{"abstract":"DoD, GSA, and NASA have adopted as final, with changes, the interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 that clarifies that there is no order of precedence among the small business socioeconomic contracting programs. Accordingly, this final rule amends the FAR to clarify the existence of socioeconomic parity and that contracting officers may exercise discretion when determining whether an acquisition will be restricted to small businesses participating in the 8(a) Business Development Program (8(a)), Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) Program, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Program, or the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE","name":"Defense Department","id":103,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/defense-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/103","parent_id":null,"slug":"defense-department"},{"raw_name":"GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION","name":"General Services Administration","id":210,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/general-services-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/210","parent_id":null,"slug":"general-services-administration"},{"raw_name":"NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION","name":"National Aeronautics and Space Administration","id":301,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/301","parent_id":null,"slug":"national-aeronautics-and-space-administration"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2012/03/02/2012-4488.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":13,"title":48},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":19,"title":48}],"citation":"77 FR 12930","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Effective Date: April 2, 2012.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["FAC 2005-56","FAR Case 2011-004","Item IV","Docket 2011-0004, Sequence 1"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2012-4488","effective_on":"2012-04-02","end_page":12933,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2012/03/02/2012-4488.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/03/02/2012-4488/federal-acquisition-regulation-socioeconomic-program-parity","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2012-4488?publication_date=2012-03-02","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2012-03-02/2012-4488/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":4,"page_views":{"count":3550,"last_updated":"2026-09-21 00:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2012-03-02/pdf/2012-4488.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-04488.pdf?1330610036","publication_date":"2012-03-02","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2012/03/02/2012-4488.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"9000-AL88":{"issue":"201110","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/9000-AL88/far-case-2011-004-socioeconomic-program-parity","title":"FAR Case 2011-004, Socioeconomic Program Parity","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201110&RIN=9000-AL88&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["9000-AL88"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2012-04-27T21:47:29Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":12930,"subtype":null,"title":"Federal Acquisition Regulation: Socioeconomic Program Parity","toc_doc":"Socioeconomic Program Parity","toc_subject":"Federal Acquisition Regulation:","topics":["Government procurement"],"type":"Rule","volume":77}