An approved source is a manufacturer that the Defense Logistics Agency has recorded as cleared to supply a specific National Stock Number (NSN), identified by its CAGE code and part number. When a DIBBS item is marked approved source only, DLA accepts quotes only for that manufacturer's product. To find it, read the approved CAGE codes and part numbers listed in the DIBBS solicitation, identify the manufacturer from the CAGE code, and ask the manufacturer for its authorized distributors.
How Common the Restriction Is
Approved-source restrictions are the norm on DLA buys. In an analysis of open DIBBS solicitations in September 2026, about 72% of the parts were restricted to approved sources and about 24% were openly competable, and roughly a quarter had a single approved supplier (CLEATUS, vendor analysis). A reseller that sources a DIBBS line from the cheapest supplier, without checking the approved-source list, prices a product DLA will not accept.
How It Works
Read the acquisition method suffix code. The code, defined in DFARS PGI 217.7506, says whether the part can be bought competitively.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| B | Source controlled: approved sources only |
| C | Source restricted: design controlled, qualified sources only |
| D | Buy by CAGE code and part number |
| G | Government has complete data: openly competable |
| T | Qualified products list applies |
Find the source. The DIBBS request for quotation lists the approved sources by CAGE code and part number. DLA's public logistics information service also shows an NSN's approved CAGE codes and part numbers.
Document the chain. DLA Procurement Note C03 requires a vendor that is not an authorized distributor, and has no stock, to hold a verifiable quote or item authorization letter from the approved source or its authorized distributor, on letterhead, with the part number. Traceability records must name the manufacturer, its CAGE code and every intermediary, and be kept for six years after final payment.
The full sourcing process for approved-source parts is in DIBBS approved sources: how to find who can supply an NSN.
FAQ
Can I offer an equivalent part on an approved-source item?
Not as a substitute on that line. A manufacturer that wants its part accepted must become an approved source through a Source Approval Request, which applies to items coded AMSC B, C or D.
What if there is only one approved source?
Check whether it sells through distributors. If it quotes DLA directly and has no distribution, a reseller's price includes a margin on top of a competitor's direct price, and the line is usually not worth pursuing.
What is QSLD?
The Qualified Suppliers List of Distributors, run by DLA Land and Maritime for some supply classes. Listed distributors may select the dealer option on DIBBS for qualified product only when full traceability is available.
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