--- title: "DeepSeek Ban: What the FASCSA Order Means for Agencies and Contractors - Rohirrim" url: https://rohirrim.ai/blog/deepseek-ban-fascsa-order/ description: "The DeepSeek ban reaches beyond the chatbot to any product built on DeepSeek. What the FASCSA order means for federal agencies and their contractors." --- [Unified **Respond** ™ GrowthEngine | The First End-to-End Agentic System for Growth Teams Learn More](https://rohirrim.ai/growthengine/) [![logo](https://rohirrim.ai/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/logo.svg)](https://rohirrim.ai) Blog # DeepSeek Ban: What the FASCSA Order Means for Agencies and Contractors Federal civilian agencies can no longer buy or run DeepSeek. On October 20, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security [published an exclusion and removal order](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/us-orders-federal-agencies-to-remove-chinas-deepseek-ai-from-their-systems/) under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018 (FASCSA). The order bars DeepSeek products from civilian agency procurement and requires agencies to remove the ones already on their systems. It is dated July 24, 2026. [Puck reports](https://puck.news/ai/2026/10/is-trumps-deepseek-ban-about-national-security-or-politics) that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a matching order the same day and that the Department of Defense acted in September. Citing the Congressional Research Service, Puck says this is the first time all three have acted against the same vendor. The DeepSeek ban also extends past DeepSeek’s own app and API to third-party products and services built with DeepSeek technology. That provision is the one acquisition teams on both sides of the transaction should read closely. ## **What did Puck report about the DeepSeek ban?** In [“DeepSeek and Destroy,”](https://puck.news/ai/2026/10/is-trumps-deepseek-ban-about-national-security-or-politics) Puck’s Ian Krietzberg examines whether the orders address the security risks they describe. His reporting finds broad agreement across both parties that the federal government should limit its reliance on Chinese AI. The orders follow bans on state devices in Texas and New York, as well as a 2025 House bill from Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood that would bar DeepSeek from federal devices. Sources in the story questioned how agencies will trace and enforce the provision covering products made with DeepSeek. Several, including [Rohirrim CEO and founder Steven Aberle](https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-aberle/) , agreed that the national security concerns hold up, at least in part. Aberle told Puck the orders were “no surprise to most of us who are in the know.” ## **Why was the federal DeepSeek ban expected?** Federal restrictions on DeepSeek have been building for nearly two years: - **January 2025:** The Defense Information Systems Agency blocked DeepSeek on Pentagon networks, the Navy barred service members from using it, NASA cut off access, and Texas banned it on state government systems. - **Early 2025:** Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood introduced a bill to bar DeepSeek from federal devices. - **July 24, 2026:** DHS issued its FASCSA order covering federal civilian agencies. - **September 2026:** The Department of Defense issued its own order, according to Puck. - **October 20, 2026:** DHS published its order in the Federal Register. DHS pointed to the risk that the Chinese government could reach sensitive government data through DeepSeek’s infrastructure. Federal agencies should not carry that exposure inside their own systems. ## **What does a FASCSA order mean for agencies and contractors?** A FASCSA order applies to the full supply chain behind a product. Under the 2018 law, the Federal Acquisition Security Council recommends exclusion and removal orders, and three officials can issue them: the Secretary of Homeland Security for civilian agencies, the Secretary of Defense for defense and national security systems, and the Director of National Intelligence for the intelligence community. The council’s implementing rule allows these orders to reach prime contractors and subcontractors. Three FASCSA orders now cover DeepSeek: | **Issuing official** | **What the order covers** | **When** | | --- | --- | --- | | Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) | Federal civilian agencies | [Signed July 24, 2026; published October 20, 2026](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/20/us-orders-federal-agencies-to-remove-chinas-deepseek-ai-from-their-systems/) | | Secretary of Defense (DoD) | Defense and national security systems | September 2026, [according to Puck](https://puck.news/ai/2026/10/is-trumps-deepseek-ban-about-national-security-or-politics) | | Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) | The intelligence community | Same day as the DHS order, [according to Puck](https://puck.news/ai/2026/10/is-trumps-deepseek-ban-about-national-security-or-politics) | The third-party provision is where most of the compliance work sits. An agency that never installed the DeepSeek app may still run a tool that calls a DeepSeek model in the background. A contractor that never chose DeepSeek may have picked it up through a subcontractor, a software library, or an open-weights model built on DeepSeek’s work. ### **What agencies should do now?** - Inventory the AI-enabled tools already in use and confirm which models each one runs on. - Add model provenance questions to market research and to solicitations for AI capabilities. - Bring questions about scope and exceptions to CISA’s FASCSA order implementation team. ### **What contractors should do now?** - Document every model in your offering, including models used by subcontractors and embedded components. - Prepare to answer model provenance questions in proposals and contract reviews. - Keep an approved alternative ready for any component that a current or future order could cover. Several people Puck interviewed expect scrutiny to extend past DeepSeek. Contractors that can [document a clean model supply chain](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/government-contractor-falls-out-of-compliance/) today will answer those questions faster when the next order arrives. ## **Where does secure government AI go from here?** [AI security now shapes acquisition decisions](https://rohirrim.ai/insights/after-amac-the-new-bar-for-ai-in-federal-acquisition/) . Buyers want to know where a model came from, where their data goes, and who can reach it. Sellers need those answers ready before the question appears in a solicitation. Rohirrim built the [Unified Acquisition Platform™](https://rohirrim.ai/unified-acquisition-platform/) for that standard. [UnifiedAcquire™](https://rohirrim.ai/unifiedacquire/) serves government and commercial buyers, and [UnifiedRespond™](https://rohirrim.ai/unifiedrespond/) serves proposal and capture teams. Both run on single-tenant private architecture, with support for CMMC-compliant deployments and DoD IL5 environments on Azure Government Cloud. Rohirrim does not use DeepSeek models or components anywhere in its platform. Acquisition has to move at the speed of need. The AI behind it has to be trusted at every layer. ## **Frequently asked questions** **Is DeepSeek banned in the United States?** DeepSeek is banned across federal civilian agencies under a DHS order published October 20, 2026, and the Department of Defense and the intelligence community have their own restrictions. The order does not apply to private companies or individual users. Several states also prohibit DeepSeek on government devices and networks. **What is a FASCSA order?** A FASCSA order is an exclusion or removal order issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act of 2018. It bars a vendor’s products from federal procurement, requires agencies to remove existing deployments, or both. The Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National Intelligence can each issue one. **Does the DeepSeek ban apply to government contractors?** Yes. The DHS order covers third-party products and services developed using DeepSeek, and FASCSA orders can reach prime contractors and subcontractors. Contractors selling AI-enabled products to civilian agencies should confirm that no DeepSeek model or component sits anywhere in their offering, including inside subcontracted work. **Why did the US ban DeepSeek?** DHS cited the risk that the Chinese government could access sensitive U.S. government data through DeepSeek’s infrastructure, and the possibility that its models contain malware or other security vulnerabilities. The order was issued under the Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act, which lets federal officials bar risky technology from government systems. **Can federal agencies get an exception to the DeepSeek ban?** Yes. Agencies can request an exception within 60 days of the order’s issuance by submitting a written justification and proposed risk mitigations. CISA reviews each request and approves or denies it in writing. CISA also offers technical help to agencies that cannot remove covered products on their own. **See how the Unified Acquisition Platform keeps acquisition AI secure for buyers and sellers.** [**Request a demo**](https://rohirrim.ai/connect/) **.** ### More Posts [What Happens When a Government Contractor Falls Out of Contract Compliance](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/government-contractor-falls-out-of-compliance/) [Read More](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/government-contractor-falls-out-of-compliance/) [How FAR and DFARS Work Together for Defense Contractors](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/far-vs-dfars-defense-contractors/) [Read More](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/far-vs-dfars-defense-contractors/) [Welcoming Jenny Webb to Rohirrim](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/welcoming-jenny-webb-to-rohirrim/) [Read More](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/welcoming-jenny-webb-to-rohirrim/) ![horse](https://rohirrim.ai/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/horse.svg) **Rohirrim Inc.** Rewriting the Architecture of Modern Acquisitions. #### Platforms [Overview](https://rohirrim.ai/unified-acquisition-platform/) [UnifiedAcquire™](https://rohirrim.ai/unifiedacquire/) [UnifiedRespond™](https://rohirrim.ai/unifiedrespond/) #### Solutions [Overview](https://rohirrim.ai/solutions/) [Government Contracts](https://rohirrim.ai/government-contractors/) [Government Agencies](https://rohirrim.ai/government-agencies/) [Global Fortune 500](https://rohirrim.ai/global-fortune-500/) [Healthcare Companies](https://rohirrim.ai/healthcare-companies/) #### Company [Our Story](https://rohirrim.ai/about/) [Our Mission](https://rohirrim.ai/mission/) [Our Team](https://rohirrim.ai/about/#team) [Contact Us](https://rohirrim.ai/contact/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/rohirrim/) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@rohirrim-ai) [Listed on AI Directories](https://www.aidirectori.es) #### Resources [Blog](https://rohirrim.ai/blog/) [Case Studies](https://rohirrim.ai/case-studies/) [Newsroom](https://rohirrim.ai/news/) [FedRAMP](https://rohirrim.ai/fedramp/) [Awards](https://rohirrim.ai/awards/) [Careers](https://rohirrim.ai/careers/) © 2026 ROHIRRIM | All rights reserved. | 8180 Greensboro Drive • Suite 650 McLean, VA [Privacy Policy](https://rohirrim.ai/privacy-policy/) [Contact](mailto:contact@rohirrim.ai)