Subscription as a service

Does FAR Part 37 and its definition of service contract help?

You haven't specified what you read in the FAR before, so it's hard for me to suggest where you might locate that information.  If you're talking, generally, about a description of what a service contract is, I suggest starting at the "Service contract" definition in FAR 37.101.

slthomas527 said:

I am working on a requirement to procure a subscription as a service. The subscription provides advisory seats as well as ability to request research support from their in-house analyst and time to discuss their research findings. With the ability to reach out an obtain help from the contractors support team, I am under the impression that this requirement should be treated as a service. I know I have read this before in the FAR, but cannot locate the information. Do anyone know where I can find information to support this.

It is unclear to me what you are actually contracting for, but it sounds like advisory and assistance services. Nonetheless, you asked about subscriptions and may find this previous thread illuminating:

I deal with the Product or Service issue often in the context of contractually supporting a large scientific library used by our agency.  A library that has lots of varying contractual agreements for data, publications, research support, etc.  Some are product, some are service.  However, most are subscriptions with PSC Code D317.  The answer depends on the specifics, of course.  But generally speaking...

Outside of FAR, look at commercial billing practices.  Is it FFP (probably product) or usage-based, like Labor Hour (probably service)?   Pay in full at time of purchase (probably product) or in arrears (probably service).

slthomas527 said:

I am under the impression that this requirement should be treated as a service. I know I have read this before in the FAR....

@slthomas527  It might be appropriate to treat a subscription as a service, but you haven't read that in the FAR.