The FAR and Beyond | Beyond Episode 47: The Foundation of Advice: Mastering Contract Research in an Evolving Landscape

In this episode, we discuss navigating the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul (RFO) using updated tools on acquisition.gov, including practitioner albums for change summaries and the new FAR Companion. The panel outlines how to locate agency-specific supplements like the AFARS and DFARS, while providing strategies for researching primary sources such as National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs) and GAO case law. Finally, the episode introduces the newly renamed Acquisition Attorney’s Deskbook and explores the evolving role of closed and open AI tools in conducting streamlined legal analysis. Resources Links Deskbooks: Attorney’s Acquisition Deskbook: tjaglcs.army.mil/publications Fiscal Law Deskbook: tjaglcs.army.mil/publications Primary Sources: FAR: www.acquisition.gov/ RFO: www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul RFO Practitioner Albums: www.acquisition.gov/far-overhaul/practitioner albums FAR Companion: www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/page_file_uploads/far-companion.pdf AFARS Link: www.army.mil/armycontracting#org-afars DFARS: www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/dfarspgi/current/index.html and https://www.acq.osd.mil/dpap/dars/dfars_far_overhaul_class_deviations.html U.S. Code and Statutes: uscode.house.gov/ Congress: www.congress.gov/ DoD History & Library Directorate: whs mil.libguides.com/dodappropriationslaws GAO: www.gao.gov/legal/bid-protests/search Court of Federal Claims (COFC): www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/ Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA): www.asbca.mil/ Secondary Sources: Congressional Research Reports: www.congress.gov/quick-search/crs products?qs_expand=true WIFCON.com: www.wifcon.com Small Gov Con: www.smallgov.com StanHinton: www.stanhinton.com Learn more about The Quill & Sword series of podcasts by visiting our podcast page at https://tjaglcs.army.mil/thequillandsword. The Quill & Sword show includes featured episodes from across the JAGC, plus all episodes from our four separate shows: “Criminal Law Department Presents” (Criminal Law Department), “NSL Unscripted” (National Security Law Department), “The FAR and Beyond” (Contract & Fiscal Law Department) and “Hold My Reg” (Administrative & Civil Law Department).