Federal glossary · Regulation
TINA (Truth in Negotiations Act) — see Truth in Negotiations. Requires certified cost or pricing data for contracts over $2M unless an exception applies (competition, commercial item, etc.).
Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA.
Reference record · Sources: Federal acquisition and regulatory source · Verified Jul 2, 2026 · Covers definition, governing source
Truth in Negotiations Act
Also known as
TINA (Truth in Negotiations Act) — see Truth in Negotiations. Requires certified cost or pricing data for contracts over $2M unless an exception applies (competition, commercial item, etc.).
(Truth in Negotiations Act) is a regulation concept federal contractors and grant writers run into across solicitations, regulations, and award filings
TINA is part of the federal regulatory framework that governs procurement, performance, or compliance. For example: Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA. For contractors, TINA is not just background — it shapes solicitation language, evaluation criteria, source-selection authority, and what counts as compliant performance. Understanding when TINA applies and (more importantly) when it doesn't apply is the difference between a proposal that's competitive within its actual constraint set and one that over-engineers compliance. Contracting officers use TINA as common vocabulary, so reading their decisions, modifications, and source-selection memoranda gets easier when the regulation is in your working memory. Pair TINA with the related terms above to see how it interacts with adjacent regulatory mechanisms.
Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA.
Meaning in practice
TINA is part of the federal rule set that governs procurement, compliance, or program administration.
Where you’ll see it
You will see it in the FAR, DFARS, the Federal Register, clauses, and compliance checklists. Example: Example: FAR Part 15, DFARS, or a statute such as the NDAA..
Common confusion
People often confuse a regulation with agency guidance or with a checklist that merely references the rule.
What to do next
Find the exact citation and confirm whether the page links to a part, clause, or agency interpretation.
No related questions are available yet.
Get notified when usage of TINA changes in contracts or guidance.
Search active federal contracts and solicitations related to TINA on Bureauify.
100M+ government records · 110+ gov/news sources · Sourced from official federal systems
