Purchases made by the Federal Government must comply with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) , which governs all Federal acquisitions. There are a variety of different ways that agencies can comply with these regulations and a variety of contract types to match.
Cost. Depending on type, manufacturer and quantity, as a general guide assume that passive RFID tags are going to cost $1 to $3 for HF tags, and 50c to $6 for UHF tags. This compares to prices in the range $5 to $30 each for Active RFID tags.(Prices are changing rapidly, these are rough numbers as a general guide). Passive UHF RFID tag can typically be read at a range of 5 metres. This compares well against LF and HF tags. For LF tags, range can be less than an inch. for HF tags, range can be to a twelve inches. For UHF tags, range can be up to twenty feet.
In 2014, the world RFID market is worth US$8.89 billion, up from US$7.77 billion in 2013 and US$6.96 billion in 2012. This includes tags, readers, and software/services for RFID cards, labels, fobs, and all other form factors. The market value is expected to rise to US$18.68 billion by 2026.