For 2026 the micro-purchase threshold was raised from $10,000 to $15,000 to keep up with inflation. For people new to defense contracting micro-purchases side-step many of the FAR regulations.
– The Government-wide commercial purchase card shall be the preferred method to purchase and to pay for micro-purchases
– Micro-purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotations if the contracting officer or individual considers the price to be reasonable.
– The administrative cost of verifying the reasonableness of the price for purchases may more than offset potential savings from detecting instances of overpricing.
– Micro-purchases do not require provisions or clauses, except as provided at 13.202 and 32.1110.
– End user agreements for licenses, software, and subscription services might not be enforceable.
With an increased focus on Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) items at DOD, it is likely we will see more transactions that are below the micro-purchase threshold. If your products can be purchased via credit card this is where building relationships with potential end users will bear more fruit than scraping through DIBBS.
Another threshold that is worth mentioning is justifications for other than full and open competition (FAR 6.304). Now any transaction under $900,000 can be certified sole-source by the contracting officer without requiring higher approval or a formal J&A.
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