BLUF: The FAR Council — OFPP, DoD, GSA, and NASA — opened a Paperwork Reduction Act comment period on information-collection changes tied to a proposed overhaul of FAR Parts 16, 17, and 35, published September 23, 2026.

The notice, filed under FAR Case 2026-006 and titled "Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 16, 17, and 35," invites public comment on how a pending proposed rule would change federal contractors' information-collection burden under the FAR's rules for contract types (Part 16), special contracting methods (Part 17), and research and development contracting (Part 35).

Why it matters: A rewrite touching Parts 16, 17, and 35 would reach into how agencies structure contract types — cost-reimbursement versus fixed-price — use special methods such as multi-year contracts, and administer R&D awards, all of which shape how contractors price and structure proposals. Because this notice addresses only the Paperwork Reduction Act burden estimate rather than the substance of the rule itself, it signals the underlying proposed rule is actively moving through the regulatory pipeline. Contractors should locate and review the FAR Case 2026-006 proposed rule directly for the substantive changes; this notice does not itself describe them.

By the numbers:

• FAR Case: 2026-006
• FAR Parts affected: 16, 17, 35
• Publication date: September 23, 2026
• Document type: Notice (Paperwork Reduction Act information collection)
• Issuing bodies: OFPP, DoD, GSA, NASA (FAR Council)

The notice states the FAR Council is inviting comment on the necessity, accuracy, and burden of the information collections tied to the proposed rule, and on ways to minimize that burden through automated collection techniques. The notice does not enact regulatory changes on its own — it addresses only the paperwork burden estimate that must be cleared before a final rule can be issued.

Source: Federal Register