Instead of posting a separate SF 24 on every federal supply or service bid, a contractor can furnish one Standard Form 34 that covers all bids submitted to a named agency during a Government fiscal year ending September 30. The penal sum on the face must be enough to indemnify the Government if the bidder defaults after acceptance.
| Title / common name | SF 34 — Annual Bid Bond (Standard Form 34), the federal annual bid bond for supply and service solicitations Authorized for use in the acquisition of supplies and services, excluding construction, in lieu of SF 24 (Bid Bond). |
|---|---|
| Bond type | Contract — annual bid bond (non-construction federal solicitations) |
| Industry / license category | Federal supply and service contracting / contract surety |
| Jurisdiction | United States (federal) · General Services Administration (GSA) forms library / Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Prescribed by FAR (48 CFR) 53.228(f). FAR 28.106-1(f) lists SF 34; FAR 28.001 defines an annual bid bond as a single bond that secures all bids (other than construction) requiring bonds submitted during a specific Government fiscal year. |
| Obligee | United States of America (“the Government”) The bond reads: “We, the Principal and Surety(ies), are firmly bound to the United States of America (hereinafter called the Government) in the penal sum or sums that is sufficient to indemnify the Government in case of the default of the Principal as provided herein.” The face also names the agency to which bids are to be submitted. |
| Typical penal sum | Stated on the face of the bond (Million(s) / Thousand(s) / Hundred(s) / Cent(s) blanks) The obligation is for a penal sum “sufficient to indemnify the Government” if the principal defaults on a covered bid. Confirm the amount the agency requires before execution. |
| When it is used | In lieu of a separate SF 24 for each bid to a named agency during one fiscal year The principal contemplates submitting bids from time to time during the fiscal year ending September 30 (year blank on the face) to the named department or agency for furnishing supplies or services. All of those bids submitted for opening during that fiscal year are covered by this single bond. |
| What voids the bond | Execution of the contract documents and required bonds on acceptance, or payment of the Government’s excess reprocurement cost The obligation is void if the principal (a) upon Government acceptance of any such bid within the acceptance period (sixty (60) days if none is specified) executes the further contractual documents and gives the bond(s) required by the accepted bid within the time specified (ten (10) days if none is specified) after receipt of forms; or (b) if it fails to do so, pays the Government for any cost of acquiring the work which exceeds the amount of the bid. |
| Sureties | Corporate sureties on the Treasury list (Circular 570) within their listed limits, or individual sureties with SF 28 Instruction 3(a): corporations executing as sureties must appear on the Department of the Treasury’s list of approved sureties and act within the limitations listed therein. Individual sureties must accompany the bond with a completed Affidavit of Individual Surety (SF 28). |
| Companion form | SF 35 — Annual Performance Bond When the same contractor wants annual performance coverage for supply and service awards with that agency, FAR pairs the annual bid bond with SF 35. Per-bid / per-contract coverage remains SF 24 and SF 25. |
| Form number / edition | SF 34 · Rev. 10/2023 · 3 pages (form, surety blocks, instructions / PRA) GSA lists the current revision date as 10/2023 (checked 2026-11-06); the form says “Previous Edition Is Not Usable”. FAR 53.228(f) text still cites the older Rev. 8/2016, so use the GSA library copy. OMB Control Number 9000-0001; Expiration Date 1/31/2027. |
| Effective / cancellation | Covers bids submitted for opening during the named fiscal year ending September 30 The form has no surety cancellation clause. Coverage is scoped to the fiscal year and agency named on the face; each accepted bid is discharged under the void conditions above. |
| Source | GSA — SF 34 Annual Bid Bond (PDF) (official federal form · Rev. 10/2023 · 3 pages · linked, not hosted) Also: GSA Forms Library — SF34 · FAR 53.228 · FAR 28.106-1 · FAR 28.001 |
| Status | current |
| Last verified | 2026-11-06 |
From SF 34: “The above obligation is void and of no effect if the Principal - (a) upon acceptance by the Government of any such bid within the period specified therein for acceptance (sixty (60) days if no period is specified), executes the further contractual documents and gives the bond(s) required by the terms of the bid as accepted…; or (b) in the event of failure to execute the further contractual documents and give the bond(s), pays the Government for any cost of acquiring the work which exceeds the amount of the bid.”
Use SF 34 when the agency will accept one annual bid bond for a fiscal year of supply and service solicitations. Construction bids and any bid that still calls for a separate instrument stay on SF 24. The annual performance companion is SF 35; per-contract non-construction performance and payment are SF 1418 and SF 1416. Our Surety 101 guide covers the basic bid-bond mechanic.
Because one penal sum can cover many solicitations, sureties treat the annual figure as a shared underwriting limit. Confirm the agency’s required amount and the Circular 570 capacity before execution. The contract surety guide and co-surety and penal sums on megaprojects explain how capacity and co-surety splits are managed on larger federal programs.
Open the Source link above for the official GSA PDF. We summarize field facts and quote one short key clause rather than reproducing the form. Use the current form from the GSA Forms Library; Global Guarantors does not host copies.