Defense Priorities and Allocations System Program (DPAS)

The Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) is used to prioritize national defense-related contracts and orders throughout the U.S. supply chain in order to support military, energy, homeland security, emergency preparedness, and critical infrastructure requirements. The DPAS can also be used to provide military or critical infrastructure assistance to foreign nations.

Under Title I of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (DPA), the President is authorized to require preferential acceptance and performance of contracts or orders (other than contracts of employment) supporting certain approved national defense and energy programs, and to allocate materials, services, and facilities in such a manner as to promote these approved programs. The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is delegated authority, through Executive Order 13603, to implement these priorities and allocations provisions for industrial resources. The Bureau of Industry and Security administers this authority through the DPAS regulation (15 C.F.R. part 700).

Commerce has delegated certain authority to the Departments of Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services, and to the General Services Administration, to place, in accordance with the DPAS regulation and the requirements of the DPA and Executive Order 13603, priority ratings on contracts or orders necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense.

Commerce may also authorize other government agencies, foreign governments, owners and operators of critical infrastructure, or companies to place priority ratings on contracts or orders on a case-by-case basis. Such requests must first be determined as necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense by the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, or Energy in accordance with Executive Order 13603.

This website includes a wide range of DPAS resources, including copies of the DPAS regulation and the form to request Special Priorities Assistance, online DPAS training courses, and links to DPAS information and guidance released by the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Energy.

The DPAS training course listed below is designed to assist any company that receives DPAS rated contracts and orders from the U.S. Government or from U.S. Government contractors. The goal of this course is to provide a basic understanding of the DPAS as well as provide a guide for accepting and performing on DPAS rated contracts and orders.

We hope you will find the content relevant, easy to use, and beneficial as we carry out our mission of supporting military, energy, homeland security, emergency preparedness, and critical infrastructure requirements through the DPAS.

To obtain additional information on the DPAS or to suggest enhancements to this Website, please call Commerce’s DPAS team at 202-482-3634 or email [email protected].

Publication date: 07/22/2024

89 FR 58965

This final rule amends the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) regulation by providing administrative changes to well-established standards and procedures. This rule clarifies existing standards and procedures by which BIS may provide Special Priorities Assistance (SPA); revises Schedule I to provide transparency and differentiation between other departments’ priorities jurisdiction and the Department of Commerce’s jurisdiction; and provides technical edits to reflect certain non-substantive updates since the DPAS regulation was last amended in 2014, including providing updated contact information, legal citations, and definitions. 

The final rule is effective August 21, 2024.

BIS DPAS Final Rule

• DPAS regulation published in the eCFR

• Form BIS-999 (Request for Special Priorities Assistance)

• Department of Commerce - Introduction to the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (2024)

• Department of Commerce - Introduction to Maximizing Domestic Energy Supplies under DPAS (2024)

• Department of Commerce - Introduction to Special Priorities Assistance (2024)

• Department of Commerce - Guidance for Requesting SPA: How to Complete Form BIS-999 (2024)

• Department of Commerce - DPAS Frequently Asked Questions

• Department of Commerce - Example of a Properly Rated Order

• Department of Commerce - Example of a Properly Rated Order with Rated and Unrated Quantities

• Emergency Management Institute – Introduction to the Federal Priorities and Allocations System (IS-245.B)

• Department of Defense, Defense Production Act Title I Office

• Department of Defense Security of Supply Arrangements

• Information on Federal Priorities and Allocations System

• Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Defense Production Act Program

• Materials Allocation and Priority Performance Under Contracts or Orders to Maximize Domestic Energy Supplies Regulation (10 C.F.R. part 216)