Key Takeaways
- Historic Deregulation: The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) cuts decades of bureaucratic red tape, eliminating one-third of non-essential contracting requirements.
- Boost for Small Business: Streamlined rules open the door for small businesses and innovators who’ve long been sidelined by Washington’s outdated procurement maze.
- Taxpayer Wins: By retiring obsolete rules and consolidating contracts, agencies can deliver faster, cheaper, and more accountable results—saving taxpayers money while improving government performance.
The Trump Administration is once again cutting through Washington’s bureaucratic cobwebs—this time taking aim at the outdated Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). On Monday, the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) announced the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO), a sweeping modernization effort that promises the most significant reform of federal buying rules in over 40 years.
At its core, this reform is about one thing: restoring common sense to government purchasing. Agencies will now be able to strip out nearly a third of contract requirements that were never mandated by law or executive order—dead weight that has long slowed down procurement, discouraged competition, and wasted taxpayer money.
“The old rules were built for paperwork; the new rules are built for performance,” said Dr. Kevin Rhodes, senior advisor to OMB Director Russell Vought. “With each deviation, we’re clearing out red tape and making space for better value, timely delivery, and more robust competition.”
The overhaul is particularly good news for small businesses and entrepreneurs who have traditionally been boxed out of federal contracting. By slashing duplicative approvals, retiring archaic FAR sections, and introducing tools like the FAR Companion Guide and Practitioner’s Albums, the administration is making it far easier for innovators to bring their solutions to government markets.
Just as importantly, the plan consolidates policies into one streamlined structure, creates government-wide “Best in Class” contracts for efficiency, and reduces outdated burdens like paper-based pricing lists. The result? Agencies can deliver services faster, cheaper, and with accountability—while giving the private sector a fair shot at competing.
For decades, federal procurement has been a poster child for inefficiency. With this move, President Trump’s team is proving once again that conservative principles of deregulation, fiscal discipline, and unleashing the power of private enterprise work—not just on Main Street, but in the federal marketplace too.
The message is clear: America doesn’t need more red tape. It needs results. And thanks to this reform, taxpayers might finally get what they’ve been paying for.