# DoD Clarifies IT Project Manager Requirements

The Department of Defense has clarified that requirements for IT Project and Program Managers on DoD contracts are primarily established through the Performance Work Statement (PWS) or Statement of Work (SOW) and the labor category descriptions within the contract. While FAR and DFARS govern acquisition procedures, they do not specify personnel qualifications. Additional workforce role requirements may come from DoD 8140 mappings or prime contractor preferences, but only those included in the contract are binding. Contractors and candidates should carefully review contract documents to distinguish mandatory qualifications from company preferences to avoid unnecessary certification efforts.

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals must ensure that contract solicitations and awards clearly define personnel qualification requirements within the PWS/SOW and labor categories to avoid ambiguity.
- Contractors should verify whether requested certifications and experience are contractually required or voluntary to optimize staffing and credentialing strategies.
- This clarification helps reduce confusion over compliance with FAR/DFARS versus contract-specific requirements, improving proposal accuracy and contract performance.
- Prime contractors and subcontractors should align their hiring and qualification standards with contract terms to mitigate risk of non-compliance or disputes.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 18, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of Defense (DoD)

### Key Quotes
> Where they actually come from, in descending order of how binding they are: the PWS or SOW and the labor category descriptions in the contract, then DoD workforce qualification requirements, then whatever the prime added in its proposal, then everything a recruiter piled on top.
> — Anonymous commenter

### Sources
- [Who actually determines IT Project/Program Manager requirements on DoD contracts: FAR/DFARS, DoD 8140, the PWS, or the prime?](https://www.reddit.com/r/GovernmentContracting/comments/1wjrly3/who_actually_determines_it_projectprogram_manager) - reddit-governmentcontracting