The FAR sets the procedures, forms, and standard clauses that show up in almost every federal solicitation and contract. Agencies also layer their own supplements on top of it (the Defense Department's version is the DFARS), so a clause number can point to either one. You will not read the FAR cover to cover; you will meet it one cited clause at a time, and looking up the number beats guessing what it means.

In a sentence

"This acquisition is subject to FAR 52.219-14, Limitations on Subcontracting." Each FAR citation points to one specific rule you can look up by number, so treat the clause list in a solicitation as a checklist, not decoration.