Which of the following is NOT included in FAR Part 17's special contracting methods?

FAR Part 17 outlines various special contracting methods primarily aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of federal procurement. Among the methods enumerated in this part, multi-year contracting and options are explicitly mentioned. Multi-year contracting is designed to provide more reliable and cost-effective procurement for the government by allowing contracts to be awarded for multiple years rather than annually, while options give agencies the ability to extend contracts under certain conditions.

Leader company contracting is also a recognized approach in the FAR, typically involving a lead contractor with an arrangement to manage multiple subcontractors or partners for accomplishing project objectives.

Cost-plus contracting, however, is not categorized under the special contracting methods defined in FAR Part 17. Instead, it falls under a different section of the Federal Acquisition Regulation as a method for financing contracts, where the government agrees to pay the contractor for allowable costs incurred plus a specified fee. This method doesn’t encapsulate the special operational strategies intended in FAR Part 17.

Thus, among the options listed, cost-plus contracting is the one not incorporated into the unique methods described in FAR Part 17.