alternate IV (Oct 1995). As prescribed in 16.505(d)(5), substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the basic clause and add the following paragraph (g) to the basic clause:
21 removed
[48 FR 42478, Sept. 19, 1983, as amended at 60 FR 48264, Sept. 18, 1995; 60 FR 49727, Sept. 26, 1995]

Prescription

Substantive changes. The RFO prescription differs materially from the eCFR prescription.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.216-21 Requirements.: Prescription
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
1 removed
(d)
(d) (1) Insert the clause at 52.216-21, Requirements, in solicitations and contracts when a requirements contract is contemplated.
(d)
(1) Insert the clause at 52.216-21, Requirements, in solicitations and contracts when a requirements contract is contemplated.
34 removed
(2)
(2) If the contract is for nonpersonal services and related supplies and covers estimated requirements that exceed a specific Government activity's internal capability to produce or perform, use the clause with its Alternate I.
(2)
40 removed
(3)
(3) If the contract includes subsistence for both Government use and resale in the same Schedule, and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis, use the clause with its Alternate II (but see paragraph (d)(5) of this section).
(3)
24 removed
(4)
(4) If the contract involves a partial small business set-aside, use the clause with its Alternate III (but see paragraph (d)(5) of this section).
(4)
4 removed
(5)
(5) If the contract-
(5)
23 removed
(i)
(i) Includes subsistence for Government use and resale in the same schedule and similar products may be acquired on a brand-name basis; and
(i)
14 removed
(ii)
(ii) Involves a partial small business set-aside, use the clause with its Alternate IV.
(ii)

Source: acquisition.gov RFO Part 52 · Prescribing Part 16

Related Clauses

Referenced by

52.216-19
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