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FAR 52.214-16 — Minimum Bid Acceptance Period

Solicitation provision · dated Apr 1984 · prescribed in FAR 14.201-6(j) · current through FAC 2026-01

In plain English

FAR 52.214-16, Minimum Bid Acceptance Period, is a solicitation provision prescribed at FAR 14.201-6(j), most recently dated Apr 1984. 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 14.201-6(j), insert the following provision in invitations for bids, except for construction, if the contracting officer determines that a minimum acceptance period must be specified:

Prescribing reference: FAR 14.201-6(j).

The official text, verbatim

FAR 52.214-16 · Apr 1984 current through FAC 2026-01 acquisition.gov eCFR (48 CFR)

As prescribed in 14.201-6(j), insert the following provision in invitations for bids, except for construction, if the contracting officer determines that a minimum acceptance period must be specified:

Minimum Bid Acceptance Period (Apr 1984)

  • (a) "Acceptance period," as used in this provision, means the number of calendar days available to the Government for awarding a contract from the date specified in this solicitation for receipt of bids.

  • (b) This provision supersedes any language pertaining to the acceptance period that may appear elsewhere in this solicitation.

  • (c) The Government requires a minimum acceptance period of __________ calendar days [the Contracting Officer shall insert the number of days].

  • (d) In the space provided immediately below, bidders may specify a longer acceptance period than the Government’s minimum requirement.

    The bidder allows the following acceptance period: __________ calendar days.

  • (e) A bid allowing less than the Government’s minimum acceptance period will be rejected.

  • (f) The bidder agrees to execute all that it has undertaken to do, in compliance with its bid, if that bid is accepted in writing within-

    • (1) The acceptance period stated in paragraph (c) of this clause; or

    • (2) Any longer acceptance period stated in paragraph (d) of this clause.

(End of provision)

The text above is reproduced from GSA's published FAR source files (GSA/GSA-Acquisition-FAR @ da52ccb (2026-03-30)), retrieved 2026-07-17. The official publication at acquisition.gov / eCFR controls if they differ.