What this form is
Official title: Award/Contract
Current edition: Standard Form 26 (REV. 12/2022)
Prescribed by: GSA — FAR 53.214(a); award form for sealed bids (FAR 14.408-1) and usable for negotiated awards (FAR 15.509). Not for commercial acquisitions — those award on the SF 1449 (FAR 12.204).
Official download: https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/SF26-22.pdf
The banner printed between blocks 16 and 17 is the key: CONTRACTING OFFICER WILL COMPLETE ITEM 17 (SEALED-BID OR NEGOTIATED PROCUREMENT) OR 18 (SEALED-BID PROCUREMENT) AS APPLICABLE
.
The blocks, one by one
| Block | Label on the form | Who fills it in, and with what |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DPAS RATED ORDER checkbox + RATING (+ PAGE OF PAGES) | Government |
| 2 | CONTRACT (Procurement, Instruction, Identification) NUMBER | Government |
| 3 | EFFECTIVE DATE | Government |
| 4 | REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQUEST/PROJECT NUMBER | Government |
| 5/6 | ISSUED BY / ADMINISTERED BY (If other than Item 5) | Government |
| 7 | NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR (+ CODE, FACILITY CODE) | Government — the awardee |
| 8 | DELIVERY — FOB ORIGIN / OTHER (See below) | Government |
| 9 | DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT | Government — carried from the accepted offer |
| 10 | SUBMIT INVOICES (4 copies unless otherwise specified) TO THE ADDRESS SHOWN IN ___ ITEM | Government — note which item number it points at; that's where invoices go |
| 11/12 | SHIP TO/MARK FOR / PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY | Government |
| 13 | AUTHORITY FOR USING OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION — 10 U.S.C. 3204(a) / 41 U.S.C. 3304(a) | Government |
| 14 | ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA | Government |
| 15A–15G | ITEM NUMBER / SUPPLIES/SERVICES / QUANTITY / UNIT / UNIT PRICE / AMOUNT / TOTAL AMOUNT OF CONTRACT | Government — the awarded line items |
| 16 | TABLE OF CONTENTS — the same UCF Sections A–M as the SF 33 | Government |
| 17 | CONTRACTOR'S NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT (Contractor is required to sign this document and return ___ copies to issuing office.) — rights and obligations governed by (a) this award/contract, (b) the solicitation, and (c) the attached/incorporated provisions, representations, certifications, and specifications | Government checks it; Contractor signs — bilateral execution |
| 18 | SEALED-BID AWARD (Contractor is not required to sign this document.) — "Your bid on Solicitation Number ___ … is hereby accepted…" (Block 18 should be checked only when awarding a sealed-bid contract.) | Government — unilateral acceptance of a sealed bid |
| 19A/B/C | NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER / NAME OF CONTRACTOR — BY (signature) / DATE | Contractor — only when block 17 applies |
| 20A/B/C | NAME OF CONTRACTING OFFICER / UNITED STATES OF AMERICA — BY / DATE | Government |
Common mistakes
- Using block 18 outside sealed bidding. The form's own parenthetical limits block 18 to sealed-bid awards; a negotiated award runs through block 17 with the contractor's signature.
- Signature-order stalls on block 17 awards: the contractor signs and returns the copies first, then the CO executes. Waiting for a government-signed copy before signing delays your own award. (Ordering convention is standard practice.)
- Awarding commercial buys on an SF 26. FAR 12.204 directs the SF 1449 for commercial products and services.
FAQ
Do I sign an SF 26 award?
Only if block 17 (Contractor's Negotiated Agreement) is checked — then you sign and return the stated number of copies. Block 18 sealed-bid awards need no contractor signature.
What documents govern an SF 26 block 17 contract?
Per the block's own text: (a) the award/contract, (b) the solicitation, and (c) the provisions, representations, certifications, and specifications attached or incorporated by reference.