J&A — Justification & Approval (Sole-Source)
Also known as: J&A, sole-source justification
What It Is
A Justification and Approval (J&A) is the written justification, required by FAR 6.303 and approved at a level that rises with dollar value, that authorizes contracting without providing for full and open competition. When an agency intends to award on a sole-source basis — to a single firm — it must document why (for example, only one responsible source, an unusual and compelling urgency, or a statutory authority) and, in most cases, publicize the justification. For SDVOSBs this connects to FAR 19.1406, which permits SDVOSB sole-source awards under specific conditions and dollar thresholds; an SDVOSB sole-source above the threshold is supported by a J&A. On SAM.gov these appear under the 'Justification' notice type, and an 'Intent to Sole Source' notice may precede an award.
When You See It
- When an agency plans to award without full and open competition — most relevant to SDVOSBs as an SDVOSB sole-source award.
- On SAM.gov under the 'Justification' notice type, or as an 'Intent to Sole Source' / pre-award notice.
- On SDVOSB sole-source awards above the simplified acquisition threshold, where FAR 19.1406 conditions and a J&A apply.
Key Features
| Feature | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Justifies other-than-full-and-open | FAR 6.303 requires a written, approved justification before contracting without full and open competition, citing the statutory authority and rationale. |
| Approval scales with dollars | Higher-value sole-source actions require approval at progressively senior levels — a control on bypassing competition. |
| SDVOSB sole source (FAR 19.1406) | An SDVOSB may receive a sole-source award when only one SDVOSB can meet the need at a fair price and the value is within the program's thresholds — supported by a J&A above the SAT. |
| Usually publicized | The justification is generally posted (the 'Justification' notice type on SAM.gov), and an intent-to-sole-source notice may precede award. |
What It Means for an SDVOSB
Sole-source is one of the most valuable — and underused — tools available to an SDVOSB. Under FAR 19.1406, a contracting officer may award an SDVOSB sole-source contract when the CO does not have a reasonable expectation that two or more SDVOSBs will submit offers, the award can be made at a fair and reasonable price, and the value is within the statutory thresholds (higher for manufacturing). If you are the clearly capable SDVOSB for a niche requirement, you can proactively make that case to the contracting officer and small-business specialist rather than waiting for a competition. Conversely, if you see an 'Intent to Sole Source' notice you believe you could fulfill, you can respond to demonstrate capability — which may convert the buy into a set-aside competition under the rule of two.
How to Respond
- If you're the target of a sole-source, help the CO build the J&A record — capability, fair pricing, and why only your firm meets the need.
- If you see an 'Intent to Sole Source' you could perform, respond promptly with a capability statement to show another capable SDVOSB exists.
- Confirm the dollar value sits within the SDVOSB sole-source thresholds under FAR 19.1406.
- Engage the small-business specialist early — proactive sole-source pursuit is a legitimate, often-overlooked capture strategy.
Common Pitfalls
- Assuming sole-source means 'no competition possible' — a capability response to an intent notice can trigger a set-aside competition.
- Overlooking the dollar thresholds and conditions in FAR 19.1406 that govern SDVOSB sole-source eligibility.
- Waiting passively for competitions instead of proactively making the sole-source case where you are the clearly capable SDVOSB.
Run the Numbers
Frequently Asked
Can an SDVOSB receive a sole-source contract?
Yes. Under FAR 19.1406, a contracting officer may award a sole-source contract to an SDVOSB when the CO does not have a reasonable expectation that offers would be received from two or more SDVOSBs (so the rule of two isn't met), the anticipated award price is fair and reasonable, and the award value is within the program's statutory thresholds (which are higher for manufacturing requirements). The action is documented with a Justification and Approval when it exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold.
What is a Justification and Approval (J&A)?
A J&A is the written justification required by FAR 6.303 before an agency may contract without providing for full and open competition. It identifies the statutory authority being used, explains why competition is not being provided (for example, only one responsible source or unusual and compelling urgency), and must be approved at a level that increases with the dollar value. For most sole-source actions the justification is also publicized — on SAM.gov it appears under the 'Justification' notice type.
Primary Sources
- FAR 6.303 — Justifications
- FAR 19.1406 — Sole source awards to SDVOSB concerns
- SAM.gov — Contract Opportunities
Plain-English reference, not legal advice. How a notice or solicitation is structured, and which procedures apply, is set by the specific posting, and the FAR is periodically amended — always read the actual notice and solicitation in SAM.gov and confirm its terms with the contracting officer before relying on this.
Change log (1)
- LaunchedPublished the federal solicitation & notice types reference covering the notice and solicitation types an SDVOSB encounters on SAM.gov — the Sources Sought notice, RFI, presolicitation and special notices, the Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quotation (RFQ), Invitation for Bid (IFB), the combined synopsis/solicitation, the Broad Agency Announcement, the sole-source Justification, and the award notice — each with a key-features table, a how-to-respond checklist, common pitfalls, an SDVOSB-specific angle, FAQPage, Article, Dataset, and BreadcrumbList structured data, primary-source FAR citations, and cross-links into the glossary, forms reference, clauses, contract types, how-to guides, FAQ, and the set-aside eligibility, win-probability, and price-to-win calculators.