In plain English
FAR 52.211-6, Brand Name or Equal, is a solicitation provision prescribed at FAR 11.107(a), most recently dated Aug 1999. The complete official text is reproduced below, verbatim, from GSA's published FAR source files.
Its text contains no sentence requiring insertion into subcontracts; see the flowdown section below for what that does and does not mean.
Does it flow down to subcontracts?
No flowdown mandate found in the clause text
This is a solicitation provision — it applies to offerors when submitting an offer, not to contract performance, so subcontract flowdown is generally not the operative question for it.
Where it's prescribed
As prescribed in 11.107(a), insert the following provision:
Prescribing reference: FAR 11.107(a).
The official text, verbatim
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)