What is debarment?
Debarment is a fixed-term federal exclusion — generally not exceeding three years — that bars a party from new government awards, imposed for cause under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. It differs from suspension, a temporary bar pending investigation or legal proceedings. Both actions are published government-wide in SAM.gov and tagged by exclusion type.
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Full name: Federal Suspension and Debarment
Short explanation
Suspension and debarment are the two federal actions that exclude a party from new government awards. A suspension is a temporary bar, generally pending an investigation or legal proceeding; a debarment is a fixed-term exclusion, typically not exceeding three years, imposed for cause under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Both are published government-wide in SAM.gov and tagged by exclusion type.
Related study: Federal debarment scorecard
How it’s used
- FAR Subpart 9.4: the regulation sets the grounds and procedures for suspension (temporary, pending action) and debarment (fixed-term, for cause).
- SAM.gov Exclusions: suspensions and debarments are both published in the GSA registry, each tagged with an exclusion type and dates.
- Fonteum reads the exclusion type on each SAM.gov record, so a roster or vendor scan can tell a temporary suspension apart from a multi-year debarment.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between suspension and debarment?
- A suspension is a temporary exclusion, usually pending an investigation or legal proceeding. A debarment is a fixed-term exclusion, generally not exceeding three years, imposed for cause after a formal process.
- How long does a debarment last?
- A debarment is set for a fixed period, generally not to exceed three years, though the excluding agency can extend or shorten it based on the circumstances.
- Where are suspensions and debarments published?
- Federal suspensions and debarments are published government-wide in SAM.gov, the System for Award Management maintained by the GSA.
Explore in Fonteum
How Fonteum sources, resolves, and publishes data tied to this term.