(a) Executive Order 11755, December 29, 1973, as amended by Executive Order 12608, September 9, 1987, and Executive Order 12943, December 13, 1994, states: “The development of the occupational and educational skills of prison inmates is essential to their rehabilitation and to their ability to make an effective return to free society. Meaningful employment serves to develop those skills. It is also true, however, that care must be exercised to avoid either the exploitation of convict labor or any unfair competition between convict labor and free labor in the production of goods and services.” The Executive order does not prohibit the contractor, in performing the contract, from employing—

(1) Persons on parole or probation;

(2) Persons who have been pardoned or who have served their terms;

(3) Federal prisoners; or

(4) Nonfederal prisoners authorized to work at paid employment in the community under the laws of a jurisdiction listed in the Executive order if—

(i) The worker is paid or is in an approved work training program on a voluntary basis;

(ii) Representatives of local union central bodies or similar labor union organizations have been consulted;

(iii) Paid employment will not—

(A) Result in the displacement of employed workers;

(B) Be applied in skills, crafts, or trades in which there is a surplus of available gainful labor in the locality; or

(C) Impair existing contracts for services;

(iv) The rates of pay and other conditions of employment will not be less than those for work of a similar nature in the locality where the work is being performed; and

(v) The Attorney General of the United States has certified that the work-release laws or regulations of the jurisdiction involved are in conformity with the requirements of Executive Order 11755, as amended.

(b) Department of Justice regulations authorize the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to exercise the power and authority vested in the Attorney General by the Executive order to certify and to revoke the certification of work-release laws or regulations (see 28 CFR 0.94-1(b)).

Insert the clause at 52.222-3, Convict Labor, in solicitations and contracts above the micro-purchase threshold, when the contract will be performed in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands; unless—

(a) The contract will be subject to the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (see subpart 22.6), which contains a separate prohibition against the employment of convict labor;

(b) The supplies or services are to be purchased from Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (see subpart 8.6); or

(c) The acquisition involves the purchase, from any State prison, of finished supplies that may be secured in the open market or from existing stocks, as distinguished from supplies requiring special fabrication.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for applying the requirements of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) (the Act) to contracts that may require or involve laborers or mechanics. In this subpart, the term laborers or mechanics includes apprentices, trainees, helpers, watchmen, guards, firefighters, fireguards, and workmen who perform services in connection with dredging or rock excavation in rivers or harbors, but does not include any employee employed as a seaman.

The Act requires that certain contracts contain a clause specifying that no laborer or mechanic doing any part of the work contemplated by the contract shall be required or permitted to work more than 40 hours in any workweek unless paid for all such overtime hours at not less than 11/2 times the basic rate of pay.

(a) When an overtime computation discloses underpayments, the responsible contractor or subcontractor must pay the affected employee any unpaid wages and pay liquidated damages to the Government. The contracting officer must assess liquidated damages at the rate of $10 per affected employee for each calendar day on which the employer required or permitted the employee to work in excess of the standard workweek of 40 hours without paying overtime wages required by the Act.

(b) If the contractor or subcontractor fails or refuses to comply with overtime pay requirements of the Act and the funds withheld by Federal agencies for labor standards violations do not cover the unpaid wages due laborers and mechanics and the liquidated damages due the Government, make payments in the following order—

(1) Pay laborers and mechanics the wages they are owed (or prorate available funds if they do not cover the entire amount owed); and

(2) Pay liquidated damages.

(c) If the head of an agency finds that the administratively determined liquidated damages due under paragraph (a) of this section are incorrect, or that the contractor or subcontractor inadvertently violated the Act despite the exercise of due care, the agency head may—

(1) Reduce the amount of liquidated damages assessed for liquidated damages of $500 or less;

(2) Release the contractor or subcontractor from the liability for liquidated damages of $500 or less; or

(3) Recommend that the Secretary of Labor reduce or waive liquidated damages over $500.

(d) After the contracting officer determines the liquidated damages and the contractor makes appropriate payments, disburse any remaining assessments in accordance with agency procedures.

The procedures and reports required for construction contracts in subpart 22.4 also apply to investigations of alleged violations of the Act on other than construction contracts.

(a) The Secretary of Labor under 40 U.S.C. 3706, upon the Secretary's initiative or at the request of any Federal agency, may provide reasonable limitations and allow variations, tolerances, and exemptions to and from any or all provisions of the Act (see 29 CFR 5.15).

(b) The Secretary of Labor may make variations, tolerances, and exemptions from the regulatory requirements of applicable parts of 29 CFR when the Secretary finds that such action is necessary and proper in the public interest or to prevent injustice and undue hardship (see 29 CFR 5.14).

Insert the clause at 52.222-4, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act—Overtime Compensation, in solicitations and contracts (including, for this purpose, basic ordering agreements) when the contract may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics. However, do not include the clause in solicitations and contracts—

(a) Valued at or below $150,000;

(b) For commercial items;

(c) For transportation or the transmission of intelligence;

(d) To be performed outside the United States, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Johnston Island, Wake Island, and Outer Continental Shelf lands as defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331) (29 CFR 5.15);

(e) For work to be done solely in accordance with the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (see subpart 22.6);

(f) For supplies that include incidental services that do not require substantial employment of laborers or mechanics; or

(g) Exempt under regulations of the Secretary of Labor (29 CFR 5.15).

This subpart implements the statutes which prescribe labor standards requirements for contracts in excess of $2,000 for construction, alteration, or repair, including painting and decorating, of public buildings and public works. (See definition of Construction, alteration, or repair in section 22.401.) Labor relations requirements prescribed in other subparts of part 22 may also apply.

As used in this subpart—

Apprentice means a person—

(1) Employed and individually registered in a bona fide apprenticeship program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer, and Labor Services (OATELS), or with a State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by OATELS; or

(2) Who is in the first 90 days of probationary employment as an apprentice in an apprenticeship program, and is not individually registered in the program, but who has been certified by the OATELS or a State Apprenticeship Agency (where appropriate) to be eligible for probationary employment as an apprentice.

Construction, alteration, or repair means all types of work done by laborers and mechanics employed by the construction contractor or construction subcontractor on a particular building or work at the site thereof, including without limitations—

(1) Altering, remodeling, installation (if appropriate) on the site of the work of items fabricated off-site;

(2) Painting and decorating;

(3) Manufacturing or furnishing of materials, articles, supplies, or equipment on the site of the building or work;

(4) Transportation of materials and supplies between the site of the work within the meaning of paragraphs (1)(i) and (ii) of the “site of the work” definition of this section, and a facility which is dedicated to the construction of the building or work and is deemed part of the site of the work within the meaning of paragraph (2) of the “site of work” definition of this section; and

(5) Transportation of portions of the building or work between a secondary site where a significant portion of the building or work is constructed, which is part of the “site of the work” definition in paragraph (1)(ii) of this section, and the physical place or places where the building or work will remain (paragraph (1)(i) in the “site of the work” definition of this section).

Laborers or mechanics—(1) Means—

(i) Workers, utilized by a contractor or subcontractor at any tier, whose duties are manual or physical in nature (including those workers who use tools or who are performing the work of a trade), as distinguished from mental or managerial;

(ii) Apprentices, trainees, helpers, and, in the case of contracts subject to the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, watchmen and guards;

(iii) Working foremen who devote more than 20 percent of their time during a workweek performing duties of a laborer or mechanic, and who do not meet the criteria of 29 CFR part 541, for the time so spent; and

(iv) Every person performing the duties of a laborer or mechanic, regardless of any contractual relationship alleged to exist between the contractor and those individuals; and

(2) Does not include workers whose duties are primarily executive, supervisory (except as provided in paragraph (1)(iii) of this definition), administrative, or clerical, rather than manual. Persons employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity as defined in 29 CFR part 541 are not deemed to be laborers or mechanics.

Public building or public work means building or work, the construction, prosecution, completion, or repair of which, as defined in this section, is carried on directly by authority of, or with funds of, a Federal agency to serve the interest of the general public regardless of whether title thereof is in a Federal agency.

Site of the work—(1) Means—

(i) The primary site of the work. The physical place or places where the construction called for in the contract will remain when work on it is completed; and

(ii) The secondary site of the work, if any. Any other site where a significant portion of the building or work is constructed, provided that such site is—

(A) Located in the United States; and

(B) Established specifically for the performance of the contract or project;

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this definition, includes fabrication plants, mobile factories, batch plants, borrow pits, job headquarters, tool yards, etc., provided—

(i) They are dedicated exclusively, or nearly so, to performance of the contract or project; and

(ii) They are adjacent or virtually adjacent to the “primary site of the work” as defined in paragraphs (1)(i) of “the secondary site of the work” as defined in paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition;

(3) Does not include permanent home offices, branch plant establishments, fabrication plants, or tool yards of a contractor or subcontractor whose locations and continuance in operation are determined wholly without regard to a particular Federal contract or project. In addition, fabrication plants, batch plants, borrow pits, job headquarters, yards, etc., of a commercial or material supplier which are established by a supplier of materials for the project before opening of bids and not on the project site, are not included in the “site of the work.” Such permanent, previously established facilities are not a part of the “site of the work”, even if the operations for a period of time may be dedicated exclusively, or nearly so, to the performance of a contract.

Trainee means a person registered and receiving on-the-job training in a construction occupation under a program which has been approved in advance by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship Training, Employer, and Labor Services (OATELS), as meeting its standards for on-the-job training programs and which has been so certified by that Administration.

Wages means the basic hourly rate of pay; any contribution irrevocably made by a contractor or subcontractor to a trustee or to a third person pursuant to a bona fide fringe benefit fund, plan, or program; and the rate of costs to the contractor or subcontractor which may be reasonably anticipated in providing bona fide fringe benefits to laborers and mechanics pursuant to an enforceable commitment to carry out a financially responsible plan or program, which was communicated in writing to the laborers and mechanics affected. The fringe benefits enumerated in the Davis-Bacon Act include medical or hospital care, pensions on retirement or death, compensation for injuries or illness resulting from occupational activity, or insurance to provide any of the foregoing; unemployment benefits; life insurance, disability insurance, sickness insurance, or accident insurance; vacation or holiday pay; defraying costs of apprenticeship or other similar programs; or other bona fide fringe benefits. Fringe benefits do not include benefits required by other Federal, State, or local law.

(a) Contracts for construction work. (1) The requirements of this subpart apply—

(i) Only if the construction work is, or reasonably can be foreseen to be, performed at a particular site so that wage rates can be determined for the locality, and only to construction work that is performed by laborers and mechanics at the site of the work;

(ii) To dismantling, demolition, or removal of improvements if a part of the construction contract, or if construction at that site is anticipated by another contract as provided in subpart 37.3;

(iii) To the manufacture or fabrication of construction materials and components conducted in connection with the construction and on the site of the work by the contractor or a subcontractor under a contract otherwise subject to this subpart; and

(iv) To painting of public buildings or public works, whether performed in connection with the original construction or as alteration or repair of an existing structure.

(2) The requirements of this subpart do not apply to—

(i) The manufacturing of components or materials off the site of the work or their subsequent delivery to the site by the commercial supplier or materialman;

(ii) Contracts requiring construction work that is so closely related to research, experiment, and development that it cannot be performed separately, or that is itself the subject of research, experiment, or development (see paragraph (b) of this section for applicability of this subpart to research and development contracts or portions thereof involving construction, alteration, or repair of a public building or public work);

(iii) Employees of railroads operating under collective bargaining agreements that are subject to the Railway Labor Act; or

(iv) Employees who work at contractors' or subcontractors' permanent home offices, fabrication shops, or tool yards not located at the site of the work. However, if the employees go to the site of the work and perform construction activities there, the requirements of this subpart are applicable for the actual time so spent, not including travel unless the employees transport materials or supplies to or from the site of the work.

(b) Nonconstruction contracts involving some construction work. (1) The requirements of this subpart apply to construction work to be performed as part of nonconstruction contracts (supply, service, research and development, etc.) if—

(i) The construction work is to be performed on a public building or public work;

(ii) The contract contains specific requirements for a substantial amount of construction work exceeding the monetary threshold for application of the Davis Bacon Act (the word substantial relates to the type and quantity of construction work to be performed and not merely to the total value of construction work as compared to the total value of the contract); and

(iii) The construction work is physically or functionally separate from, and is capable of being performed on a segregated basis from, the other work required by the contract.

(2) The requirements of this subpart do not apply if—

(i) The construction work is incidental to the furnishing of supplies, equipment, or services (for example, the requirements do not apply to simple installation or alteration at a public building or public work that is incidental to furnishing supplies or equipment under a supply contract; however, if a substantial and segregable amount of construction, alteration, or repair is required, such as for installation of heavy generators or large refrigerator systems or for plant modification or rearrangement, the requirements of this subpart apply); or

(ii) The construction work is so merged with nonconstruction work or so fragmented in terms of the locations or time spans in which it is to be performed, that it is not capable of being segregated as a separate contractual requirement.

The Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) provides that contracts in excess of $2,000 to which the United States or the District of Columbia is a party for construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works within the United States, shall contain a clause (see 52.222-6) that no laborer or mechanic employed directly upon the site of the work shall receive less than the prevailing wage rates as determined by the Secretary of Labor.

The Copeland (Anti-Kickback) Act (18 U.S.C. 874 and 40 U.S.C. 3145) makes it unlawful to induce, by force, intimidation, threat of procuring dismissal from employment, or otherwise, any person employed in the construction or repair of public buildings or public works, financed in whole or in part by the United States, to give up any part of the compensation to which that person is entitled under a contract of employment. The Copeland Act also requires each contractor and subcontractor to furnish weekly a statement of compliance with respect to the wages paid each employee during the preceding week. Contracts subject to the Copeland Act shall contain a clause (see 52.222-10) requiring contractors and subcontractors to comply with the regulations issued by the Secretary of Labor under the Copeland Act.

The Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) requires that certain contracts (see 22.305) contain a clause (see 52.222-4) specifying that no laborer or mechanic doing any part of the work contemplated by the contract shall be required or permitted to work more than 40 hours in any workweek unless paid for all additional hours at not less than 11/2 times the basic rate of pay (see 22.301).

(a) Under the statutes referred to in this 22.403 and Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950 (3 CFR 1949-53 Comp., p. 1007), the Secretary of Labor has issued regulations in Title 29, Subtitle A, Code of Federal Regulations, prescribing standards and procedures to be observed by the Department of Labor and the Federal contracting agencies. Those standards and procedures applicable to contracts involving construction are implemented in this subpart. The Department of Labor regulations include—

(b) The Department of Labor regulations include—

(1) Part 1, relating to Davis-Bacon Act minimum wage rates;

(2) Part 3, relating to the Copeland (Anti-Kickback) Act and requirements for submission of weekly statements of compliance and the preservation and inspection of weekly payroll records;

(3) Part 5, relating to enforcement of the Davis-Bacon Act, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, and Copeland (Anti-Kickback) Act;

(4) Part 6, relating to rules of practice for appealing the findings of the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, in enforcement cases under the Davis-Bacon Act, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, Copeland (Anti-Kickback) Act, and Service Contract Act, and by which Administrative Law Judge hearings are held; and

(5) Part 7, relating to rules of practice by which contractors and other interested parties may appeal to the Department of Labor Administrative Review Board, decisions issued by the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, or administrative law judges under the Davis-Bacon Act, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, or Copeland (Anti-Kickback) Act.

(c) Refer all questions relating to the application and interpretation of wage determinations (including the classifications therein) and the interpretation of the Department of Labor regulations in this subsection to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division.

The Department of Labor is responsible for issuing wage determinations reflecting prevailing wages, including fringe benefits. The wage determinations apply only to those laborers and mechanics employed by a contractor upon the site of the work including drivers who transport to or from the site materials and equipment used in the course of contract operations. Determinations are issued for different types of construction, such as building, heavy, highway, and residential (referred to as rate schedules), and apply only to the types of construction designated in the determination.

(a) General wage determinations. (1) A general wage determination contains prevailing wage rates for the types of construction designated in the determination, and is used in contracts performed within a specified geographical area. General wage determinations contain no expiration date and remain valid until modified, superseded, or canceled by the Department of Labor. Once incorporated in a contract, a general wage determination normally remains effective for the life of the contract, unless the contracting officer exercises an option to extend the term of the contract (see 22.404-12). These determinations shall be used whenever possible. They are issued at the discretion of the Department of Labor either upon receipt of an agency request or on the Department of Labor's own initiative.

(2) General wage determinations are published on the WDOL website. General wage determinations are effective on the publication date of the wage determination or upon receipt of the wage determination by the contracting agency, whichever occurs first. “Publication” within the meaning of this section shall occur on the first date the wage determination is published on the WDOL. Archived Davis-Bacon Act general wage determinations that are no longer current may be accessed in the “Archived DB WD” database on WDOL for information purposes only. Contracting officers may not use an archived wage determination in a contract action without obtaining prior approval of the Department of Labor. To obtain prior approval, contact the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, using http://www.dol.gov/esa, or contact the procurement agency labor advisor listed on http://www.wdol.gov.

(b) Project wage determinations. A project wage determination is issued at the specific request of a contracting agency. It is used only when no general wage determination applies, and is effective for 180 calendar days from the date of the determination. However, if a determination expires before contract award, it may be possible to obtain an extension to the 180-day life of the determination (see 22.404-5(b)(2)). Once incorporated in a contract, a project wage determination normally remains effective for the life of the contract, unless the contracting officer exercises an option to extend the term of the contract (see 22.404-12).

(a) The contracting officer must incorporate only the appropriate wage determinations in solicitations and contracts and must designate the work to which each determination or part thereof applies. The contracting officer must not include project wage determinations in contracts or options other than those for which they are issued. When exercising an option to extend the term of a contract, the contracting officer must select the most current wage determination(s) from the same schedule(s) as the wage determination(s) incorporated into the contract.

(b) If the wage determination is a general wage determination or a project wage determination containing more than one rate schedule, the contracting officer shall either include only the rate schedules that apply to the particular types of construction (building, heavy, highway, etc.) or include the entire wage determination and clearly indicate the parts of the work to which each rate schedule shall be applied. Inclusion by reference is not permitted.

(c) The Wage and Hour Division has issued the following general guidelines for use in selecting the proper schedule(s) of wage rates:

(1) Building construction is generally the construction of sheltered enclosures with walk-in access, for housing persons, machinery, equipment, or supplies. It typically includes all construction of such structures, installation of utilities and equipment (both above and below grade level), as well as incidental grading, utilities and paving, unless there is an established area practice to the contrary.

(2) Residential construction is generally the construction, alteration, or repair of single family houses or apartment buildings of no more than four (4) stories in height, and typically includes incidental items such as site work, parking areas, utilities, streets and sidewalks, unless there is an established area practice to the contrary.

(3) Highway construction is generally the construction, alteration, or repair of roads, streets, highways, runways, taxiways, alleys, parking areas, and other similar projects that are not incidental to building, residential, or heavy construction.

(4) Heavy construction includes those projects that are not properly classified as either building, residential, or highway, and is of a catch-all nature. Such heavy projects may sometimes be distinguished on the basis of their individual characteristics, and separate schedules issued (e.g., dredging, water and sewer line, dams, flood control, etc.).

(5) When the nature of a project is not clear, it is necessary to look at additional factors, with primary consideration given to locally established area practices. If there is any doubt as to the proper application of wage rate schedules to the type or types of construction involved, guidance shall be sought before the opening of bids, or receipt of best and final offers, from the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division. Further examples are contained in Department of Labor All Agency Memoranda Numbers 130 and 131.

(a) General wage determinations. If there is a general wage determination on the WDOL website applicable to the project, the agency may use it without notifying the Department of Labor. When necessary, a request for a general wage determination may be made by submitting Standard Form (SF) 308, Request for Determination and Response to Request (see 53.301-308), to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, Attention: Branch of Construction Contract Wage Determinations, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210.

(b) Project wage determinations. If a general wage determination is not available on WDOL, a contracting agency shall submit requests for project wage determinations on SF 308 to the Department of Labor. The requests shall include the following information:

(1) The location, including the county (or other civil subdivision) and State in which the proposed project is located.

(2) The name of the project and a sufficiently detailed description of the work to indicate the types of construction involved (e.g., building, heavy, highway, residential, or other type).

(3) Any available pertinent wage payment information, unless wage patterns in the area are clearly established.

(4) The estimated cost of each project.

(5) All the classifications of laborers and mechanics likely to be employed.

(c) Time for submission of requests. (1) The time required by the Department of Labor for processing requests for project wage determinations varies according to the facts and circumstances in each case. An agency should expect the processing to take at least 30 days. Accordingly, agencies should submit requests for project wage determinations for the primary site of the work to the Department of Labor at least 45 days (60 days if possible) before issuing the solicitation or exercising an option to extend the term of a contract.

(2) Agencies should promptly submit to the Department of Labor an offeror's request for a project wage determination for a secondary site of the work.

(d) Review of wage determinations. Immediately upon receipt, the contracting agency shall examine the wage determination and inform the Department of Labor of any changes necessary or appropriate to correct errors. Private parties requesting changes should be advised to submit their requests to the Department of Labor.

(a) If a solicitation is issued before the wage determination for the primary site of the work is obtained, a notice shall be included in the solicitation that the schedule of minimum wage rates to be paid under the contract will be issued as an amendment to the solicitation.

(b) In sealed bidding, bids may not be opened until a reasonable time after the wage determination for the primary site of the work has been furnished to all bidders.

(c) In negotiated acquisitions, the contracting officer may open proposals and conduct negotiations before obtaining the wage determination for the primary site of the work. However, the contracting officer shall incorporate the wage determination for the primary site of the work into the solicitation before submission of best and final offers.

(a) The contracting officer shall make every effort to ensure that contract award is made before expiration of the project wage determination included in the solicitation.

(b) The following procedure applies when contracting by sealed bidding:

(1) If a project wage determination for the primary site of the work expires before bid opening, or if it appears before bid opening that a project wage determination may expire before award, the contracting officer shall request a new determination early enough to ensure its receipt before bid opening. If necessary, the contracting officer shall postpone the bid opening date to allow a reasonable time to obtain the determination, amend the solicitation to incorporate the new determination, and permit bidders to amend their bids. If the new determination does not change the wage rates and would not warrant amended bids, the contracting officer shall amend the solicitation to include the number and date of the new determination.

(2) If a project wage determination for the primary site of the work expires after bid opening but before award, the contracting officer shall request an extension of the project wage determination expiration date from the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division. The request for extension shall be supported by a written finding, which shall include a brief statement of factual support, that the extension is necessary and proper in the public interest to prevent injustice or undue hardship or to avoid serious impairment of the conduct of Government business. If necessary, the contracting officer shall delay award to permit either receipt of the extension or receipt and processing of a new determination. If the request is granted, the contracting officer shall award the contract and modify it to apply the extended expiration date to the already incorporated project wage determination. (See 43.103(b)(1).) If the request is denied, the Administrator will proceed to issue a new project wage determination. Upon receipt, the contracting officer shall process the new determination as follows:

(i) If the new determination for the primary site of the work changes any wage rates for classifications to be used in the contract, the contracting officer may cancel the solicitation only in accordance with 14.404-1. Otherwise the contracting officer shall award the contract and incorporate the new determination to be effective on the date of contract award. The contracting officer shall equitably adjust the contract price for any increased or decreased cost of performance resulting from any changed wage rates.

(ii) If the new determination for the primary site of the work does not change any wage rates, the contracting officer shall award the contract and modify it to include the number and date of the new determination. (See 43.103(b)(1).)

(c) The following procedure applies when contracting by negotiation:

(1) If a project wage determination will or does expire before contract award, the contracting officer shall request a new wage determination from the Department of Labor. If necessary, the contracting officer shall delay award while the new determination is obtained and processed.

(2) The contracting officer need not delay opening and reviewing proposals or discussing them with the offerors while a new determination for the primary site of the work is being obtained. The contracting officer shall request offerors to extend the period for acceptance of any proposal if that period expires or may expire before receipt and full processing of the new determination.

(3) If the new determination for the primary site of the work changes any wage rates, the contracting officer shall amend the solicitation to incorporate the new determination, and furnish the wage rate information to all prospective offerors that were sent a solicitation if the closing date for receipt of proposals has not yet occurred, or to all offerors that have not been eliminated from the competition if the closing date has passed. All offerors to whom wage rate information has been furnished shall be given reasonable opportunity to amend their proposals.

(4) If the new determination for the primary site of the work does not change any wage rates, the contracting officer shall amend the solicitation to include the number and date of the new determination and award the contract.

Upon the Department of Labor's own initiative or at the request of the contracting agency, the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, may correct any wage determination found to contain clerical errors. Such corrections will be effective immediately, and will apply to any solicitation or active contract. Before contract award, the contracting officer must follow the procedures in 22.404-5(b)(1) or (2)(i) or (ii) in sealed bidding, and the procedures in 22.404-5(c)(3) or (4) in negotiations. After contract award, the contracting officer must follow the procedures at 22.404-6(b)(5), except that for contract modifications to exercise an option to extend the term of the contract, the contracting officer must follow the procedures at 22.404-6(d)(2).

(a) The following written notifications by the Department of Labor shall be effective immediately without regard to 22.404-6 if received by the contracting officer prior to award:

(1) A solicitation includes the wrong wage determination or the wrong rate schedule; or

(2) A wage determination is withdrawn by the Administrative Review Board.

(b) In sealed bidding, the contracting officer shall proceed in accordance with the following:

(1) If the notification of an improper wage determination for the primary site of the work reaches the contracting officer before bid opening, the contracting officer shall postpone the bid opening date, if necessary, to allow a reasonable time to (i) obtain the appropriate determination if a new wage determination is required, (ii) amend the solicitation to incorporate the determination (or rate schedule), and (iii) permit bidders to amend their bids. If the appropriate wage determination does not change any wage rates and would not warrant amended bids, the contracting officer shall amend the solicitation to include the number and date of the new determination.

(2) If the notification of an improper wage determination for the primary site of the work reaches the contracting officer after bid opening but before award, the contracting officer shall delay awarding the contract, if necessary, and if required, obtain the appropriate wage determination. The appropriate wage determination shall be processed in accordance with 22.404-5(b)(2)(i) or (ii).

(c) In negotiated acquisitions, the contracting officer shall delay award, if necessary, and process the notification of an improper wage determination for the primary site of the work in the manner prescribed for a new wage determination at 22.404-5(c)(3).

(a) If a contract is awarded without the required wage determination (i.e., incorporating no determination, containing a clearly inapplicable general wage determination, or containing a project determination which is inapplicable because of an inaccurate description of the project or its location), the contracting officer shall initiate action to incorporate the required determination in the contract immediately upon discovery of the error. If a required wage determination (valid determination in effect on the date of award) is not available, the contracting officer shall expeditiously request a wage determination from the Department of Labor, including a statement explaining the crcumstances and giving the date of the contract award.

(b) The contracting officer shall—

(1) Modify the contract to incorporate the required wage determination (retroactive to the date of award), and equitably adjust the contract price if appropriate; or

(2) Terminate the contract.

The contractor must keep a copy of the applicable wage determination (and any approved additional classifications) posted at the site of the work in a prominent place where the workers can easily see it. The contracting officer shall furnish to the contractor, Department of Labor Form WH-1321, Notice to Employees Working on Federal and Federally Financed Construction Projects, for posting with the wage rates. The name, address, and telephone number of the Government officer responsible for the administration of the contract shall be indicated in the poster to inform workers to whom they may submit complaints or raise questions concerning labor standards.

The Secretary of Labor has established an Administrative Review Board which decides appeals of final decisions made by the Department of Labor concerning Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations. A contracting agency or other interested party may file a petition for review under the procedures in 29 CFR Part 7 if reconsideration by the Administrator has been sought pursuant to 29 CFR 1.8 and denied.

(a) Each time the contracting officer exercises an option to extend the term of a contract for construction, or a contract that includes substantial and segregable construction work, the contracting officer must modify the contract to incorporate the most current wage determination.

(b) If a contract with an option to extend the term of the contract has indefinite-delivery or indefinite-quantity construction requirements, the contracting officer must incorporate the wage determination incorporated into the contract at the exercise of the option into task orders issued during that option period. The wage determination will be effective for the complete period of performance of those task orders without further revision.

(c) The contracting officer must include in fixed-price contracts a clause that specifies one of the following methods, suitable to the interest of the Government, to provide an allowance for any increases or decreases in labor costs that result from the inclusion of the current wage determination at the exercise of an option to extend the term of the contract:

(1) The contracting officer may provide the offerors the opportunity to bid or propose separate prices for each option period. The contracting officer must not further adjust the contract price as a result of the incorporation of a new or revised wage determination at the exercise of each option to extend the term of the contract. Generally, this method is used in construction-only contracts (with options to extend the term) that are not expected to exceed a total of 3 years.

(2) The contracting officer may include in the contract a separately specified pricing method that permits an adjustment to the contract price or contract labor unit price at the exercise of each option to extend the term of the contract. At the time of option exercise, the contracting officer must incorporate a new wage determination into the contract, and must apply the specific pricing method to calculate the contract price adjustment. An example of a contract pricing method that the contracting officer might separately specify is incorporation in the solicitation and resulting contract of the pricing data from an annually published unit pricing book (e.g., the U.S. Army Computer-Aided Cost Estimating System or similar commercial product), which is multiplied in the contract by a factor proposed by the contractor (e.g., .95 or 1.1). At option exercise, the contracting officer incorporates the pricing data from the latest annual edition of the unit pricing book, multiplied by the factor agreed to in the basic contract. The contracting officer must not further adjust the contract price as a result of the incorporation of the new or revised wage determination.

(3) The contracting officer may provide for a contract price adjustment based solely on a percentage rate determined by the contracting officer using a published economic indicator incorporated into the solicitation and resulting contract. At the exercise of each option to extend the term of the contract, the contracting officer will apply the percentage rate, based on the economic indicator, to the portion of the contract price or contract unit price designated in the contract clause as labor costs subject to the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act. The contracting officer must insert 50 percent as the estimated portion of the contract price that is labor unless the contracting officer determines, prior to issuance of the solicitation, that a different percentage is more appropriate for a particular contract or requirement. This percentage adjustment to the designated labor costs must be the only adjustment made to cover increases in wages and/or benefits resulting from the incorporation of a new or revised wage determination at the exercise of the option.

(4) The contracting officer may provide a computation method to adjust the contract price to reflect the contractor's actual increase or decrease in wages and fringe benefits (combined) to the extent that the increase is made to comply with, or the decrease is voluntarily made by the contractor as a result of incorporation of, a new or revised wage determination at the exercise of the option to extend the term of the contract. Generally, this method is appropriate for use only if contract requirements are predominately services subject to the Service Contract Act and the construction requirements are substantial and segregable. The methods used to adjust the contract price for the service requirements and the construction requirements would be similar.

(a) General. Contracting agencies are responsible for ensuring the full and impartial enforcement of labor standards in the administration of construction contracts. Contracting agencies shall maintain an effective program that shall include—

(1) Ensuring that contractors and subcontractors are informed, before commencement of work, of their obligations under the labor standards clauses of the contract;

(2) Adequate payroll reviews, on-site inspections, and employee interviews to determine compliance by the contractor and subcontractors, and prompt initiation of corrective action when required;

(3) Prompt investigation and disposition of complaints; and

(4) Prompt submission of all reports required by this subpart.

(b) Preconstruction letters and conferences. Before construction begins, the contracting officer shall inform the contractor of the labor standards clauses and wage determination requirements of the contract and of the contractor's and any subcontractor's responsibilities under the contract. Unless it is clear that the contractor is fully aware of the requirements, the contracting officer shall issue an explanatory letter and/or arrange a conference with the contractor promptly after award of the contract.

(a) In computing wages paid to a laborer or mechanic, the contractor may include only the following items:

(1) Amounts paid in cash to the laborer or mechanic, or deducted from payments under the conditions set forth in 29 CFR 3.5.

(2) Contributions (except those required by Federal, State, or local law) the contractor makes irrevocably to a trustee or a third party under any bona fide plan or program to provide for medical or hospital care, pensions, compensation for injuries or illness resulting from occupational activity, unemployment benefits, life insurance, disability and sickness insurance, accident insurance, or any other bona fide fringe benefit.

(3) Other contributions or anticipated costs for bona fide fringe benefits to the extent expressly approved by the Secretary of Labor.

(b)(1) The contractor may satisfy the obligation under the clause at 52.222-6, Davis-Bacon Act, by providing wages consisting of any combination of contributions or costs as specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection, if the total cost of the combination is not less than the total of the basic hourly rate and fringe benefits payments prescribed in the wage determination for the classification of laborer or mechanic concerned.

(2) Wages provided by the contractor and fringe benefits payments required by the wage determination may include items that are not stated as exact cash amounts. In these cases, the hourly cash equivalent of the cost of these items shall be determined by dividing the employer's contributions or costs by the employee's hours worked during the period covered by the costs or contributions. For example, if a contractor pays a monthly health insurance premium of $112 for a particular employee who worked 125 hours during the month, the hourly cash equivalent is determined by dividing $112 by 125 hours, which equals $0.90 per hour. Similarly, the calculation of hourly cash equivalent for nine paid holidays per year for an employee with an hourly rate of pay of $5.00 is determined by multiplying $5.00 by 72 (9 days at 8 hours each), and dividing the result of $360 by the number of hours worked by the employee during the year. If the interested parties (contractor, contracting officer, and employees or their representative) cannot agree on the cash equivalent, the contracting officer shall submit the question for final determination to the Department of Labor as prescribed by agency procedures. The information submitted shall include—

(i) A comparison of the payments, contributions, or costs in the wage determination with those made or proposed as equivalents by the contractor; and

(ii) The comments and recommendations of the contracting officer.

(c) In computing required overtime payments, (i.e., 11/2 times the basic hourly rate of pay) the contractor shall use the basic hourly rate of pay in the wage determination, or the basic hourly rate actually paid by the contractor, if higher. The basic rate of pay includes employee contributions to fringe benefits, but excludes the contractor's contributions, costs, or payment of cash equivalents for fringe benefits. Overtime shall not be computed on a rate lower than the basic hourly rate in the wage determination.

(a) If any laborer or mechanic is to be employed in a classification that is not listed in the wage determination applicable to the contract, the contracting officer, pursuant to the clause at 52.222-6, Davis-Bacon Act, shall require that the contractor submit to the contracting officer, Standard Form (SF) 1444, Request for Authorization of Additional Classification and Rate, which, along with other pertinent data, contains the proposed additional classification and minimum wage rate including any fringe benefits payments.

(b) Upon receipt of SF 1444 from the contractor, the contracting officer shall review the request to determine whether it meets the following criteria:

(1) The classification is appropriate and the work to be performed by the classification is not performed by any classification contained in the applicable wage determination.

(2) The classification is utilized in the area by the construction industry.

(3) The proposed wage rate, including any fringe benefits, bears a reasonable relationship to the wage rates in the wage determination in the contract.

(c)(1) If the criteria in paragraph (b) of this section are met and the contractor and the laborers or mechanics to be employed in the additional classification (if known) or their representatives agree to the proposed additional classification, and the contracting officer approves, the contracting officer shall submit a report (including a copy of SF 1444) of that action to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, for approval, modification, or disapproval of the additional classification and wage rate (including any amount designated for fringe benefits); or

(2) If the contractor, the laborers or mechanics to be employed in the classification or their representatives, and the contracting officer do not agree on the proposed additional classification, or if the criteria are not met, the contracting officer shall submit a report (including a copy of SF 1444) giving the views of all interested parties and the contracting officer's recommendation to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, for determination of appropriate classification and wage rate.

(d)(1) Within 30 days of receipt of the report, the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, will complete action and so advise the contracting officer, or will notify the contracting officer that additional time is necessary.

(2) Upon receipt of the Department of Labor's action, the contracting officer shall forward a copy of the action to the contractor, directing that the classification and wage rate be posted in accordance with paragraph (a) of the clause at 52.222-6 and that workers in the affected classification receive no less than the minimum rate indicated from the first day on which work under the contract was performed in the classification.

(e) In each option to extend the term of the contract, if any laborer or mechanic is to be employed during the option in a classification that is not listed (or no longer listed) on the wage determination incorporated in that option, the contracting officer must require that the contractor submit a request for conformance using the procedures noted in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section.

(a) The contracting officer shall review the contractor's employment and payment records of apprentices and trainees made available pursuant to the clause at 52.222-8, Payrolls and Basic Records, to ensure that the contractor has complied with the clause at 52.222-9, Apprentices and Trainees.

(b) If a contractor has classified employees as apprentices or trainees without complying with the requirements of the clause at 52.222-9, the contracting officer shall reject the classification and require the contractor to pay the affected employees at the rates applicable to the classification of the work actually performed.

In accordance with the requirements of the clause at 52.222-11, Subcontracts (Labor Standards), the contractor and subcontractors at any tier are required to submit a fully executed SF 1413, Statement and Acknowledgment, upon award of each subcontract.

(a) Submission. In accordance with the clause at 52.222-8, Payrolls and Basic Records, the contractor must submit or cause to be submitted, within 7 calendar days after the regular payment date of the payroll week covered, for the contractor and each subcontractor, (1) copies of weekly payrolls applicable to the contract, and (2) weekly payroll statements of compliance. The contractor may use the Department of Labor Form WH-347, Payroll (For Contractor's Optional Use), or a similar form that provides the same data and identical representation.

(b) Withholding for nonsubmission. If the contractor fails to submit copies of its or its subcontractors' payrolls promptly, the contracting officer shall, from any payment due to the contractor, withhold approval of an amount that the contracting officer considers necessary to protect the interest of the Government and the employees of the contractor or any subcontractor.

(c) Examination. (1) The contracting officer shall examine the payrolls and payroll statements to ensure compliance with the contract and any statutory or regulatory requirements. Particular attention should be given to—

(i) The correctness of classifications and rates;

(ii) Fringe benefits payments;

(iii) Hours worked;

(iv) Deductions; and

(v) Disproportionate employment ratios of laborers, apprentices, or trainees, to journeymen.

(2) Fringe benefits payments, contributions made, or costs incurred on other than a weekly basis shall be considered as a part of weekly payments to the extent they are creditable to the particular weekly period involved and are otherwise acceptable.

(d) Preservation. The contracting agency shall retain payrolls and statements of compliance for 3 years after completion of the contract and make them available when requested by the Department of Labor at any time during that period. Submitted payrolls shall not be returned to a contractor or subcontractor for any reasons, but copies thereof may be furnished to the contractor or subcontractor who submitted them, or to a higher tier contractor or subcontractor.

(e) Disclosure of payroll records. Contractor payroll records in the Government's possession must be carefully protected from any public disclosure which is not required by law, since payroll records may contain information in which the contractor's employees have a privacy interest, as well as information in which the contractor may have a proprietary interest that the Government may be obliged to protect. Questions concerning release of this information may involve the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

(a) General. The contracting officer shall make checks and investigations on all contracts covered by this subpart as may be necessary to ensure compliance with the labor standards requirement of the contract.

(b) Regular compliance checks. Regular compliance checking includes the following activities:

(1) Employee interviews to determine correctness of classifications, rates of pay, fringe benefits payments, and hours worked. (See Standard Form 1445.)

(2) On-site inspections to check type of work performed, number and classification of workers, and fulfillment of posting requirements.

(3) Payroll reviews to ensure that payrolls of prime contractors and subcontractors have been submitted on time and are complete and in compliance with contract requirements.

(4) Comparison of the information in this paragraph (b) with available data, including daily inspector's report and daily logs of construction, to ensure consistency.

(c) Special compliance checks. Situations that may require special compliance checks include—

(1) Inconsistencies, errors, or omissions detected during regular compliance checks; or

(2) Receipt of a complaint alleging violations. If the complaint is not specific enough, the complainant shall be so advised and invited to submit additional information.

Conduct labor standards investigations when available information indicates such action is warranted. In addition, the Department of Labor may conduct an investigation on its own initiative or may request a contracting agency to do so.

(a) Contracting agency responsibilities. Conduct an investigation when a compliance check indicates that substantial or willful violations may have occurred or violations have not been corrected.

(1) The investigation must—

(i) Include all aspects of the contractor's compliance with contract labor standards requirements;

(ii) Not be limited to specific areas raised in a complaint or uncovered during compliance checks; and

(iii) Use personnel familiar with labor laws and their application to contracts.

(2) Do not disclose contractor employees' oral or written statements taken during an investigation or the employee's identity to anyone other than an authorized Government official without that employee's prior signed consent.

(3) Send a written request to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, to obtain—

(i) Investigation and enforcement instructions; or

(ii) Available pertinent Department of Labor files.

(4) Obtain permission from the Department of Labor before disclosing material obtained from Labor Department files, other than computations of back wages and liquidated damages and summaries of back wages due, to anyone other than Government contract administrators.

(b) Investigation report. The contracting officer must review the investigation report on receipt and make preliminary findings. The contracting officer normally must not base adverse findings solely on employee statements that the employee does not wish to have disclosed. However, if the investigation establishes a pattern of possible violations that are based on employees' statements that are not authorized for disclosure, the pattern itself may support a finding of noncompliance.

(c) Contractor notification. After completing the review, the contracting officer must—

(1) Provide the contractor any written preliminary findings and proposed corrective actions, and notice that the contractor has the right to request that the basis for the findings be made available and to submit written rebuttal information.

(2) Upon request, provide the contractor with rationale for the findings. However, under no circumstances will the contracting officer permit the contractor to examine the investigation report. Also, the contracting officer must not disclose the identity of any employee who filed a complaint or who was interviewed, without the prior consent of the employee.

(3)(i) The contractor may rebut the findings in writing within 60 days after it receives a copy of the preliminary findings. The rebuttal becomes part of the official investigation record. If the contractor submits a rebuttal, evaluate the preliminary findings and notify the contractor of the final findings.

(ii) If the contracting officer does not receive a timely rebuttal, the contracting officer must consider the preliminary findings final.

(4) If appropriate, request the contractor to make restitution for underpaid wages and assess liquidated damages. If the request includes liquidated damages, the request must state that the contractor has 60 days to request relief from such assessment.

(d) Contracting officer's report. After taking the actions prescribed in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this subsection—

(1) The contracting officer must prepare and forward a report of any violations, including findings and supporting evidence, to the agency head. Standard Form 1446, Labor Standards Investigation Summary Sheet, is the first page of the report; and

(2) The agency head must process the report as follows:

(i) The contracting officer must send a detailed enforcement report to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, within 60 days after completion of the investigation, if—

(A) A contractor or subcontractor underpaid by $1,000 or more;

(B) The contracting officer believes that the violations are aggravated or willful (or there is reason to believe that the contractor has disregarded its obligations to employees and subcontractors under the Davis-Bacon Act);

(C) The contractor or subcontractor has not made restitution; or

(D) Future compliance has not been assured.

(ii) If the Department of Labor expressly requested the investigation and none of the conditions in paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this subsection exist, submit a summary report to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division. The report must include—

(A) A summary of any violations;

(B) The amount of restitution paid;

(C) The number of workers who received restitution;

(D) The amount of liquidated damages assessed under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act;

(E) Corrective measures taken; and

(F) Any information that may be necessary to review any recommendations for an appropriate adjustment in liquidated damages.

(iii) If none of the conditions in paragraphs (d)(2)(i) or (ii) of this subsection are present, close the case and retain the report in the appropriate contract file.

(iv) If substantial evidence is found that violations are willful and in violation of a criminal statute, (generally 18 U.S.C. 874 or 1001), forward the report (supplemented if necessary) to the Attorney General of the United States for prosecution if the facts warrant. Notify the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, when the report is forwarded for the Attorney General's consideration.

(e) Department of Labor investigations. The Department of Labor will furnish the contracting officer an enforcement report detailing violations found and any corrective action taken by the contractor, in investigations that disclose—

(1) Underpayments totaling $1,000 or more;

(2) Aggravated or willful violations (or, when the contracting officer believes that the contractor has disregarded its obligations to employees and subcontractors under the Davis-Bacon Act); or

(3) Potential assessment of liquidated damages under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act.

(f) Other investigations. The Department of Labor will provide a letter summarizing the findings of the investigation to the contracting officer for all investigations that are not described in paragraph (e) of this subsection.

(a) Withholding from contract payments. If the contracting officer believes a violation exists (see 22.406-8), or upon request of the Department of Labor, the contracting officer must withhold from payments due the contractor an amount equal to the estimated wage underpayment and estimated liquidated damages due the United States under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. (See 22.302.)

(1) If the contracting officer believes a violation exists or upon request of the Department of Labor, the contracting officer must withhold funds from any current Federal contract or Federally assisted contract with the same prime contractor that is subject to either Davis-Bacon Act or Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act requirements.

(2) If a subsequent investigation confirms violations, the contracting officer must adjust the withholding as necessary. However, if the Department of Labor requested the withholding, the contracting officer must not reduce or release the withholding without written approval of the Department of Labor.

(3) Use withheld funds as provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection to satisfy assessed liquidated damages, and unless the contractor makes restitution, validated wage underpayments.

(b) Suspension of contract payments. If a contractor or subcontractor fails or refuses to comply with the labor standards clauses of the Davis-Bacon Act and related statutes, the agency, upon its own action or upon the written request of the Department of Labor, must suspend any further payment, advance, or guarantee of funds until the violations cease or until the agency has withheld sufficient funds to compensate employees for back wages, and to cover any liquidated damages due.

(c) Disposition of contract payments withheld or suspended—(1) Forwarding wage underpayments to the Comptroller General. Upon final administrative determination, if the contractor or subcontractor has not made restitution, the contracting officer must forward to the appropriate disbursing office Standard Form (SF) 1093, Schedule of Withholdings Under the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 276(a)) and/or Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333). Attach to the SF 1093 a list of the name, social security number, and last known address of each affected employee; the amount due each employee; employee claims if feasible; and a brief rationale for restitution. Also, the contracting officer must indicate if restitution was not made because the employee could not be located. The Government may assist underpaid employees in preparation of their claims. The disbursing office must submit the SF 1093 with attached additional data and the funds withheld (by check) to the Comptroller General (Claims Section).

(2) Returning of withheld funds to contractor. When funds withheld exceed the amount required to satisfy validated wage underpayments and assessed liquidated damages, return the funds to the contractor.

(3) Limitation on forwarding or returning funds. If the Department of Labor requested the withholding or if the findings are disputed (see 22.406-10(e)), the contracting officer must not forward the funds to the Comptroller General, or return them to the contractor without approval by the Department of Labor.

(4) Liquidated damages. Upon final administrative determination, the contracting officer must dispose of funds withheld or collected for liquidated damages in accordance with agency procedures.

(a) The areas of possible differences of opinion between contracting officers and contractors in construction contract labor standards enforcement include—

(1) Misclassification of workers;

(2) Hours of work;

(3) Wage rates and payment;

(4) Payment of overtime;

(5) Withholding practices; and

(6) The applicability of the labor standards requirements under varying circumstances.

(b) Generally, these differences are settled administratively at the project level by the contracting agency. If necessary, these differences may be settled with assistance from the Department of Labor.

(c) When requesting the contractor to take corrective action in labor violation cases, the contracting officer shall inform the contractor of the following:

(1) Disputes concerning the labor standards requirements of the contract are handled under the contract clause at 52.222-14, Disputes Concerning Labor Standards, and not under the clause at 52.233-1, Disputes.

(2) The contractor may appeal the contracting officer's findings or part thereof by furnishing the contracting officer a complete statement of the reasons for the disagreement with the findings.

(d) The contracting officer shall promptly transmit the contracting officer's findings and the contractor's statement to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division.

(e) The Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, will respond directly to the contractor or subcontractor, with a copy to the contracting agency. The contractor or subcontractor may appeal the Administrator's findings in accordance with the procedures outlined in Labor Department Regulations (29 CFR 5.11). Hearings before administrative law judges are conducted in accordance with 29 CFR part 6, and hearings before the Labor Department Administrative Review Board are conducted in accordance with 29 CFR part 7.

(f) The Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, may institute debarment proceedings against the contractor or subcontractor if the Administrator finds reasonable cause to believe that the contractor or subcontractor has committed willful or aggravated violations of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act or the Copeland (Anti-Kickback) Act, or any of the applicable statutes listed in 29 CFR 5.1 other than the Davis-Bacon Act, or has committed violations of the Davis-Bacon Act that constitute a disregard of its obligations to employees or subcontractors under section 3(a) of that Act.

If a contract or subcontract is terminated for violation of the labor standards clauses, the contracting agency shall submit a report to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, and the Comptroller General. The report shall include—

(a) The number of the terminated contract;

(b) The name and address of the terminated contractor or subcontractor;

(c) The name and address of the contractor or subcontractor, if any, who is to complete the work;

(d) The amount and number of the replacement contract, if any; and

(e) A description of the work.

(a) The contracting agency shall cooperate with representatives of the Department of Labor in the inspection of records, interviews with workers, and all other aspects of investigations undertaken by the Department of Labor. When requested, the contracting agency shall furnish to the Secretary of Labor any available information on contractors, subcontractors, current and previous contracts, and the nature of the contract work.

(b) If a Department of Labor representative undertakes an investigation at a construction project, the contracting officer shall inquire into the scope of the investigation, and request to be notified immediately of any violations discovered under the Davis-Bacon Act, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, or the Copeland (Anti-Kickback) Act.

A semiannual report on compliance with and enforcement of the construction labor standards requirements of the Davis-Bacon Act and Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act is required from each contracting agency. The reporting periods are October 1 through March 31 and April 1 through September 30. The reports shall only contain information as to the enforcement actions of the contracting agency and shall be prepared as prescribed in Department of Labor memoranda and submitted to the Department of Labor within 30 days after the end of the reporting period. This report has been assigned interagency report control number 1482-DOL-SA.

(a) Insert the following clauses in solicitations and contracts in excess of $2,000 for construction within the United States:

(1) 52.222-6, Davis-Bacon Act.

(2) 52.222-7, Withholding of Funds.

(3) 52.222-8, Payrolls and Basic Records.

(4) 52.222-9, Apprentices and Trainees.

(5) 52.222-10, Compliance with Copeland Act Requirements.

(6) 52.222-11, Subcontracts (Labor Standards).

(7) 52.222-12, Contract Termination—Debarment.

(8) 52.222-13, Compliance with Davis-Bacon and Related Act Regulations.

(9) 52.222-14, Disputes Concerning Labor Standards.

(10) 52.222-15, Certification of Eligibility.

(b) Insert the clause at 52.222-16, Approval of Wage Rates, in solicitations and contracts in excess of $2,000 for cost-reimbursement construction to be performed within the United States, except for contracts with a State or political subdivision thereof.

(c) A contract that is not primarily for construction may contain a requirement for some construction work to be performed in the United States. If under 22.402(b) the requirements of this subpart apply to the construction work, insert in such solicitations and contracts the applicable construction labor standards clauses required in this section and identify the item or items of construction work to which the clauses apply.

(d) [Reserved]

(e) Insert the clause at 52.222-30, Davis-Bacon Act—Price Adjustment (None or Separately Specified Pricing Method), in solicitations and contracts if the contract is expected to be—

(1) A fixed-price contract subject to the Davis-Bacon Act that will contain option provisions by which the contracting officer may extend the term of the contract, and the contracting officer determines the most appropriate contract price adjustment method is the method at 22.404-12(c)(1) or (2); or

(2) A cost-reimbursable type contract subject to the Davis-Bacon Act that will contain option provisions by which the contracting officer may extend the term of the contract.

(f) Insert the clause at 52.222-31, Davis-Bacon Act—Price Adjustment (Percentage Method), in solicitations and contracts if the contract is expected to be a fixed-price contract subject to the Davis-Bacon Act that will contain option provisions by which the contracting officer may extend the term of the contract, and the contracting officer determines the most appropriate contract price adjustment method is the method at 22.404-12(c)(3).

(g) Insert the clause at 52.222-32, Davis-Bacon Act—Price Adjustment (Actual Method), in solicitations and contracts if the contract is expected to be a fixed-price contract subject to the Davis-Bacon Act that will contain option provisions by which the contracting officer may extend the term of the contract, and the contracting officer determines the most appropriate method to establish contract price is the method at 22.404-12(c)(4).

(h) Insert the provision at 52.222-5, Davis Bacon Act—Secondary Site of the Work, in solicitations in excess of $2,000 for construction within the United States.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures to implement Executive Order 13502, February 6, 2009.

As used in this subpart—

Construction means construction, rehabilitation, alteration, conversion, extension, repair, or improvement of buildings, highways, or other real property.

Labor organization means a labor organization as defined in 29 U.S.C. 152(5).

Large-scale construction project means a construction project where the total cost to the Federal Government is $25 million or more.

Project labor agreement means a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with one or more labor organizations that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is an agreement described in 29 U.S.C. 158(f).

(a) Project labor agreements are a tool that agencies may use to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement. Pursuant to Executive Order 13502, agencies are encouraged to consider requiring the use of project labor agreements in connection with large-scale construction projects.

(b) An agency may, if appropriate, require that every contractor and subcontractor engaged in construction on the project agree, for that project, to negotiate or become a party to a project labor agreement with one or more labor organizations if the agency decides that the use of project labor agreements will—

(1) Advance the Federal Government's interest in achieving economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, producing labor-management stability, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations governing safety and health, equal employment opportunity, labor and employment standards, and other matters; and

(2) Be consistent with law.

(c) Agencies may also consider the following factors in deciding whether the use of a project labor agreement is appropriate for the construction project:

(1) The project will require multiple construction contractors and/or subcontractors employing workers in multiple crafts or trades.

(2) There is a shortage of skilled labor in the region in which the construction project will be sited.

(3) Completion of the project will require an extended period of time.

(4) Project labor agreements have been used on comparable projects undertaken by Federal, State, municipal, or private entities in the geographic area of the project.

(5) A project labor agreement will promote the agency's long term program interests, such as facilitating the training of a skilled workforce to meet the agency's future construction needs.

(6) Any other factors that the agency decides are appropriate.

(a) General. Project labor agreements established under this subpart shall fully conform to all statutes, regulations, and Executive orders.

(b) Requirements. The project labor agreement shall—

(1) Bind all contractors and subcontractors engaged in construction on the construction project to comply with the project labor agreement;

(2) Allow all contractors and subcontractors to compete for contracts and subcontracts without regard to whether they are otherwise parties to collective bargaining agreements;

(3) Contain guarantees against strikes, lockouts, and similar job disruptions;

(4) Set forth effective, prompt, and mutually binding procedures for resolving labor disputes arising during the term of the project labor agreement;

(5) Provide other mechanisms for labor-management cooperation on matters of mutual interest and concern, including productivity, quality of work, safety, and health; and

(6) Include any additional requirements as the agency deems necessary to satisfy its needs.

(c) Terms and conditions. As appropriate to advance economy and efficiency in the procurement, an agency may specify the terms and conditions of the project labor agreement in the solicitation and require the successful offeror to become a party to a project labor agreement containing these terms and conditions as a condition of receiving a contract award. An agency may seek the views of, confer with, and exchange information with prospective bidders and union representatives as part of the agency's effort to identify appropriate terms and conditions of a project labor agreement for a particular construction project and facilitate agreement on those terms and conditions.

For acquisition of large-scale construction projects, if the agency decides pursuant to this subpart that a project labor agreement will be required, the contracting officer shall—

(a) Insert the provision at 52.222-33, Notice of Requirement for Project Labor Agreement, in all solicitations associated with the construction project.

(1) Use the provision with its Alternate I if the agency decides to require the submission of a project labor agreement from only the apparent successful offeror, prior to contract award.

(2) Use the provision with its Alternate II if an agency allows submission of a project labor agreement after contract award.

(b)(1) Insert the clause at 52.222-34, Project Labor Agreement, in all solicitations and contracts associated with the construction project.

(2) Use the clause with its Alternate I if an agency allows submission of the project labor agreement after contract award.

Except for the exemptions at 22.604, all contracts subject to the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (the Act) (41 U.S.C. 35-45) and entered into by any executive department, independent establishment, or other agency or instrumentality of the United States, or by the District of Columbia, or by any corporation (all the stock of which is beneficially owned by the United States) for the manufacture or furnishing of materials, supplies, articles, and equipment (referred to in this subpart as supplies) in any amount exceeding $15,000, shall include or incorporate by reference the stipulations required by the Act pertaining to such matters as minimum wages, maximum hours, child labor, convict labor, and safe and sanitary working conditions.

The requirements in 22.602 apply to contracts (including for this purpose, indefinite-delivery contracts, basic ordering agreements, and blanket purchase agreements) and subcontracts under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, for the manufacture or furnishing of supplies that—

(a) Will be performed in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands;

(b) Exceed or may exceed $15,000; and

(c) Are not exempt under 22.604.

Contracts for acquisition of the following supplies are exempt from the Act:

(a) Any item in those situations where the contracting officer is authorized by the express language of a statute to purchase “in the open market” generally (such as commercial items, see part 12); or where a specific purchase is made under the conditions described in 6.302-2 in circumstances where immediate delivery is required by the public exigency.

(b) Perishables, including dairy, livestock, and nursery products.

(c) Agricultural or farm products processed for first sale by the original producers.

(d) Agricultural commodities or the products thereof purchased under contract by the Secretary of Agriculture.

(a) Contracts for the following acquisitions are fully exempt from the Act (see 41 CFR 50-201.603):

(1) Public utility services.

(2) Supplies manufactured outside the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

(3) Purchases against the account of a defaulting contractor where the stipulations of the Act were not included in the defaulted contract.

(4) Newspapers, magazines, or periodicals, contracted for with sales agents or publisher representatives, which are to be delivered by the publishers thereof.

(b)(1) Upon the request of the agency head, the Secretary of Labor may exempt specific contracts or classes of contracts from the inclusion or application of one or more of the Act's stipulations; provided, that the request includes a finding by the agency head stating the reasons why the conduct of Government business will be seriously impaired unless the exemption is granted.

(2) Those requests for exemption that relate solely to safety and health standards shall be transmitted to the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 202l0. All other requests shall be transmitted to the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 202l0.

(a) As authorized by the Act, the Secretary of Labor has issued rulings and interpretations concerning the administration of the Act (see 41 CFR 50-206). The substance of certain rulings and interpretations is as follows:

(1) If a contract for $15,000 or less is subsequently modified to exceed $15,000, the contract becomes subject to the Act for work performed after the date of the modification.

(2) If a contract for more than $15,000 is subsequently modified by mutual agreement to $15,000 or less, the contract is not subject to the Act for work performed after the date of the modification.

(3) If a contract awarded to a prime contractor contains a provision whereby the prime contractor is made an agent of the Government, the prime contractor is required to include the stipulations of the Act in contracts in excess of $15,000 awarded for and on behalf of the Government for supplies that are to be used in the construction and equipment of Government facilities.

(4) If a contract subject to the Act is awarded to a contractor operating Government-owned facilities, the stipulations of the Act affect the employees of that contractor the same as employees of contractors operating privately owned facilities.

(5) Indefinite-delivery contracts, including basic ordering agreements and blanket purchase agreements, are subject to the Act unless it can be determined in advance that the aggregate amount of all orders estimated to be placed thereunder for 1 year after the effective date of the agreement will not exceed $15,000. A determination shall be made annually thereafter if the contract or agreement is extended, and the contract or agreement modified if necessary.

(b) [Reserved]

(a) Award. When a contract subject to the Act is awarded, the contracting officer, in accordance with regulations or instructions issued by the Secretary of Labor and individual agency procedures, shall furnish to the contractor DOL publication WH-1313, Notice to Employees Working on Government Contracts.

(b) Breach of stipulation. In the event of a violation of a stipulation required under the Act, the contracting officer shall, in accordance with agency procedures, notify the appropriate regional office of the DOL, Wage and Hour Division (see 29 CFR part 1, Appendix B), and furnish any information available.

The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-20, Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act, in solicitations and contracts covered by the Act (see 22.603, 22.604, and 22.605).

Executive Order 11141, February 12, 1964 (29 FR 2477), states that the Government policy is as follows:

(a) Contractors and subcontractors shall not, in connection with employment, advancement, or discharge of employees, or the terms, conditions, or privileges of their employment, discriminate against persons because of their age except upon the basis of a bona fide occupational qualification, retirement plan, or statutory requirement.

(b) Contractors and subcontractors, or persons acting on their behalf, shall not specify in solicitations or advertisements for employees to work on Government contracts, a maximum age limit for employment unless the specified maximum age limit is based upon a bona fide occupational qualification, retirement plan, or statutory requirement.

(c) Agencies will bring this policy to the attention of contractors. The use of contract clauses is not required.

Agencies shall bring complaints regarding a contractor's compliance with this policy to that contractor's attention (in writing, if appropriate), stating the policy, indicating that the contractor's compliance has been questioned, and requesting that the contractor take any appropriate steps that may be necessary to comply.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures implementing the provisions of the Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended (41 U.S.C. 351, et seq.), the applicable provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended (29 U.S.C. 201, et seq.), and related Secretary of Labor regulations and instructions (29 CFR parts 4, 6, 8, and 1925).

As used in this subpart—

Act or Service Contract Act means the Service Contract Act of 1965.

Agency labor advisor means an individual responsible for advising contracting agency officials on Federal contract labor matters.

Contractor includes a subcontractor at any tier whose subcontract is subject to the provisions of the Act.

Multiple year contracts means contracts having a term of more than 1 year regardless of fiscal year funding. The term includes multi-year contracts (see 17.103).

Service contract means any Government contract, the principal purpose of which is to furnish services in the United States through the use of service employees, except as exempted under section 7 of the Act (41 U.S.C. 356; see 22.1003-3 and 22.1003-4), or any subcontract at any tier thereunder. See 22.1003-5 and 29 CFR 4.130 for a partial list of services covered by the Act.

Service employee means any person engaged in the performance of a service contract other than any person employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity, as those terms are defined in part 541 of title 29, Code of Federal Regulations. The term service employee includes all such persons regardless of any contractual relationship that may be alleged to exist between a contractor or subcontractor and such persons.

United States means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Johnston Island, Wake Island, and Outer Continental Shelf lands as defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1331, et seq.,) but does not include any other place subject to U.S. jurisdiction or any U.S. base or possession in a foreign country (29 CFR 4.112).

Wage and Hour Division means the unit in the Employment Standards Administration of the Department of Labor to which is assigned functions of the Secretary of Labor under the Act.

Wage determination means a determination of minimum wages or fringe benefits made under sections 2(a) or 4(c) of the Act (41 U.S.C. 351(a) or 353(c)) applicable to the employment in a given locality of one or more classes of service employees.

Service contracts over $2,500 shall contain mandatory provisions regarding minimum wages and fringe benefits, safe and sanitary working conditions, notification to employees of the minimum allowable compensation, and equivalent Federal employee classifications and wage rates. Under 41 U.S.C. 353(d), service contracts may not exceed 5 years.

Contractors performing on service contracts in excess of $2,500 to which no predecessor contractor's collective bargaining agreement applies shall pay their employees at least the wages and fringe benefits found by the Department of Labor to prevail in the locality or, in the absence of a wage determination, the minimum wage set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act.

(a) Successor contractors performing on contracts in excess of $2,500 for substantially the same services performed in the same locality must pay wages and fringe benefits (including accrued wages and benefits and prospective increases) at least equal to those contained in any bona fide collective bargaining agreement entered into under the predecessor contract. This requirement is self-executing and is not contingent upon incorporating a wage determination or the wage and fringe benefit terms of the predecessor contractor's collective bargaining agreement in the successor contract. This requirement will not apply if the Secretary of Labor determines (1) after a hearing, that the wages and fringe benefits are substantially at variance with those which prevail for services of a similar character in the locality or (2) that the wages and fringe benefits are not the result of arm's length negotiations.

(b) Paragraphs in this Subpart 22.10 which deal with this statutory requirement and the Department of Labor's implementing regulations are 22.1010, concerning notification to contractors and bargaining representatives of procurement dates; 22.1012-2, explaining when a collective bargaining agreement will not apply due to late receipt by the contracting officer; and 22.1013 and 22.1021, explaining when the application of a collective bargaining agreement can be challenged due to a variance with prevailing rates or lack of arm's length bargaining.

No contractor or subcontractor holding a service contract for any dollar amount shall pay any of its employees working on the contract less than the minimum wage specified in section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 206).

This subpart 22.10 applies to all Government contracts, the principal purpose of which is to furnish services in the United States through the use of service employees, except as exempted in 22.1003-3 and 22.1003-4 of this section, or any subcontract at any tier thereunder. This subpart does not apply to individual contract requirements for services in contracts not having as their principal purpose the furnishing of services. The nomenclature, type, or particular form of contract used by contracting agencies is not determinative of coverage.

The Act applies to service contracts performed in the United States (see 22.1001). The Act does not apply to contracts performed outside the United States.

The Act does not apply to—

(a) Any contract for construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works, including painting and decorating;

(b) Any work required to be done in accordance with the provisions of the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act (41 U.S.C. 35-45);

(c) Any contract for transporting freight or personnel by vessel, aircraft, bus, truck, express, railroad, or oil or gas pipeline where published tariff rates are in effect;

(d) Any contract for furnishing services by radio, telephone, telegraph, or cable companies subject to the Communications Act of 1934;

(e) Any contract for public utility services;

(f) Any employment contract providing for direct services to a Federal agency by an individual or individuals; or

(g) Any contract for operating postal contract stations for the U.S. Postal Service.

(a) The Secretary of Labor may provide reasonable limitations and may make rules and regulations allowing reasonable variations, tolerances, and exemptions to and from any or all provisions of the Act other than section 10 (41 U.S.C. 358). These will be made only in special circumstances where it has been determined that the limitation, variation, tolerance, or exemption is necessary and proper in the public interest or to avoid the serious impairment of Government business, and is in accord with the remedial purpose of the Act to protect prevailing labor standards (41 U.S.C. 353(b)). See 29 CFR 4.123 for a listing of administrative exemptions, tolerances, and variations. Requests for limitations, variances, tolerances, and exemptions from the Act shall be submitted in writing through contracting channels and the agency labor advisor to the Wage and Hour Administrator.

(b) In addition to the statutory exemptions cited in 22.1003-3 of this subsection, the Secretary of Labor has exempted the following types of contracts from all provisions of the Act:

(1) Contracts entered into by the United States with common carriers for the carriage of mail by rail, air (except air star routes), bus, and ocean vessel, where such carriage is performed on regularly scheduled runs of the trains, airplanes, buses, and vessels over regularly established routes and accounts for an insubstantial portion of the revenue therefrom.

(2) Any contract entered into by the U.S. Postal Service with an individual owner-operator for mail service if it is not contemplated at the time the contract is made that the owner-operator will hire any service employee to perform the services under the contract except for short periods of vacation time or for unexpected contingencies or emergency situations such as illness, or accident.

(3) Contracts for the carriage of freight or personnel if such carriage is subject to rates covered by section 10721 of the Interstate Commerce Act.

(c) Contracts for maintenance, calibration or repair of certain equipment—(1) Exemption. The Secretary of Labor has exempted from the Act contracts and subcontracts in which the primary purpose is to furnish maintenance, calibration, or repair of the following types of equipment, if the conditions at paragraph (c)(2) of this subsection are met:

(i) Automated data processing equipment and office information/word processing systems.

(ii) Scientific equipment and medical apparatus or equipment if the application of micro-electronic circuitry or other technology of at least similar sophistication is an essential element (for example, Federal Supply Classification (FSC) Group 65, Class 6515, “Medical Diagnostic Equipment;” Class 6525, “X-Ray Equipment;” FSC Group 66, Class 6630, “Chemical Analysis Instruments;” and Class 6665, “Geographical and Astronomical Instruments,” are largely composed of the types of equipment exempted in this paragraph).

(iii) Office/business machines not otherwise exempt pursuant to paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this subsection, if such services are performed by the manufacturer or supplier of the equipment.

(2) Conditions. The exemption at paragraph (c)(1) of this subsection applies if all the following conditions are met for a contract (or a subcontract):

(i) The items of equipment to be serviced under the contract are used regularly for other than Government purposes and are sold or traded by the contractor in substantial quantities to the general public in the course of normal business operations.

(ii) The services will be furnished at prices which are, or are based on, established catalog or market prices for the maintenance, calibration, or repair of such equipment. As defined at 29 CFR 4.123(e)(1)(ii)(B)—

(A) An established catalog price is a price included in a catalog price list, schedule, or other form that is regularly maintained by the manufacturer or the contractor, is either published or otherwise available for inspection by customers, and states prices at which sales currently, or were last, made to a significant number of buyers constituting the general public.

(B) An established market price is a current price, established in the usual course of trade between buyers and sellers free to bargain, which can be substantiated from sources independent of the manufacturer or contractor.

(iii) The contractor will use the same compensation (wage and fringe benefits) plan for all service employees performing work under the contract as the contractor uses for these employees and equivalent employees servicing the same equipment of commercial customers.

(iv) The apparent successful offeror certifies to the conditions in paragraph (c)(2)(i) through (iii) of this subsection. (See 22.1006(e).)

(3) Affirmative determination and contract award. (i) For source selections where the contracting officer has established a competitive range, if the contracting officer determines that one or more of the conditions in paragraphs 22.1003-4 (c)(2)(i) through (iii) of an offeror's certification will not be met, the contracting officer shall identify the deficiency to the offeror before receipt of the final proposal revisions. Unless the offeror provides a revised offer acknowledging applicability of the Service Contract Act or demonstrating to the satisfaction of the contracting officer an ability to meet all required conditions for exemption, the offer will not be further considered for award.

(ii) The contracting officer shall determine in writing the applicability of this exemption to the contract before contract award. If the apparent successful offeror will meet all conditions in paragraph (c)(2) of this subsection, the contracting officer shall make an affirmative determination and award the contract without the otherwise applicable Service Contract Act clause(s).

(iii) If the apparent successful offeror does not certify to the conditions in paragraph (c)(2)(i) through (iii) of this subsection, the contracting officer shall incorporate in the contract the Service Contract Act clause (see 22.1006(a)) and, if the contract will exceed $2,500, the appropriate Department of Labor wage determination (see 22.1007).

(4) Department of Labor determination. (i) If the Department of Labor determines after award of the contract that any condition for exemption in paragraph (c)(2) of this subsection has not been met, the exemption shall be deemed inapplicable, and the contract shall become subject to the Service Contract Act, effective as of the date of the Department of Labor determination. In such case, the procedures at 29 CFR 4.123(e)(1)(iv) and 29 CFR 4.5(c) shall be followed.

(ii) If the Department of Labor determines that any conditions in paragraph (c)(2) of this subsection have not been met with respect to a subcontract, the exemption shall be deemed inapplicable. The contractor may be responsible for ensuring that the subcontractor complies with the Act, effective as of the date of the subcontract award.

(d) Contracts for certain services—(1) Exemption. Except as provided in paragraph (d)(5) of this subsection, the Secretary of Labor has exempted from the Act contracts and subcontracts in which the primary purpose is to provide the following services, if the conditions in paragraph (d)(2) of this subsection are met:

(i) Automobile or other vehicle (e.g., aircraft) maintenance services (other than contracts or subcontracts to operate a Government motor pool or similar facility).

(ii) Financial services involving the issuance and servicing of cards (including credit cards, debit cards, purchase cards, smart cards, and similar card services).

(iii) Hotel/motel services for conferences, including lodging and/or meals, that are part of the contract or subcontract for the conference (which must not include ongoing contracts for lodging on an as needed or continuing basis).

(iv) Maintenance, calibration, repair, and/or installation (where the installation is not subject to the Davis-Bacon Act, as provided in 29 CFR 4.116(c)(2)) services for all types of equipment where the services are obtained from the manufacturer or supplier of the equipment under a contract awarded on a sole source basis.

(v) Transportation by common carrier of persons by air, motor vehicle, rail, or marine vessel on regularly scheduled routes or via standard commercial services (not including charter services).

(vi) Real estate services, including real property appraisal services, related to housing Federal agencies or disposing of real property owned by the Government.

(vii) Relocation services, including services of real estate brokers and appraisers to assist Federal employees or military personnel in buying and selling homes (which shall not include actual moving or storage of household goods and related services).

(2) Conditions. The exemption for the services in paragraph (d)(1) of this subsection applies if all the following conditions are met for a contract (or for a subcontract):

(i)(A) Except for services identified in paragraph (d)(1)(iv) of this subsection, the contractor will be selected for award based on other factors in addition to price or cost, with the combination of other factors at least as important as price or cost; or

(B) The contract will be awarded on a sole source basis.

(ii) The services under the contract are offered and sold regularly to non-Governmental customers, and are provided by the contractor (or subcontractor in the case of an exempt subcontract) to the general public in substantial quantities in the course of normal business operations.

(iii) The contract services are furnished at prices that are, or are based on, established catalog or market prices. As defined at 29 CFR 4.123(e)(2)(ii)(C)—

(A) An established catalog price is a price included in a catalog, price list, schedule, or other form that is regularly maintained by the contractor, is either published or otherwise available for inspection by customers, and states prices at which sales are currently, or were last, made to a significant number of buyers constituting the general public; and

(B) An established market price is a current price, established in the usual course of trade between buyers and sellers free to bargain, which can be substantiated from sources independent of the manufacturer or contractor.

(iv) Each service employee who will perform the services under the contract will spend only a small portion of his or her time (a monthly average of less than 20 percent of the available hours on an annualized basis, or less than 20 percent of available hours during the contract period if the contract period is less than a month) servicing the Government contract.

(v) The contractor will use the same compensation (wage and fringe benefits) plan for all service employees performing work under the contract as the contractor uses for these employees and equivalent employees servicing commercial customers.

(vi) The contracting officer (or contractor with respect to a subcontract) determines in advance before issuing the solicitation, based on the nature of the contract requirements and knowledge of the practices of likely offerors, that all or nearly all offerors will meet the conditions in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) through (v) of this subsection. If the services are currently being performed under contract, the contracting officer (or contractor with respect to a subcontract) shall consider the practices of the existing contractor in making a determination regarding the conditions in paragraphs (d)(2)(ii) through (v) of this subsection.

(vii)(A) The apparent successful offeror certifies that the conditions in paragraphs (d)(2)(ii) through (v) will be met; and

(B) For other than sole source awards, the contracting officer determines that the same certification is obtained from substantially all other offerors that are—

(1) In the competitive range, if discussions are to be conducted (see FAR 15.306)(c)); or

(2) Considered responsive, if award is to be made without discussions (see FAR 15.306(a)).

(3) Contract award or resolicitation. (i) If the apparent successful offeror does not certify to the conditions, the contracting officer shall insert in the contract the applicable Service Contract Act clause(s) (see 22.1006) and, if the contract will exceed $2,500, the appropriate Department of Labor wage determination (see 22.1007).

(ii) The contracting officer shall award the contract without the otherwise applicable Service Contract Act clause(s) if—

(A) The apparent successful offeror certifies to the conditions in paragraphs (d)(2)(ii) through (v) of this subsection;

(B) The contracting officer determines that the same certification is obtained from substantially all other offerors that are—

(1) In the competitive range, if discussions are to be conducted (see FAR 15.306); or

(2) Considered responsive, if award is to be made without discussions (see FAR 15.306(a)); and

(C) The contracting officer has no reason to doubt the certification.

(iii) If the conditions in paragraph (d)(3)(ii) of this subsection are not met, then the contracting officer shall resolicit, amending the solicitation by removing the exemption provision from the solicitation as prescribed at 22.1006(e)(3). The contract will include the applicable Service Contract Act clause(s) as prescribed at 22.1006 and, if the contract will exceed $2,500, the appropriate Department of Labor wage determination (see 22.1007).

(4) Department of Labor determination. (i) If the Department of Labor determines after award of the contract that any conditions for exemption at paragraph (d)(2) of this subsection have not been met, the exemption shall be deemed inapplicable, and the contract shall become subject to the Service Contract Act. In such case, the procedures at 29 CFR 4.123(e)(2)(iii) and 29 CFR 4.5(c) shall be followed.

(ii) If the Department of Labor determines that any conditions in paragraph (d)(2) of this subsection have not been met with respect to a subcontract, the exemption shall be deemed inapplicable. The contractor may be responsible for ensuring that the subcontractor complies with the Act, effective as of the date of the subcontract award.

(5) Exceptions. The exemption at paragraph (d)(1) of this subsection does not apply to solicitations and contracts (subcontracts)—

(i) Awarded under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act, 41 U.S.C. 47 (see Subpart 8.7).

(ii) For the operation of a Government facility, or part of a Government facility (but may be applicable to subcontracts for services); or

(iii) Subject to Section 4(c) of the Service Contract Act (see 22.1002-3).

The following examples, while not definitive or exclusive, illustrate some of the types of services that have been found to be covered by the Act (see 29 CFR 4.130 for additional examples):

(a) Motor pool operation, parking, taxicab, and ambulance services.

(b) Packing, crating, and storage.

(c) Custodial, janitorial, housekeeping, and guard services.

(d) Food service and lodging.

(e) Laundry, dry-cleaning, linen-supply, and clothing alteration and repair services.

(f) Snow, trash, and garbage removal.

(g) Aerial spraying and aerial reconnaissance for fire detection.

(h) Some support services at installations, including grounds maintenance and landscaping.

(i) Certain specialized services requiring specific skills, such as drafting, illustrating, graphic arts, stenographic reporting, or mortuary services.

(j) Electronic equipment maintenance and operation and engineering support services.

(k) Maintenance and repair of all types of equipment, for example, aircraft, engines, electrical motors, vehicles, and electronic, office and related business and construction equipment. (But see 22.1003-4(c)(1) and (d)(1)(iv).)

(l) Operation, maintenance, or logistics support of a Federal facility.

(m) Data collection, processing and analysis services.

(a) Contracts principally for remanufacturing of equipment which is so extensive as to be equivalent to manufacturing are subject to the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act, rather than to the Service Contract Act. Remanufacturing shall be deemed to be manufacturing when the criteria in either subparagraphs (a)(1) or (a)(2) of this subsection are met.

(1) Major overhaul of an item, piece of equipment, or materiel which is degraded or inoperable, and under which all of the following conditions exist:

(i) The item or equipment is required to be completely or substantially torn down into individual component parts.

(ii) Substantially all of the parts are reworked, rehabilitated, altered and/or replaced.

(iii) The parts are reassembled so as to furnish a totally rebuilt item or piece of equipment.

(iv) Manufacturing processes similar to those which were used in the manufacturing of the item or piece of equipment are utilized.

(v) The disassembled components, if usable (except for situations where the number of items or pieces of equipment involved are too few to make it practicable) are commingled with existing inventory and, as such, lose their identification with respect to a particular piece of equipment.

(vi) The items or equipment overhauled are restored to original life expectancy, or nearly so.

(vii) Such work is performed in a facility owned or operated by the contractor.

(2) Major modification of an item, piece of equipment, or material which is wholly or partially obsolete, and under which all of the following conditions exist:

(i) The item or equipment is required to be completely or substantially torn down.

(ii) Outmoded parts are replaced.

(iii) The item or equipment is rebuilt or reassembled.

(iv) The contract work results in the furnishing of a substantially modified item in a usable and serviceable condition.

(v) The work is performed in a facility owned or operated by the contractor.

(b) Remanufacturing does not include the repair of damaged or broken equipment which does not require a complete teardown, overhaul, and rebuild as described in subparagraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this subsection, or the periodic and routine maintenance, preservation, care, adjustment, upkeep, or servicing of equipment to keep it in usable, serviceable, working order. Such contracts typically are billed on an hourly rate (labor plus materials and parts) basis. Any contract principally for this type of work is subject to the Service Contract Act. Examples of such work include the following:

(1) Repair of an automobile, truck, or other vehicle, construction equipment, tractor, crane, aerospace, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, electric motors, and ground powered industrial or vehicular equipment.

(2) Repair of typewriters and other office equipment (but see 22.1003-4(c)(1) and (d)(1)(iv)).

(3) Repair of appliances, radios, television sets, calculators, and other electronic equipment.

(4) Inspecting, testing, calibration, painting, packaging, lubrication, tune-up, or replacement of internal parts of equipment listed in subparagraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(3) of this subsection.

(5) Reupholstering, reconditioning, repair, and refinishing of furniture.

Under the Act, the Secretary of Labor is authorized and directed to enforce the provisions of the Act, make rules and regulations, issue orders, hold hearings, make decisions, and take other appropriate action. The Department of Labor has issued implementing regulations on such matters as—

(a) Service contract labor standards provisions and procedures (29 CFR part 4, subpart A);

(b) Wage determination procedures (29 CFR part 4, subparts A and B);

(c) Application of the Act (rulings and interpretations) (29 CFR part 4, subpart C);

(d) Compensation standards (29 CFR part 4, subpart D);

(e) Enforcement (29 CFR part 4, subpart E);

(f) Safe and sanitary working conditions (29 CFR part 1925);

(g) Rules of practice for administrative proceedings enforcing service contract labor standards (29 CFR part 6); and

(h) Practice before the Administrative Review Board (29 CFR part 8).

(a)(1) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, in solicitations and contracts (except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section) if the contract is subject to the Act and is—

(i) Over $2,500; or

(ii) For an indefinite dollar amount and the contracting officer does not know in advance that the contract amount will be $2,500 or less.

(2) The contracting officer shall not insert the clause at 52.222-41 (or any of the associated Service Contract Act clauses as prescribed in this section for possible use when 52.222-41 applies) in the resultant contract if—

(i) The solicitation includes the provision at—

(A) 52.222-48, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment—Certification;

(B) 52.222-52, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Certain Services—Certification; or

(C) Either of the comparable certifications is checked as applicable in the provision at 52.204-8(c)(2)(v) or (vi) or 52.212-3(k); and

(ii) The contracting officer has made the determination, in accordance with paragraphs (c)(3) or (d)(3) of subsection 22.1003-4, that the Service Contract Act does not apply to the contract. (In such case, insert the clause at 52.222-51, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment—Requirements, or 52.222-53, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Certain Services—Requirements, in the contract, in accordance with the prescription at paragraph (e)(2)(ii) or (e)(4)(ii) of this subsection).

(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires, in solicitations and contracts if the contract amount is expected to be over $2,500 and the Act is applicable. (See 22.1016.)

(c)(1) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act—Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts), or another clause which accomplishes the same purpose, in solicitations and contracts if the contract is expected to be a fixed-price, time-and-materials, or labor-hour service contract containing the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, and is a multiple year contract or is a contract with options to renew which exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold. The clause may be used in contracts that do not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The clause at 52.222-43, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act—Price Adjustment (Multiple Year and Option Contracts), applies to both contracts subject to area prevailing wage determinations and contracts subject to the incumbent contractor's collective bargaining agreement in effect during this contract's preceding contract period (see 22.1002-2 and 22.1002-3). Contracting officers shall ensure that contract prices or contract unit price labor rates are adjusted only to the extent that a contractor's increases or decreases in applicable wages and fringe benefits are made to comply with the requirements set forth in the clauses at 52.222-43 (subparagraphs (d) (1), (2) and (3)), or 52.222-44 (subparagraphs (b) (1) and (2)). (For example, the prior year wage determination required a minimum wage rate of $4.00 per hour. The contractor actually paid $4.10. The new wage determination increases the minimum rate to $4.50. The contractor increases the rate actually paid to $4.75 per hour. The allowable price adjustment is $.40 per hour.)

(2) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-44, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act—Price Adjustment, in solicitations and contracts if the contract is expected to be a fixed-price, time-and-materials, or labor-hour service contract containing the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold, and is not a multiple year contract or is not a contract with options to renew. The clause may be used in contracts that do not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The clause at 52.222-44, Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act—Price Adjustment, applies to both contracts subject to area prevailing wage determinations and contracts subject to contractor collective bargaining agreements (see 22.1002-2 and 22.1002-3).

(3) The clauses prescribed in paragraph 22.1006(c)(1) cover situations in which revised minimum wage rates are applied to contracts by operation of law, or by revision of a wage determination in connection with (i) exercise of a contract option or (ii) extension of a multiple year contract into a new program year. If a clause prescribed in 16.203-4(d) is used, it must not conflict with, or duplicate payment under, the clauses prescribed in this paragraph 22.1006(c).

(d) [Reserved]

(e)(1) The contracting officer shall insert the provision at 52.222-48, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment—Certification, in solicitations that—

(i) Include the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965; and

(ii) The contract may be exempt from the Service Contract Act in accordance with 22.1003-4(c).

(2) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-51, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Maintenance, Calibration, or Repair of Certain Equipment—Requirements—

(i) In solicitations that include the provision at 52.222-48, or the comparable provision is checked as applicable in the clause at 52.204-8(c)(2)(v) or 52.212-3(k)(1); and

(ii) In resulting contracts in which the contracting officer has determined, in accordance with 22.1003-4(c)(3), that the Service Contract Act does not apply.

(3)(i) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(3)(ii) of this section, the contracting officer shall insert the provision at 52.222-52, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Certain Services—Certification, in solicitations that—

(A) Include the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965; and

(B) The contract may be exempt from the Service Contract Act in accordance with 22.1003-4(d).

(ii) When resoliciting in accordance with 22.1003-4(d)(3)(iii), amend the solicitation by removing the provision at 52.222-52 from the solicitation.

(4) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-53, Exemption from Application of the Service Contract Act to Contracts for Certain Services—Requirements—

(i) In solicitations that include the provision at 52.222-52, or the comparable provision is checked as applicable in 52.204-8(c)(2)(vi) or 52.212-3(k)(2); and

(ii) In resulting contracts in which the contracting officer has determined, in accordance with 22.1003-4(d)(3), that the Service Contract Act does not apply.

(f) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.222-49, Service Contract Act—Place of Performance Unknown, if using the procedures prescribed in 22.1009-4.

The contracting officer shall obtain wage determinations for the following service contracts:

(a) Each new solicitation and contract in excess of $2,500.

(b) Each contract modification which brings the contract above $2,500 and—

(1) Extends the existing contract pursuant to an option clause or otherwise; or

(2) Changes the scope of the contract whereby labor requirements are affected significantly.

(c) Each multiple year contract in excess of $2,500 upon—

(1) Annual anniversary date if the contract is subject to annual appropriations; or

(2) Biennial anniversary date if the contract is not subject to annual appropriations and its proposed term exceeds 2 years—unless otherwise advised by the Wage and Hour Division.

(a) Contracting officers may obtain most prevailing wage determinations using the WDOL website. Contracting officers may also use the Department of Labor's e98 electronic process, located on the WDOL website, to request a wage determination directly from the Department of Labor. If the WDOL database does not contain the applicable prevailing wage determination for a contract action, the contracting officer must use the e98 process to request a wage determination from the Department of Labor.

(b) In using the e98 process to obtain prevailing wage determinations, contracting officers shall provide as complete and accurate information on the e98 as possible. Contracting officers shall ensure that the email address submitted on an e98 request is accurate.

(c) The contracting officer must anticipate the amount of time required to gather the information necessary to obtain a wage determination, including sufficient time, if necessary, to contact the Department of Labor to request wage determinations that are not available through use of the WDOL.

(d) Although the WDOL website provides assistance to the contracting agency to select the correct wage determination, the contracting agency remains responsible for the wage determination selected. If the contracting agency has used the e98 process, the Department of Labor will respond to the contracting agency based on the information provided on the e98. The contracting agency may rely upon the Department of Labor response as the correct wage determination for the contract.

(e) To obtain the applicable wage determination for each contract action, the contracting officer shall determine the following information concerning the service employees expected to be employed by the contractor and any subcontractors in performing the contract:

(1) Determine the classes of service employees to be utilized in performance of the contract using the Wage and Hour Division's Service Contract Act Directory of Occupations (Directory). The Directory can be found on WDOL's Library Page, and is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office.

(2) Determine the locality where the services will be performed (see 22.1009).

(3) Determine whether Section 4(c) of the Act applies (see 22.1008-2, 22.1010 and 22.1012-2).

(4) Determine the wage rate that would be paid each class if employed by the agency and subject to the wage provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5341 and/or 5332 (see 22.1016).

(f) If the contracting officer has questions regarding the procedures for obtaining a wage determination, or questions regarding the selection of a wage determination, the contracting officer should request assistance from the agency labor advisor.

(a) Early in the acquisition cycle, the contracting officer shall determine whether section 4(c) of the Act affects the new acquisition. The contracting officer shall determine whether there is a predecessor contract covered by the Act and, if so, whether the incumbent prime contractor or its subcontractors and any of their employees have a collective bargaining agreement.

(b) Section 4(c) of the Act provides that a successor contractor must pay wages and fringe benefits (including accrued wages and benefits and prospective increases) to service employees at least equal to those agreed upon by a predecessor contractor under the following conditions:

(1) The services to be furnished under the proposed contract will be substantially the same as services being furnished by an incumbent contractor whose contract the proposed contract will succeed.

(2) The services will be performed in the same locality.

(3) The incumbent prime contractor or subcontractor is furnishing such services through the use of service employees whose wages and fringe benefits are the subject of one or more collective bargaining agreements.

(c) The application of section 4(c) of the Act is subject to the following limitations:

(1) Section 4(c) of the Act will not apply if the incumbent contractor enters into a collective bargaining agreement for the first time and the agreement does not become effective until after the expiration of the incumbent's contract.

(2) If the incumbent contractor enters into a new or revised collective bargaining agreement during the period of the incumbent's performance on the current contract, the terms of the new or revised agreement shall not be effective for the purposes of section 4(c) of the Act under the following conditions:

(i)(A) In sealed bidding, the contracting agency receives notice of the terms of the collective bargaining agreement less than 10 days before bid opening and finds that there is not reasonable time still available to notify bidders (see 22.1012-2(a)); or

(B) For contractual actions other than sealed bidding, the contracting agency receives notice of the terms of the collective bargaining agreement after award, provided that the start of performance is within 30 days of award (see 22.1012-2(b)); and

(ii) The contracting officer has given both the incumbent contractor and its employees' collective bargaining agent timely written notification of the applicable acquisition dates (see 22.1010).

(d)(1) If section 4(c) of the Act applies, the contracting officer shall obtain a copy of any collective bargaining agreement between an incumbent contractor or subcontractor and its employees. Obtaining a copy of an incumbent contractor's collective bargaining agreement may involve coordination with the administrative contracting officer responsible for administering the predecessor contract. (Paragraph (m) of the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended, requires the incumbent prime contractor to furnish the contracting officer a copy of each collective bargaining agreement.)

(2) If the contracting officer has timely received the collective bargaining agreement, the contracting officer may use the WDOL website to prepare a wage determination referencing the agreement and incorporate that wage determination, attached to a complete copy of the collective bargaining agreement, into the successor contract action. In using the WDOL process, it is not necessary to submit a copy of the collective bargaining agreement to the Department of Labor unless requested to do so.

(3) The contracting officer may also use the e98 process on WDOL to request that the Department of Labor prepare the cover wage determination. The Department of Labor's response to the e98 may include a request for the contracting officer to submit a complete copy of the collective bargaining agreement. Any questions regarding the applicability of the Act to a collective bargaining agreement should be directed to the agency labor advisor.

(e)(1) Section 4(c) of the Act will not apply if the Secretary of Labor determines (i) after a hearing, that the wages and fringe benefits in the predecessor contractor's collective bargaining agreement are substantially at variance with those which prevail for services of a similar character in the locality, or (ii) that the wages and fringe benefits in the predecessor contractor's collective bargaining agreement are not the result of arm's length negotiations (see 22.1013 and 22.1021). The Department of Labor (DOL) has concluded that contingent collective bargaining agreement provisions that attempt to limit a contractor's obligations by means such as requiring issuance of a wage determination by the DOL, requiring inclusion of the wage determination in the contract, or requiring the Government to adequately reimburse the contractor, generally reflect a lack of arm's length negotiations.

(2) If the contracting officer's review (see 22.1013) indicates that monetary provisions of the collective bargaining agreement may be substantially at variance or may not have been reached as a result of arm's length bargaining, the contracting officer shall immediately contact the agency labor advisor to consider if further action is warranted.

(f) If the services are being furnished at more than one location and the collectively bargained wage rates and fringe benefits are different at different locations or do not apply to one or more locations, the contracting officer shall identify the locations to which the agreements apply.

(g) If the collective bargaining agreement does not apply to all service employees under the contract, the contracting officer shall access WDOL to obtain the prevailing wage determination for those service employee classifications that are not covered by the collective bargaining agreement. The contracting officer shall separately list in the solicitation and contract the service employee classifications—(1) subject to the collective bargaining agreement and (2) not subject to any collective bargaining agreement.

If the place of performance is unknown, the contracting officer may use the procedures in this section. The contracting officer should first attempt to identify the specific places or geographical areas where the services might be performed (see 22.1009-2) and then may follow the procedures either in 22.1009-3 or in 22.1009-4.

The contracting officer should attempt to identify the specific places or geographical areas where the services might be performed. The following may indicate possible places of performance:

(a) Locations of previous contractors and their competitors.

(b) Databases available via the Internet for lists of prospective offerors and contractors.

(c) Responses to a presolicitation notice (see 5.204).

(a) If the contracting officer can identify all the possible places or areas of performance (even though the actual place of performance will not be known until the successful offeror is chosen), the contracting officer shall obtain a wage determination for each locality where services may be performed (see 22.1008).

(b) If the contracting officer subsequently learns of any potential offerors in previously unidentified places before the closing date for submission of offers, the contracting officer shall—

(1) Obtain wage determinations for the additional places of performance and amend the solicitation to include all wage determinations. If necessary, the contracting officer shall extend the time for submission of final offers; and

(2) Follow the procedures in 22.1009-4.

If the contracting officer believes that there may be offerors interested in performing in unidentified places or areas, the contracting officer may use the following procedures:

(a) Include the following information in the synopsis and solicitation:

(1) That the place of performance is unknown.

(2) The possible places or areas of performance that the contracting officer has already identified.

(3) That the contracting officer will obtain wage determinations for additional possible places of performance if asked to do so in writing.

(4) The time and date by which offerors must notify the contracting officer of additional places of performance.

(b) Include the information required by paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(4) of this section in the clause at 52.222-49, Service Contract Act-Place of Performance Unknown (see 22.1006(f)). The closing date for receipt of offerors' requests for wage determinations for additional possible places of performance should allow reasonable time for potential offerors to review the solicitation and determine their interest in competing. Generally, 10 to 15 days from the date of issuance of the solicitation may be considered a reasonable period of time.

(c) The procedures in 14.304 shall apply to late receipt of offerors' requests for wage determinations for additional places of performance. However, late receipt of an offeror's request for a wage determination for additional places of performance does not preclude the offeror's competing for the proposed acquisition.

(d) If the contracting officer receives any timely requests for wage determinations for additional places of performance the contracting officer shall—

(1) Obtain wage determinations for the additional places of performance; and

(2) Amend the solicitation to include all wage determinations and, if necessary, extend the time for submission of final offers.

(e) If the successful offeror did not make a timely request for a wage determination and will perform in a place of performance for which the contracting officer therefore did not request a wage determination, the contracting officer shall—

(1) Award the contract;

(2) Obtain a wage determination; and

(3) Incorporate the wage determination in the contract, retroactive to the date of contract award and with no adjustment in contract price, pursuant to the clause at 52.222-49, Service Contract—Place of Performance Unknown.

(a) The contracting officer should determine whether the incumbent prime contractor's or its subcontractors' service employees performing on the current contract are represented by a collective bargaining agent. If there is a collective bargaining agent, the contracting officer shall give both the incumbent contractor and its employees' collective bargaining agent written notification of—

(1) The forthcoming successor contract and the applicable acquisition dates (issuance of solicitation, opening of bids, commencement of negotiations, award of contract, or start of performance, as the case may be); or

(2) The forthcoming contract modification and applicable acquisition dates (exercise of option, extension of contract, change in scope, or start of performance, as the case may be); or

(3) The forthcoming multiple year contract anniversary date (annual anniversary date or biennial date, as the case may be).

(b) This written notification must be given at least 30 days in advance of the earliest applicable acquisition date or the applicable annual or biennial anniversary date in order for the time-of-receipt limitations in 22.1012-2 (a) and (b) to apply. The contracting officer shall retain a copy of the notification in the contract file.

(a)(1) The Wage and Hour Administrator may issue revisions to prevailing wage determinations periodically. The need for inclusion of a revised prevailing wage determination in a solicitation, contract or contract modification (see 22.1007) is determined by the date of receipt of the revised prevailing wage determination by the contracting agency. (Note the distinction between receipt by the agency and receipt by the contracting officer which may occur later.)

(i) For purposes of using WDOL, the time of receipt by the contracting agency shall be the first day of publication of the revised prevailing wage determination on the website.

(ii) For purposes of using the e98 process, the time of receipt by the contracting agency shall be the date the agency receives actual notice of a new or revised prevailing wage determination from the Department of Labor as an e98 response.

(2) In selecting a prevailing wage determination from the WDOL website for use in a solicitation or other contract action, the contracting officer shall monitor the WDOL website to determine whether the applicable wage determination has been revised. Revisions published on the WDOL website or otherwise communicated to the contracting officer within the timeframes prescribed at 22.1012-1(b) and (c) are effective and must be included in the resulting contract. Monitoring can be accomplished by use of the WDOL website's “Alert Service”.

(b) The following shall apply when contracting by sealed bidding: a revised prevailing wage determination shall not be effective if it is received by the contracting agency less than 10 days before the opening of bids, and the contracting officer finds that there is not reasonable time to incorporate the revision in the solicitation.

(c) For contractual actions other than sealed bidding, a revised prevailing wage determination received by the contracting agency after award of a new contract or a modification as specified in 22.1007(b) shall not be effective provided that the start of performance is within 30 days of the award or the specified modification. If the contract does not specify a start of performance date which is within 30 days of the award or the specified modification, and if contract performance does not commence within 30 days of the award or the specified modification, any revision received by the contracting agency not less than 10 days before commencement of the work shall be effective.

(d) If the contracting officer has submitted an e98 to the Department of Labor requesting a prevailing wage determination and has not received a response within 10 days, the contracting officer shall contact the Wage and Hour Division by telephone to determine when the wage determination can be expected. (The telephone number is provided on the e98 website.)

(a) In sealed bidding, a new or changed collective bargaining agreement shall not be effective under section 4(c) of the Act if the contracting agency has received notice of the terms of the new or changed collective bargaining agreement less than 10 days before bid opening and the contracting officer determines that there is not reasonable time to incorporate the new or changed terms of the collective bargaining agreement in the solicitation.

(b) For contractual actions other than sealed bidding, a new or changed collective bargaining agreement shall not be effective under section 4(c) of the Act if notice of the terms of the new or changed collective bargaining agreement is received by the contracting agency after award of a successor contract or a modification as specified in 22.1007(b), provided that the contract start of performance is within 30 days of the award of the contract or of the specified modification. If the contract does not specify a start of performance date which is within 30 days of the award of the contract or of the specified modification, or if contract performance does not commence within 30 days of the award of the contract or of the specified modification, any notice of the terms of a new or changed collective bargaining agreement received by the agency not less than 10 days before commencement of the work shall be effective for purposes of the successor contract under section 4(c) of the Act.

(c) The limitations in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection shall apply only if timely notification required in 22.1010 has been given.

(d) If the contracting officer has submitted an e98 to Department of Labor requesting a wage determination based on a collective bargaining agreement and has not received a response from the Department of Labor within 10 days, the contracting officer shall contact the Wage and Hour Division by telephone to determine when the wage determination can be expected. (The telephone number is provided on the e98 website.) If the Department of Labor is unable to provide the wage determination by the latest date needed to maintain the acquisition schedule, the contracting officer shall incorporate the collective bargaining agreement itself in a solicitation or other contract action (e.g., exercise of option) and include a wage determination referencing that collective bargaining agreement created by use of the WDOL website (see 22.1008-2(d)(2)).

(a) Based on incumbent collective bargaining agreement. (1) If wages, fringe benefits, or periodic increases provided for in a collective bargaining agreement vary substantially from those prevailing for similar services in the locality, the contracting officer shall immediately contact the agency labor advisor to consider instituting the procedures in 22.1021.

(2) If the contracting officer believes that an incumbent or predecessor contractor's agreement was not the result of arm's length negotiations, the contracting officer shall contact the agency labor advisor to determine appropriate action.

(b) Based on other than incumbent collective bargaining agreement. Upon receiving a wage determination not predicated upon a collective bargaining agreement, the contracting officer shall ascertain—

(1) If the wage determination does not conform with wages and fringe benefits prevailing for similar services in the locality; or

(2) If the wage determination contains significant errors or omissions. If either subparagraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section is evident, the contracting officer shall contact the agency labor advisor to determine appropriate action.

If a wage determination was obtained through the e98 process, and bid opening, or commencement of work under a negotiated contract has been delayed, for whatever reason, more than 60 days from the date indicated on the previously submitted e98, the contracting officer shall submit a new e98. Any revision of a wage determination received by the contracting agency as a result of that communication shall supersede the earlier response as the wage determination applicable to the particular acquisition subject to the time frames in 22.1012-1(b) and (c).

(a) The statement required under the clause at 52.222-42, Statement of Equivalent Rates for Federal Hires, (see 22.1006(b)) shall set forth those wage rates and fringe benefits that would be paid by the contracting activity to the various classes of service employees expected to be utilized under the contract if 5 U.S.C. 5332 (General Schedule—white collar) and/or 5 U.S.C. 5341 (Wage Board—blue collar) were applicable.

(b) Procedures for computation of these rates are as follows:

(1) Wages paid blue collar employees shall be the basic hourly rate for each class. The rate shall be Wage Board pay schedule step two for nonsupervisory service employees and step three for supervisory service employees.

(2) Wages paid white collar employees shall be an hourly rate for each class. The rate shall be obtained by dividing the general pay schedule step one biweekly rate by 80.

(3) Local civilian personnel offices can assist in determining and providing grade and salary data.

The contracting officer shall take the following steps to ensure that service employees are notified of minimum wages and fringe benefits.

(a) As soon as possible after contract award, inform the contractor of the labor standards requirements of the contract relating to the Act and of the contractor's responsibilities under these requirements, unless it is clear that the contractor is fully informed.

(b) At the time of award, furnish the contractor Department of Labor Publication WH-1313, Notice to Employees Working on Government Contracts, for posting at a prominent and accessible place at the worksite before contract performance begins. The publication advises employees of the compensation (wages and fringe benefits) required to be paid or furnished under the Act and satisfies the notice requirements in paragraph (g) of the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965.

(c) Attach any applicable wage determination to Publication WH-1313.

(a) If the contracting officer is aware that contract performance involves classes of service employees not included in the wage determination, the contracting officer shall require the contractor to classify the unlisted classes so as to provide a reasonable relationship (i.e., appropriate level of skill comparison) between the unlisted classifications and the classifications listed in the determination (see paragraph (c) of the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965). The contractor shall initiate the conforming procedure before unlisted classes of employees perform contract work. The contractor shall submit Standard Form (SF) 1444, Request For Authorization of Additional Classification and Rate. The contracting officer shall review the proposed classification and rate and promptly submit the completed SF 1444 (which must include information regarding the agreement or disagreement of the employees' representative or the employees themselves together with the agency recommendation) and all other pertinent information to the Wage and Hour Division. Within 30 days of receipt of the request, the Wage and Hour Division will (1) approve, modify, or disapprove the request when the parties are in agreement or (2) render a final determination in the event of disagreement among the parties. If the Wage and Hour Division will require more than 30 days to take action, it will notify the contracting officer within 30 days of receipt of the request that additional time is necessary.

(b) Some wage determinations will list a series of classes within a job classification family, for example, Computer Operators, level I, II, and III, or Electronic Technicians, level I, II, and III, or Clerk Typist, level I and II. Generally, level I is the lowest level. It is the entry level, and establishment of a lower level through conformance is not permissible. Further, trainee classifications may not be conformed. Helpers in skilled maintenance trades (for example, electricians, machinists, and automobile mechanics) whose duties constitute, in fact, separate and distinct jobs may also be used if listed on the wage determination, but may not be conformed. Conformance may not be used to artificially split or subdivide classifications listed in the wage determination. However, conforming procedures may be used if the work which an employee performs under the contract is not within the scope of any classification listed on the wage determination, regardless of job title. (See 29 CFR 4.152.)

(c) Subminimum rates for apprentices, student learners, and handicapped workers are permissible in accordance with paragraph (q) of the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965.

If a contract is performed at a Federal facility where employees may be hired/retained by a succeeding contractor, the incumbent prime contractor is required to furnish a certified list of all service employees on the contractor's or subcontractor's payroll during the last month of the contract, together with anniversary dates of employment, to the contracting officer no later than 10 days before contract completion. (See paragraph (n) of the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965.) At the commencement of the succeeding contract, the contracting officer shall provide a copy of the list to the successor contractor for determining employee eligibility for vacation or other fringe benefits which are based upon length of service, including service with predecessor contractors if such benefit is required by an applicable wage determination.

(a) A contracting agency or other interested party may request a hearing on an issue presented in 22.1013(a). To obtain a hearing for the contracting agency, the contracting officer shall submit a written request through appropriate channels (ordinarily the agency labor advisor) to: Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20210.

(b) A request for a substantial variance hearing shall include sufficient data to show that the rates at issue vary substantially from those prevailing for similar services in the locality. The request shall also include—

(1) The number of the wage determinations at issue;

(2) The name of the contracting agency whose contract is involved;

(3) A brief description of the services to be performed under the contract;

(4) The status of the procurement and any estimated procurement dates, such as bid opening, contract award, and commencement date of the contract or its follow-up option period;

(5) A statement of the applicant's case, setting forth in detail the reasons why the applicant believes that a substantial variance exists with respect to some or all of the wages and/or fringe benefits;

(6) Names and addresses (to the extent known) of interested parties; and

(7) Any other data required by the Administrator.

(c) A request for an arm's length hearing shall include—

(1) A statement of the applicant's case setting forth in detail the reasons why the applicant believes that the wages and fringe benefits contained in the collective bargaining agreement were not reached as a result of arm's length negotiations;

(2) A statement regarding the status of the procurement and any estimated procurement dates, such as bid opening, contract award, and commencement date of the contract or its follow-up option period; and

(3) Names and addresses (to the extent known) of interested parties.

(d) Unless the Administrator determines that extraordinary circumstances exist, the Administrator will not consider requests for a hearing unless received as follows:

(1) For sealed bid contracts, more than 10 days before the award of the contract; or

(2) For negotiated contracts and for contracts with provisions exceeding the initial term by option, before the commencement date of the contract or the follow-up option period.

Any violations of the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended, renders the responsible contractor liable for the amount of any deductions, rebates, refunds, or underpayments (which includes nonpayment) of compensation due employees performing the contract. The contracting officer may withhold—or, upon written request of the Department of Labor from a level no lower than that of Deputy Regional Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards Administration, Department of Labor, shall withhold—the amount needed to pay such underpaid employees from accrued payments due the contractor on the contract, or on any other prime contract (whether subject to the Service Contract Act or not) with the contractor. The agency shall place the amount withheld in a deposit fund. Such withheld funds shall be transferred to the Department of Labor for disbursement to the underpaid employees on order of the Secretary (or authorized representatives), an Administrative Law Judge, or the Administrative Review Board. In addition, the Department of Labor has given blanket approval to forward withheld funds pending completion of an investigation or other administrative proceeding when disposition of withheld funds remains the final action necessary to close out a contract.

As provided by the Act, any contractor failure to comply with the requirements of the contract clauses related to the Act may be grounds for termination for default (see paragraph (k) of the clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965).

The contracting officer shall cooperate with Department of Labor representatives in the examination of records, interviews with service employees, and all other aspects of investigations undertaken by the Department. When asked, agencies shall furnish the Wage and Hour Administrator or a designee, any available information on contractors, subcontractors, their contracts, and the nature of the contract services. The contracting officer shall promptly refer, in writing to the appropriate regional office of the Department, apparent violations and complaints received. Employee complaints shall not be disclosed to the employer.

A list of persons or firms found to be in violation of the Act is contained in the Excluded Parties List System (see 9.404). No Government contract may be awarded to any violator so listed because of a violation of the Act, or to any firm, corporation, partnership, or association in which the violator has a substantial interest, without the approval of the Secretary of Labor. This prohibition against award to an ineligible contractor applies to both prime and subcontracts.

Disputes concerning labor standards requirements of the contract are handled under paragraph (t) of the contract clause at 52.222-41, Service Contract Act of 1965, and not under the clause at 52.233-1, Disputes.

The Service Contract Act of 1965 was enacted to ensure that Government contractors compensate their blue-collar service workers and some white-collar service workers fairly, but it does not cover bona fide executive, administrative, or professional employees.

Professional employee, as used in this subpart, means any person meeting the definition of employee employed in a bona fide . . . professional capacity given in 29 CFR part 541. The term embraces members of those professions having a recognized status based upon acquiring professional knowledge through prolonged study. Examples of these professions include accountancy, actuarial computation, architecture, dentistry, engineering, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, the sciences (such as biology, chemistry, and physics), and teaching. To be a professional employee, a person must not only be a professional but must be involved essentially in discharging professional duties.

All professional employees shall be compensated fairly and properly. Accordingly, the contracting officer shall insert the provision at 52.222-46, Evaluation of Compensation for Professional Employees, in solicitations for negotiated service contracts when the contract amount is expected to exceed $650,000 and the service to be provided will require meaningful numbers of professional employees. This provision requires that offerors submit for evaluation a total compensation plan setting forth proposed salaries and fringe benefits for professional employees working on the contract. Supporting information will include data, such as recognized national and regional compensation surveys and studies of professional, public and private organizations, used in establishing the total compensation structure. Plans indicating unrealistically low professional employees compensation may be assessed adversely as one of the factors considered in making an award.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for implementing the following:

(a) The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1972 (38 U.S.C. 4211 and 4212) (the Act).

(b) The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998, Public Law 105-339.

(c) The Jobs for Veterans Act, Public Law 107-288.

(d) Executive Order 11701, January 24, 1973 (3 CFR, 1971-1975 Comp., p. 752).

(e) The regulations of the Secretary of Labor (41 CFR part 60-250, part 61-250, part 60-300, and part 61-300).

As used in this subpart—

Armed Forces service medal veteran means any veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985 (61 FR 1209).

Disabled veteran means—

(1) A veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, who is entitled to compensation (or who, but for the receipt of military retired pay, would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or

(2) A person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Other protected veteran means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service, during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

Qualified disabled veteran means a disabled veteran who has the ability to perform the essential functions of the employment positions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Recently separated veteran means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

United States, means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Wake Island.

(a) Contractors and subcontractors, when entering into contracts or subcontracts subject to the Act, must—

(1) List all employment openings, with the appropriate employment service delivery system where the opening occurs, except for—

(i) Executive and senior management positions;

(ii) Positions to be filled from within the contractor's organization; and

(iii) Positions lasting three days or less.

(2) Take affirmative action to employ, advance in employment, and otherwise treat qualified individuals, including qualified disabled veterans, without discrimination based upon their status as a disabled veteran, recently separated veteran, other protected veteran, and Armed Forces service medal veteran, in all employment practices.

(b) Except for contracts for commercial items or contracts that do not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, contracting officers must not obligate or expend funds appropriated for the agency for a fiscal year to enter into a contract for the procurement of personal property and nonpersonal services (including construction) with a contractor that has not submitted the required annual form VETS-100, Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report (VETS-100 Report and/or VETS-100A Report), with respect to the preceding fiscal year if the contractor was subject to the reporting requirements of 38 U.S.C. 4212(d) for that fiscal year.

(a) The Act applies to all contracts and subcontracts for personal property and nonpersonal services (including construction) of $100,000 or more except as waived by the Secretary of Labor.

(b) The requirements of the clause at 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans, in any contract with a State or local government (or any agency, instrumentality, or subdivision) do not apply to any agency, instrumentality, or subdivision of that government that does not participate in work on or under the contract.

(c) The Act requires submission of the VETS-100A Report in all cases where the contractor or subcontractor has received an award of $100,000 or more, except for awards to State and local governments, and foreign organizations where the workers are recruited outside of the United States.

To verify if a proposed contractor is current with its submission of the VETS-100 and/or the VETS-100A Report, the contracting officer may—

(a) Query the Department of Labor's VETS-100 Database via the Internet at http://www.vets100.com/login.aspx. Contracting officer organization, name, e-mail, telephone, and password information are required on the Contracting Officer Registration page to register for system use.

(b) Contact the VETS-100 Reporting Systems via e-mail at verify@vets100.com for confirmation, if the proposed contractor represents that it has submitted the VETS-100 Report and is not listed in the database.

(a) The Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Department of Labor, may waive any or all of the terms of the clause at 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans, for—

(1) Any contract if a waiver is in the national interest; or

(2) Groups or categories of contracts if a waiver is in the national interest and it is—

(i) Impracticable to act on each request individually; and

(ii) Determined that the waiver will substantially contribute to convenience in administering the Act.

(b) The head of the agency may waive any requirement in this subpart when it is determined that the contract is essential to the national security, and that its award without complying with such requirements is necessary to the national security. Upon making such a determination, the head of the agency must notify the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor in writing within 30 days.

(c) The contracting officer must submit requests for waivers in accordance with agency procedures.

(d) The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor may withdraw an approved waiver for a specific contract or group of contracts to be awarded, when in the Deputy's judgment such action is necessary to achieve the purposes of the Act. The withdrawal does not apply to awarded contracts. For procurements entered into by sealed bidding, such withdrawal does not apply unless the withdrawal is made more than 10 calendar days before the date set for the opening of bids.

(a) The contracting officer must furnish to the contractor appropriate notices for posting when they are prescribed by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor (see http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/ofccpost.htm.

(b) The Act requires contractors and subcontractors to submit a report at least annually to the Secretary of Labor regarding employment of disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, and Armed Forces service medal veterans, unless all of the terms of the clause at 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans, have been waived (see 22.1305). The contractor and subcontractor must use form VETS-100A, Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report, to submit the required reports (see https://vets100.vets.dol.gov).

If performance under the clause at 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans, may necessitate a revision of a collective bargaining agreement, the contracting officer must advise the affected labor unions that the Department of Labor will give them appropriate opportunity to present their views. However, neither the contracting officer nor any representative of the contracting officer may discuss with the contractor or any labor representative any aspect of the collective bargaining agreement.

Following agency procedures, the contracting office must forward any complaints received about the administration of the Act to the Veterans' Employment and Training Service of the Department of Labor, or to the Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, or to any OFCCP regional, district, or area office or through the local Veterans' Employment Representative or designee, at the local State employment office. The Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, is responsible for investigating complaints.

The contracting officer must take necessary action as soon as possible upon notification by the appropriate agency official to implement any sanctions imposed on a contractor by the Department of Labor for violations of the clause at 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans. These sanctions (see 41 CFR 60-300.66) may include—

(a) Withholding progress payments;

(b) Termination or suspension of the contract; or

(c) Debarment of the contractor.

(a)(1) Insert the clause at 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans, in solicitations and contracts if the expected value is $100,000 or more, except when—

(i) Work is performed outside the United States by employees recruited outside the United States; or

(ii) The Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, has waived, in accordance with 22.1305(a) or the head of the agency has waived, in accordance with 22.1305(b) all of the terms of the clause.

(2) If the Director, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, or the head of the agency waives one or more (but not all) of the terms of the clause, use the basic clause with its Alternate I.

(b) Insert the clause at 52.222-37, Employment Reports on Veterans, in solicitations and contracts containing the clause at 52.222-35, Equal Opportunity for Veterans.

(c) Insert the provision at 52.222-38, Compliance with Veterans' Employment Reporting Requirements, in solicitations when it is anticipated the contract award will exceed the simplified acquisition threshold and the contract is not for acquisition of commercial items.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of l973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 793) (the Act); Executive Order 11758, January 15, 1974; and the regulations of the Secretary of Labor (41 CFR part 60-741). In this subpart, the terms contract and contractor include subcontract and subcontractor.

Government contractors, when entering into contracts subject to the Act, are required to take affirmative action to employ, and advance in employment, qualified individuals with disabilities, without discrimination based on their physical or mental disability.

(a) Section 503 of the Act applies to all Government contracts in excess of $15,000 for supplies and services (including construction) except as waived by the Secretary of Labor. The clause at 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities, implements the Act.

(b) The requirements of the clause at 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities, in any contract with a State or local government (or any agency, instrumentality, or subdivision) shall not apply to any agency, instrumentality, or subdivision of that government that does not participate in work on or under the contract.

(a) The agency head, with the concurrence of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Federal Contract Compliance of the U.S. Department of Labor (Deputy Assistant Secretary), may waive any or all of the terms of the clause at 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities, for—

(1) Any contract if a waiver is deemed to be in the national interest; or

(2) Groups or categories of contracts if a waiver is in the national interest and it is—

(i) Impracticable to act on each request individually; and

(ii) Determined that the waiver will substantially contribute to convenience in administering the Act.

(b)(1) The head of a civilian agency, with the concurrence of the Deputy Assistant Secretary, or, (2) the Secretary of Defense, may waive any requirement in this subpart when it is determined that the contract is essential to the national security, and that its award without complying with such requirements is necessary to the national security. Upon making such a determination, the head of a civilian agency shall notify the Deputy Assistant Secretary in writing within 30 days.

(c) The contracting officer shall submit requests for waivers in accordance with agency procedures.

(d) A waiver granted for a particular class of contracts may be withdrawn for any contract within that class whenever considered necessary by the Deputy Assistant Secretary to achieve the purposes of the Act. The withdrawal shall not apply to contracts awarded before the withdrawal. The withdrawal shall not apply to solicitations under any means of formal sealed bidding unless it is made more than 10 days before the date set for bid opening.

The contracting officer shall furnish to the contractor appropriate notices that state the contractor's obligations and the rights of individuals with disabilities. The contracting officer may obtain these notices from the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) regional office.

If performance under the clause at 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities, may necessitate a revision of a collective bargaining agreement, the contracting officer shall advise the affected labor unions that the Department of Labor will give them appropriate opportunity to present their views. However, neither the contracting officer nor any representative of the contracting officer shall discuss with the contractor or any labor representative any aspect of the collective bargaining agreement.

Following agency procedures, the contracting office shall forward any complaints received about the administration of the Act to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Federal Contract Compliance, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, or to any OFCCP regional or area office. The OFCCP shall institute investigation of each complaint and shall be responsible for developing a complete case record.

The contracting officer shall take necessary action, as soon as possible upon notification by the appropriate agency official, to implement any sanctions imposed on a contractor by the Department of Labor for violations of the clause at 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities. These sanctions (see 41 CFR 60-741.66) may include—

(a) Withholding from payments otherwise due;

(b) Termination or suspension of the contract; or

(c) Debarment of the contractor.

(a) Insert the clause at 52.222-36, Affirmative Action for Workers with Disabilities, in solicitations and contracts that exceed or are expected to exceed $15,000, except when—

(1) Both the performance of the work and the recruitment of workers will occur outside the United States, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Wake Island; or

(2) The agency head has waived, in accordance with 22.1403(a) or 22.1403(b) all the terms of the clause.

(b) If the agency head waives one or more (but not all) of the terms of the clause in accordance with 22.1403(a) or 22.1403(b), use the basic clause with its Alternate I.

This subpart applies to acquisitions of supplies that exceed the micro-purchase threshold.

As used in this subpart—

Forced or indentured child labor means all work or service—

(1) Exacted from any person under the age of 18 under the menace of any penalty for its nonperformance and for which the worker does not offer himself voluntarily; or

(2) Performed by any person under the age of 18 pursuant to a contract the enforcement of which can be accomplished by process or penalties.

List of Products Requiring Contractor Certification as to Forced or Indentured Child Labor means the list published by the Department of Labor in accordance with Executive Order 13126 of June 12, 1999, Prohibition of Acquisition of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor. The list identifies products, by their country of origin, that the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and State have a reasonable basis to believe might have been mined, produced, or manufactured by forced or indentured child labor.

Agencies must take appropriate action to enforce the laws prohibiting the manufacture or importation of products that have been mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced or indentured child labor (19 U.S.C. 1307, 29 U.S.C. 201, et seq., and 41 U.S.C. 35, et seq.). Agencies should make every effort to avoid acquiring such products.

(a) When issuing a solicitation for supplies expected to exceed the micro-purchase threshold, the contracting officer must check the List of Products Requiring Contractor Certification as to Forced or Indentured Child Labor (the List) (www.dol.gov/ilab/) (see 22.1505(a)). Appearance of a product on the List is not a bar to purchase of any such product mined, produced, or manufactured in the identified country, but rather is an alert that there is a reasonable basis to believe that such product may have been mined, produced, or manufactured by forced or indentured child labor.

(b) The requirements of this subpart that result from the appearance of any end product on the List do not apply to a solicitation or contract if the identified country of origin on the List is—

(1) Canada, and the anticipated value of the acquisition is $25,000 or more (see Subpart 25.4);

(2) Israel, and the anticipated value of the acquisition is $50,000 or more (see 25.406);

(3) Mexico, and the anticipated value of the acquisition is $70,079 or more (see Subpart 25.4); or

(4) Aruba, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, or the United Kingdom and the anticipated value of the acquisition is $203,000 or more (see 25.402(b)).

(c) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, before the contracting officer may make an award for an end product (regardless of country of origin) of a type identified by country of origin on the List the offeror must certify that—

(1) It will not supply any end product on the List that was mined, produced, or manufactured in a country identified on the List for that product, as specified in the solicitation by the contracting officer in the Certification Regarding Knowledge of Child Labor for Listed End Products; or

(2)(i) It has made a good faith effort to determine whether forced or indentured child labor was used to mine, produce, or manufacture any end product to be furnished under the contract that is on the List and was mined, produced, or manufactured in a country identified on the List for that product; and

(ii) On the basis of those efforts, the offeror is unaware of any such use of child labor.

(d) Absent any actual knowledge that the certification is false, the contracting officer must rely on the offerors' certifications in making award decisions.

(e) Whenever a contracting officer has reason to believe that forced or indentured child labor was used to mine, produce, or manufacture an end product furnished pursuant to a contract awarded subject to the certification required in paragraph (c) of this section, the contracting officer must refer the matter for investigation by the agency's Inspector General, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of the Treasury, whichever is determined appropriate in accordance with agency procedures, except to the extent that the end product is from the country listed in paragraph (b) of this section, under a contract exceeding the applicable threshold.

(f) Proper certification will not prevent the head of an agency from imposing remedies in accordance with section 22.1504(a)(4) if it is later discovered that the contractor has furnished an end product or component that has in fact been mined, produced, or manufactured, wholly or in part, using forced or indentured child labor.

(a) Violations. The Government may impose remedies set forth in paragraph (b) of this section for the following violations (note that the violations in paragraphs (a)(3) and (a)(4) of this section go beyond violations of the requirements relating to certification of end products) (see 22.1503):

(1) The contractor has submitted a false certification regarding knowledge of the use of forced or indentured child labor.

(2) The contractor has failed to cooperate as required in accordance with the clause at 52.222-19, Child Labor Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies, with an investigation of the use of forced or indentured child labor by an Inspector General, the Attorney General, or the Secretary of the Treasury.

(3) The contractor uses forced or indentured child labor in its mining, production, or manufacturing processes.

(4) The contractor has furnished an end product or component mined, produced, or manufactured, wholly or in part, by forced or indentured child labor. Remedies in paragraphs (b)(2) and (b)(3) of this section are inappropriate unless the contractor knew of the violation.

(b) Remedies. (1) The contracting officer may terminate the contract.

(2) The suspending official may suspend the contractor in accordance with the procedures in subpart 9.4.

(3) The debarring official may debar the contractor for a period not to exceed 3 years in accordance with the procedures in subpart 9.4.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of 22.1503, insert the provision at 52.222-18, Certification Regarding Knowledge of Child Labor for Listed End Products, in all solicitations that are expected to exceed the micro-purchase threshold and are for the acquisition of end products (regardless of country of origin) of a type identified by country of origin on the List of Products Requiring Contractor Certification as to Forced or Indentured Child Labor, except solicitations for commercial items that include the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications—Commercial Items. The contracting officer must identify in paragraph (b) of the provision at 52.222-18, Certification Regarding Knowledge of Child Labor for Listed End Products, or paragraph (i)(1) of the provision at 52.212-3, any applicable end products and countries of origin from the List. For solicitations estimated to equal or exceed $25,000, the contracting officer must exclude from the List in the solicitation end products from any countries identified at 22.1503(b), in accordance with the specified thresholds.

(b) Insert the clause at 52.222-19, Child Labor—Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies, in all solicitations and contracts for the acquisition of supplies that are expected to exceed the micro-purchase threshold.

This subpart prescribes policy for implementing 22 U.S.C. 7104.

This subpart applies to all acquisitions.

As used in this subpart—

Coercion means—

(1) Threats of serious harm to or physical restraint against any person;

(2) Any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that failure to perform an act would result in serious harm to or physical restraint against any person; or

(3) The abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.

Commercial sex act means any sex act on account of which anything of value is given to or received by any person.

Debt bondage means the status or condition of a debtor arising from a pledge by the debtor of his or her personal services or of those of a person under his or her control as a security for debt, if the value of those services as reasonably assessed is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively limited and defined.

Employee means an employee of the Contractor directly engaged in the performance of work under the contract who has other than a minimal impact or involvement in contract performance.

Involuntary servitude includes a condition of servitude induced by means of—

(1) Any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause a person to believe that, if the person did not enter into or continue in such conditions, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or

(2) The abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process.

Forced labor means knowingly providing or obtaining the labor or services of a person—

(1) By threats of serious harm to, or physical restraint against, that person or another person;

(2) By means of any scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause the person to believe that, if the person did not perform such labor or services, that person or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or

(3) By means of the abuse or threatened abuse of law or the legal process.

Severe forms of trafficking in persons means—

(1) Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or

(2) The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

Sex trafficking means the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.

The United States Government has adopted a zero tolerance policy regarding trafficking in persons. Additional information about trafficking in persons may be found at the website for the Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons' at http://www.state.gov/g/tip. Government contracts shall—

(a) Prohibit contractors, contractor employees, subcontractors, and subcontractor employees from—

(1) Engaging in severe forms of trafficking in persons during the period of performance of the contract;

(2) Procuring commercial sex acts during the period of performance of the contract; or

(3) Using forced labor in the performance of the contract;

(b) Require contractors and subcontractors to notify employees of the prohibited activities described in paragraph (a) of this section and the actions that may be taken against them for violations; and

(c) Impose suitable remedies, including termination, on contractors that fail to comply with the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(a) Violations. The Government may impose the remedies set forth in paragraph (b) of this section if—

(1) The contractor, contractor employee, subcontractor, or subcontractor employee engages in severe forms of trafficking in persons during the period of performance of the contract;

(2) The contractor, contractor employee, subcontractor, or subcontractor employee procures a commercial sex act during the period of performance of the contract;

(3) The contractor, contractor employee, subcontractor, or subcontractor employee uses forced labor in the performance of the contract; or

(4) The contractor fails to comply with the requirements of the clause at 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons.

(b) Remedies. After determining in writing that adequate evidence exists to suspect any of the violations at paragraph (a) of this section, the contracting officer may pursue any of the remedies specified in paragraph (e) of the clause at 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons. The contracting officer may take into consideration whether the contractor had a Trafficking in Persons awareness program at the time of the violation as a mitigating factor when determining the appropriate remedies. These remedies are in addition to any other remedies available to the United States Government.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures requiring contractors to utilize the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), United States Citizenship and Immigration Service's employment eligibility verification program (E-Verify) as the means for verifying employment eligibility of certain employees.

As used in this subpart—

Commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) item—

(1) Means any item of supply that is—

(i) A commercial item (as defined in paragraph (1) of the definition at 2.101);

(ii) Sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace; and

(iii) Offered to the Government, without modification, in the same form in which it is sold in the commercial marketplace; and

(2) Does not include bulk cargo, as defined in section 3 of the Shipping Act of 1984 (46 U.S.C. App. 1702), such as agricultural products and petroleum products. Per 46 CFR 525.1 (c)(2), “bulk cargo” means cargo that is loaded and carried in bulk onboard ship without mark or count, in a loose unpackaged form, having homogenous characteristics. Bulk cargo loaded into intermodal equipment, except LASH or Seabee barges, is subject to mark and count and, therefore, ceases to be bulk cargo.

Employee assigned to the contract means an employee who was hired after November 6, 1986, who is directly performing work, in the United States, under a contract that is required to include the clause prescribed at 22.1803. An employee is not considered to be directly performing work under a contract if the employee—

(1) Normally performs support work, such as indirect or overhead functions; and

(2) Does not perform any substantial duties applicable to the contract.

Subcontract means any contract, as defined in 2.101, entered into by a subcontractor to furnish supplies or services for performance of a prime contract or a subcontract. It includes but is not limited to purchase orders, and changes and modifications to purchase orders.

Subcontractor means any supplier, distributor, vendor, or firm that furnishes supplies or services to or for a prime contractor or another subcontractor.

United States, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(38), means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

(a) Statutes and Executive orders require employers to abide by the immigration laws of the United States and to employ in the United States only individuals who are eligible to work in the United States. The E-Verify program provides an Internet-based means of verifying employment eligibility of workers employed in the United States, but is not a substitute for any other employment eligibility verification requirements.

(b) Contracting officers shall include in solicitations and contracts, as prescribed at 22.1803, requirements that Federal contractors must—

(1) Enroll as Federal contractors in E-Verify;

(2) Use E-Verify to verify employment eligibility of all new hires working in the United States, except that the contractor may choose to verify only new hires assigned to the contract if the contractor is—

(i) An institution of higher education (as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a));

(ii) A State or local government or the government of a Federally recognized Indian tribe; or

(iii) A surety performing under a takeover agreement entered into with a Federal agency pursuant to a performance bond;

(3) Use E-Verify to verify employment eligibility of all employees assigned to the contract; and

(4) Include these requirements, as required by the clause at 52.222-54, in subcontracts for—

(i) Commercial or noncommercial services, except for commercial services that are part of the purchase of a COTS item (or an item that would be a COTS item, but for minor modifications), performed by the COTS provider, and are normally provided for that COTS item; and

(ii) Construction.

(c) Contractors may elect to verify employment eligibility of all existing employees working in the United States who were hired after November 6, 1986, instead of just those employees assigned to the contract. The contractor is not required to verify employment eligibility of—

(1) Employees who hold an active security clearance of confidential, secret, or top secret; or

(2) Employees for whom background investigations have been completed and credentials issued pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD)-12.

(d) In exceptional cases, the head of the contracting activity may waive the E-Verify requirement for a contract or subcontract or a class of contracts or subcontracts, either temporarily or for the period of performance. This waiver authority may not be delegated.

(e) DHS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) may terminate a contractor's MOU and deny access to the E-Verify system in accordance with the terms of the MOU. If DHS or SSA terminates a contractor's MOU, the terminating agency must refer the contractor to a suspension or debarment official for possible suspension or debarment action. During the period between termination of the MOU and a decision by the suspension or debarment official whether to suspend or debar, the contractor is excused from its obligations under paragraph (b) of the clause at 52.222-54. If the contractor is suspended or debarred as a result of the MOU termination, the contractor is not eligible to participate in E-Verify during the period of its suspension or debarment. If the suspension or debarment official determines not to suspend or debar the contractor, then the contractor must reenroll in E-Verify.

Insert the clause at 52.222-54, Employment Eligibility Verification, in all solicitations and contracts that exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, except those that—

(a) Are only for work that will be performed outside the United States;

(b) Are for a period of performance of less than 120 days; or

(c) Are only for—

(1) Commercially available off-the-shelf items;

(2) Items that would be COTS items, but for minor modifications (as defined at paragraph (3)(ii) of the definition of “commercial item” at 2.101);

(3) Items that would be COTS items if they were not bulk cargo; or

(4) Commercial services that are—

(i) Part of the purchase of a COTS item (or an item that would be a COTS item, but for minor modifications);

(ii) Performed by the COTS provider; and

(iii) Are normally provided for that COTS item.

(a) This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for—

(1) Acquiring energy- and water-efficient products and services, and products that use renewable energy technology; and

(2) Using an energy-savings performance contract to obtain energy-efficient technologies at Government facilities without Government capital expense.

(b) This subpart applies to acquisitions in the United States and its outlying areas. Agencies conducting acquisitions outside of these areas must use their best efforts to comply with this subpart.

(a) Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6361(a)(1)) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6901, et seq.).

(b) National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8253, 8259b, 8262g, and 8287).

(c) Executive Order 11912 of April 13, 1976, Delegations of Authority under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

(d) Executive Order 13123 of June 3, 1999, Greening the Government through Efficient Energy Management.

(e) Executive Order 13221 of July 31, 2001, Energy-Efficient Standby Power Devices.

The Government's policy is to acquire supplies and services that promote energy and water efficiency, advance the use of renewable energy products, and help foster markets for emerging technologies. This policy extends to all acquisitions, including those below the simplified acquisition threshold.

(a) Unless exempt as provided at 23.204—

(1) When acquiring energy-consuming products listed in the ENERGY STAR® Program or Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)—

(i) Agencies shall purchase ENERGY STAR® or FEMP-designated products; and

(ii) For products that consume power in a standby mode and are listed on FEMP's Low Standby Power Devices product listing, agencies shall—

(A) Purchase items which meet FEMP's standby power wattage recommendation or document the reason for not purchasing such items; or

(B) If FEMP has listed a product without a corresponding wattage recommendation, purchase items which use no more than one watt in their standby power consuming mode. When it is impracticable to meet the one watt requirement, agencies shall purchase items with the lowest standby wattage practicable; and

(2) When contracting for services or construction that will include the provision of energy-consuming products, agencies shall specify products that comply with the applicable requirements in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

(b) Information is available via the Internet about—

(1) ENERGY STAR® at http://www.energystar.gov/products; and

(2) FEMP at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/procurement/eep_requirements.html.

An agency is not required to procure an ENERGY STAR® or FEMP-designated product if the head of the agency determines in writing that—

(a) No ENERGY STAR® or FEMP-designated product is reasonably available that meets the functional requirements of the agency; or

(b) No ENERGY STAR® or FEMP-designated product is cost effective over the life of the product taking energy cost savings into account.

(a) Section 403 of Executive Order 13123 of June 3, 1999, Greening the Government through Efficient Energy Management, requires an agency to make maximum use of the authority provided in the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8287) to use an energy-savings performance contract (ESPC), when life-cycle cost-effective, to reduce energy use and cost in the agency's facilities and operations.

(b)(1) Under an ESPC, an agency can contract with an energy service company for a period not to exceed 25 years to improve energy efficiency in one or more agency facilities at no direct capital cost to the United States Treasury. The energy service company finances the capital costs of implementing energy conservation measures and receives, in return, a contractually determined share of the cost savings that result.

(2) Except as provided in 10 CFR 436.34, ESPC's are subject to subpart 17.1.

(c) To solicit and award an ESPC, the contracting officer—

(1) Must use the procedures, selection method, and terms and conditions provided in 10 CFR part 436, subpart B; at http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/resources/legislation.html; and

(2) May use the “Qualified List” of energy service companies established by the Department of Energy and other agencies.

Unless exempt pursuant to 23.204, insert the clause at 52.223-15, Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products, in solicitations and contracts when energy-consuming products listed in the ENERGY STAR® Program or FEMP will be—

(a) Delivered;

(b) Acquired by the contractor for use in performing services at a Federally-controlled facility;

(c) Furnished by the contractor for use by the Government; or

(d) Specified in the design of a building or work, or incorporated during its construction, renovation, or maintenance.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for acquiring deliverable items, other than ammunition and explosives, that require the furnishing of data involving hazardous materials. Agencies may prescribe special procedures for ammunition and explosives.

Hazardous material is defined in the latest version of Federal Standard No. 313 (Federal Standards are sold to the public and Federal agencies through: General Services Administration, Specifications Unit (3FBP-W), 7th & D Sts., SW., Washington, DC 20407.

(a) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for issuing and administering regulations that require Government activities to apprise their employees of—

(1) All hazards to which they may be exposed;

(2) Relative symptoms and appropriate emergency treatment; and

(3) Proper conditions and precautions for safe use and exposure.

(b) To accomplish this objective, it is necessary to obtain certain information relative to the hazards which may be introduced into the workplace by the supplies being acquired. Accordingly, offerors and contractors are required to submit hazardous materials data whenever the supplies being acquired are identified as hazardous materials. The latest version of Federal Standard No. 313 (Material Safety Data Sheet, Preparation and Submission of) includes criteria for identification of hazardous materials.

(c) Hazardous material data (Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS's)) are required—

(1) As specified in the latest version of Federal Standard No. 313 (including revisions adopted during the term of the contract);

(2) For any other material designated by a Government technical representative as potentially hazardous and requiring safety controls.

(d) MSDS's must be submitted—

(1) By the apparent successful offeror prior to contract award if hazardous materials are expected to be used during contract performance.

(2) For agencies other than the Department of Defense, again by the contractor with the supplies at the time of delivery.

(e) The contracting officer shall provide a copy of all MSDS's received to the safety officer or other designated individual.

(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.223-3, Hazardous Material Identification and Material Safety Data, in solicitations and contracts if the contract will require the delivery of hazardous materials as defined in 23.301.

(b) If the contract is awarded by an agency other than the Department of Defense, the contracting officer shall use the clause at 52.223-3 with its Alternate I.

(a) The procedures in this subpart apply to all agency acquisitions of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-designated item, if—

(1) The price of the designated item exceeds $10,000; or

(2) The aggregate amount paid for designated items, or for functionally equivalent designated items, in the preceding fiscal year was $10,000 or more.

(b) While micro-purchases are included in determining the aggregate amount paid under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, it is not recommended that an agency track micro-purchases when—

(1) The agency anticipates the aggregate amount paid will exceed $10,000; or

(2) The agency intends to establish or continue an affirmative procurement program in the following fiscal year.

As used in this subpart—

(a) EPA-designated item means a product that is or can be made with recovered material—

(1) That is listed by EPA in a procurement guideline (40 CFR part 247); and

(2) For which EPA has provided purchasing recommendations in a related Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) (available at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/procure/backgrnd.htm).

(b) USDA-designated item means a generic grouping of products that are or can be made with biobased materials—

(1) That is listed by USDA in a procurement guideline (7 CFR part 2902, subpart B); and

(2) For which USDA has provided purchasing recommendations.

(a) The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA), 42 U.S.C. 6962.

(b) The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA), 7 U.S.C. 8102.

(c) Executive Order 13101 of September 14, 1998, Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition.

(d) The Energy Policy Act of 2005, Public Law 109-58.

Government policy on the use of products containing recovered materials and biobased products considers cost, availability of competition, and performance. Agencies shall assure the use of products containing recovered materials and biobased products to the maximum extent practicable without jeopardizing the intended use of the product while maintaining a satisfactory level of competition at a reasonable price. Such products shall meet the reasonable performance standards of the agency and be acquired competitively, in a cost-effective manner. Except as provided at FAR 23.404(b), virgin material shall not be required by the solicitation (see 11.302).

(a) An agency must establish an affirmative procurement program for EPA and USDA-designated items if the agency's purchases of designated items exceed the threshold set forth in 23.400.

(1) Agencies have a period of 1 year to revise their procurement program(s) after the designation of any new item by EPA or USDA.

(2) Technical or requirements personnel and procurement personnel are responsible for the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of affirmative procurement programs.

(3) Agency affirmative procurement programs must include—

(i) A recovered materials and biobased products preference program;

(ii) An agency promotion program;

(iii) For EPA-designated items only, a program for requiring reasonable estimates, certification, and verification of recovered material used in the performance of contracts. Both the recovered material content and biobased programs require preaward certification that the products meet EPA or USDA recommendations. A second certification is required at contract completion for recovered material content; and

(iv) Annual review and monitoring of the effectiveness of the program.

(b) Exemptions. (1) Agency affirmative procurement programs must require that 100 percent of purchases of EPA or USDA-designated items contain recovered material or biobased content, respectively, unless the item cannot be acquired—

(i) Competitively within a reasonable time frame;

(ii) Meeting reasonable performance standards; or

(iii) At a reasonable price.

(2) EPA and USDA may provide categorical exemptions for items that they designate, when procured for a specific purpose. For example, some USDA-designated items such as mobile equipment hydraulic fluids, diesel fuel additives, and penetrating lubricants (see 7 CFR 2902.10 et seq.) are excluded from the preferred procurement requirement for the application of the USDA-designated item to one or both of the following:

(i) Spacecraft system and launch support equipment.

(ii) Military equipment, i.e., a product or system designed or procured for combat or combat-related missions.

(c) Agency affirmative procurement programs must provide guidance for purchases of EPA-designated items at or below the micro-purchase threshold.

(d) Agencies may use their own specifications or commercial product descriptions when procuring products containing recovered materials or biobased products. When using either, the contract should specify—

(1) For products containing recovered materials, that the product is composed of the—

(i) Highest percent of recovered materials practicable; or

(ii) Minimum content standards in accordance with EPA's Recovered Materials Advisory Notices; and

(2) For biobased products, that the product is composed of—

(i) The highest percentage of biobased material practicable; or

(ii) USDA's recommended minimum contents standards.

(e) Agencies shall treat as eligible for the preference for biobased products, products from “designated countries,” as defined in 25.003, provided that those products—

(1) Meet the criteria for the definition of biobased product, except that the products need not meet the requirement that renewable agricultural materials (including plant, animal, and marine materials) or forestry materials in such product must be domestic; and

(2) Otherwise meet all requirements for participation in the preference program.

(a) Designated items and procurement guidelines.

(1) Recovered Materials. Contracting officers should refer to EPA's list of EPA-designated items (available via the Internet at “http://www.epa.gov/cpg/products.htm” and to their agencies' affirmative procurement program when purchasing products that contain recovered material, or services that could include the use of products that contain recovered material.

(2) Biobased products. Contracting officers should refer to USDA's list of USDA-designated items (available through the Internet at http://www.usda.gov/biopreferred) and to their agencies affirmative procurement program when purchasing supplies that contain biobased material or when purchasing services that could include supplies that contain biobased material.

(b) Procurement exemptions. (1) Once an item has been designated by either EPA or USDA, agencies shall purchase conforming products unless an exemption applies (see 23.404(b)).

(2) When an exemption is used for an EPA-designated item or the procurement of a product containing recovered material does not meet or exceed the EPA recovered material content guidelines, the contracting officer shall place a written justification in the contract file.

(c) Program priorities. When both the USDA-designated item and the EPA-designated item will be used for the same purposes, and both meet the agency's needs, the agency shall purchase the EPA-designated item.

(a) Insert the provision at 52.223-1, Biobased Product Certification, in solicitations that—

(1) Require the delivery or specify the use of USDA-designated items; or

(2) Include the clause at 52.223-2.

(b) Insert the clause at 52.223-2, Affirmative Procurement of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction Contracts, in service or construction solicitations and contracts unless the contract will not involve the use of USDA-designated items at http://www.usda.gov/biopreferred or 7 CFR Part 2902.

(c) Except for the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items, insert the provision at 52.223-4, Recovered Material Certification, in solicitations that—

(1) Require the delivery or specify the use of EPA-designated items; or

(2) Include the clause at 52.223-17, Affirmative Procurement of EPA-designated Items in Service and Construction Contracts.

(d) Except for the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items, insert the clause at 52.223-9, Estimate of Percentage of Recovered Material Content for EPA-designated Items, in solicitations and contracts exceeding $150,000 that are for, or specify the use of, EPA-designated items containing recovered materials. If technical personnel advise that estimates can be verified, use the clause with its Alternate I.

(e) Insert the clause at 52.223-17, Affirmative Procurement of EPA-designated Items in Service and Construction Contracts, in service or construction solicitations and contracts unless the contract will not involve the use of EPA-designated items.

This subpart implements the Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690).

This subpart applies to contracts, including contracts with 8(a) contractors under FAR subpart 19.8 and modifications that require a justification and approval (see subpart 6.3), except contracts—

(a) At or below the simplified acquisition threshold; however, the requirements of this subpart apply to all contracts of any value awarded to an individual;

(b) For the acquisition of commercial items (see part 12);

(c) Performed outside the United States and its outlying areas or any part of a contract performed outside the United States and its outlying areas;

(d) By law enforcement agencies, if the head of the law enforcement agency or designee involved determines that application of this subpart would be inappropriate in connection with the law enforcement agency's undercover operations; or

(e) Where application would be inconsistent with the international obligations of the United States or with the laws and regulations of a foreign country.

Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-690).

As used in this subpart—

Controlled substance means a controlled substance in schedules I through V of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812), and as further defined in regulation at 21 CFR 1308.11-1308.15.

Conviction means a finding of guilt (including a plea of nolo contendere) or imposition of sentence, or both, by any judicial body charged with the responsibility to determine violations of the Federal or State criminal drug statutes.

Criminal drug statute means a Federal or non-Federal criminal statute involving the manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of any controlled substance.

Employee means an employee of a contractor directly engaged in the performance of work under a Government contract. Directly engaged is defined to include all direct cost employees and any other contract employee who has other than a minimal impact or involvement in contract performance.

Individual means an offeror/contractor that has no more than one employee including the offeror/contractor.

(a) No offeror other than an individual shall be considered a responsible source (see 9.104-1(g) and 19.602-1(a)(2)(i)) for a contract that exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold, unless it agrees that it will provide a drug-free workplace by—

(1) Publishing a statement notifying its employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the contractor's workplace, and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition;

(2) Establishing an ongoing drug-free awareness program to inform its employees about—

(i) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace;

(ii) The contractor's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace;

(iii) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs; and

(iv) The penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace;

(3) Providing all employees engaged in performance of the contract with a copy of the statement required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section;

(4) Notifying all employees in writing in the statement required by subparagraph (a)(1) of this section, that as a condition of employment on a covered contract, the employee will—

(i) Abide by the terms of the statement; and

(ii) Notify the employer in writing of the employee's conviction under a criminal drug statute for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than 5 days after such conviction;

(5) Notifying the contracting officer in writing within 10 days after receiving notice under subdivision (a)(4)(ii) of this section, from an employee or otherwise receiving actual notice of such conviction. The notice shall include the postion title of the employee;

(6) Within 30 days after receiving notice under subparagraph (a)(4) of this section of a conviction, taking one of the following actions with respect to any employee who is convicted of a drug abuse violation occurring in the workplace:

(i) Taking appropriate personnel action against such employee, up to and including termination; or

(ii) Requiring such employee to satisfactorily participate in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a Federal, State, or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate agency.

(7) Making a good faith effort to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of subparagraphs (a)(1) through (a)(6) of this section.

(b) No individual shall be awarded a contract of any dollar value unless that individual agrees not to engage in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance while performing the contract.

(c) For a contract of 30 days or more performance duration, the contractor shall comply with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section within 30 days after contract award, unless the contracting officer agrees in writing that circumstances warrant a longer period of time to comply. Before granting such an extension, the contracting officer shall consider such factors as the number of contractor employees at the worksite, whether the contractor has or must develop a drug-free workplace program, and the number of contractor worksites. For contracts of less than 30 days performance duration, the contractor shall comply with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section as soon as possible, but in any case, by a date prior to when performance is expected to be completed.

Except as provided in 23.501, insert the clause at 52.223-6, Drug-Free Workplace, in solicitations and contracts.

(a) After determining in writing that adequate evidence to suspect any of the causes at paragraph (d) of this section exists, the contracting officer may suspend contract payments in accordance with the procedures at 32.503-6(a)(1).

(b) After determining in writing that any of the causes at paragraph (d) of this section exists, the contracting officer may terminate the contract for default.

(c) Upon initiating action under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section, the contracting officer shall refer the case to the agency suspension and debarment official, in accordance with agency procedures, pursuant to subpart 9.4.

(d) The specific causes for suspension of contract payments, termination of a contract for default, or suspension and debarment are—

(1) The contractor has failed to comply with the requirements of the clause at 52.223-6, Drug-Free Workplace; or

(2) The number of contractor employees convicted of violations of criminal drug statutes occurring in the workplace indicates that the contractor has failed to make a good faith effort to provide a drug-free workplace.

(e) A determination under this section to suspend contract payments, terminate a contract for default, or debar or suspend a contractor may be waived by the agency head for a particular contract, in accordance with agency procedures, only if such waiver is necessary to prevent a severe disruption of the agency operation to the detriment of the Federal Government or the general public (see subpart 9.4). The waiver authority of the agency head cannot be delegated.

(a) The clause at 52.223-7, Notice of Radioactive Materials, requires the contractor to notify the contracting officer prior to delivery of radioactive material.

(b) Upon receipt of the notice, the contracting officer shall notify receiving activities so that appropriate safeguards can be taken.

(c) The clause permits the contracting officer to waive the notification if the contractor states that the notification on prior deliveries is still current. The contracting officer may waive the notice only after consultation with cognizant technical representatives.

(d) The contracting officer is required to specify in the clause at 52.223-7, the number of days in advance of delivery that the contractor will provide notification. The determination of the number of days should be done in coordination with the installation/facility radiation protection officer (RPO). The RPO is responsible for insuring the proper license, authorization or permit is obtained prior to receipt of the radioactive material.

The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.223-7, Notice of Radioactive Materials, in solicitations and contracts for supplies which are, or which contain—(a) radioactive material requiring specific licensing under regulations issued pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954; or (b) radioactive material not requiring specific licensing in which the specific activity is greater than 0.002 microcuries per gram or the activity per item equals or exceeds 0.01 microcuries. Such supplies include, but are not limited to, aircraft, ammunition, missiles, vehicles, electronic tubes, instrument panel gauges, compasses and identification markers.

This subpart prescribes policies for acquiring environmentally preferable products and services.

As used in this subpart—

Computer monitor means a video display unit used with a computer.

Desktop computer means a computer designed for use on a desk or table.

Notebook computer means a portable-style or laptop-style computer system.

Personal computer product means a notebook computer, a desktop computer, or a computer monitor, and any peripheral equipment that is integral to the operation of such items. For example, the desktop computer together with the keyboard, the mouse, and the power cord would be a personal computer product. Printers, copiers, and fax machines are not included in peripheral equipment, as used in this definition.

(a) Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) (42 U.S.C. 6901, et seq.).

(b) National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8262g).

(c) Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 13101, et seq.).

(d) Executive Order 13148 of April 21, 2000, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental Management.

(e) Executive Order 13101 of September 14, 1998, Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition.

(f) Executive Order 13123 of June 3, 1999, Greening the Government through Efficient Energy Management.

(g) Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA) (7 U.S.C. 8102).

(h) Executive Order 13221 of July 31, 2001, Energy Efficient Standby Power Devices.

(i) Executive Order 13423 of January 24, 2007, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management.

Agencies must—

(a) Implement cost-effective contracting preference programs promoting energy-efficiency, water conservation, and the acquisition of environmentally preferable products and services; and

(b) Employ acquisition strategies that affirmatively implement the following environmental objectives:

(1) Maximize the utilization of environmentally preferable products and services (based on EPA-issued guidance).

(2) Promote energy-efficiency and water conservation.

(3) Eliminate or reduce the generation of hazardous waste and the need for special material processing (including special handling, storage, treatment, and disposal).

(4) Promote the use of nonhazardous and recovered materials.

(5) Realize life-cycle cost savings.

(6) Promote cost-effective waste reduction when creating plans, drawings, specifications, standards, and other product descriptions authorizing material substitutions, extensions of shelf-life, and process improvements.

(7) Promote the use of biobased products.

(8) Purchase only plastic ring carriers that are degradable (7 USC 8102(c)(1), 40 CFR part 238).

Executive Order 13101, Section 701, requires that contracts for contractor operation of a Government-owned or -leased facility and contracts for support services at a Government-owned or -operated facility include provisions that obligate the contractor to comply with the requirements of the order. Compliance includes developing programs to promote and implement cost-effective waste reduction and affirmative procurement programs required by 42 U.S.C. 6962 for all products designated in EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guideline (40 CFR part 247).

(a) General. As required by E.O. 13423, agencies must ensure that they meet at least 95 percent of their annual acquisition requirement for electronic products with Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic products, unless there is no EPEAT standard for such products. This policy applies to contracts performed in the United States, unless otherwise provided by agency procedures.

(b) Personal computer products. Personal computer products is a category of EPEAT-registered electronic products.

(1) The IEEE 1680 standard for personal computer products—

(i) Was issued by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers on April 28, 2006;

(ii) Is a voluntary consensus standard consistent with Section 12(d) of Pub. L. 104-113, the “National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995”, (see 11.102(c));

(iii) Meets EPA-issued guidance on environmentally preferable products and services; and

(iv) Is described in more detail at http://www.epeat.net.

(2) A list of EPEAT-registered products that meet the IEEE 1680 standard can be found at http://www.epeat.net.

(3) The IEEE 1680 standard sets forth required and optional criteria. EPEAT “Bronze” registered products must meet all required criteria. EPEAT “Silver” registered products meet all required criteria and 50 percent of the optional criteria. EPEAT “Gold” registered products meet all required criteria and 75 percent of the optional criteria. These are the levels discussed in clause 1.4 of the IEEE 1680 standard. The clause at 52.223-16, IEEE 1680 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products, makes EPEAT Bronze registration the standard that contractors must meet. In accordance with guidance from the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive encouraging agencies to procure EPEAT Silver registered products, Alternate I of the clause makes EPEAT Silver registration the standard that contractors must meet. Agencies also may use EPEAT Silver or Gold registration in the evaluation of proposals.

(c) The agency shall establish procedures for granting exceptions to the requirement in paragraph (a) of this section, with the goal that the dollar value of exceptions granted will not exceed 5 percent of the total dollar value of electronic products acquired by the agency, for which EPEAT-registered products are available. For example, agencies may grant an exception if the agency determines that no EPEAT-registered product meets agency requirements, or that the EPEAT-registered product will not be cost effective over the life of the product.

(a) Insert the clause at 52.223-10, Waste Reduction Program, in all solicitations and contracts for contractor operation of Government-owned or -leased facilities and all solicitations and contracts for support services at Government-owned or -operated facilities.

(b)(1) Unless an exception has been approved in accordance with 23.705(c), insert the clause at 52.223-16, IEEE 1680 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products, in all solicitations and contracts for—

(i) Personal computer products;

(ii) Services that require furnishing of personal computer products for use by the Government; or

(iii) Contractor operation of Government-owned facilities.

(2) Agencies may use the clause with its Alternate I when there are sufficient EPEAT Silver registered products available to meet agency needs.

This subpart sets forth policies and procedures for the acquisition of items which contain, use, or are manufactured with ozone-depleting substances.

(a) Title VI of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7671, et seq.).

(b) Executive Order 13148 of April 21, 2000, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental Management.

(c) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, Protection of Stratospheric Ozone (40 CFR part 82).

(a) It is the policy of the Federal Government that Federal agencies:

(1) Implement cost-effective programs to minimize the procurement of materials and substances that contribute to the depletion of stratospheric ozone; and

(2) Give preference to the procurement of alternative chemicals, products, and manufacturing processes that reduce overall risks to human health and the environment by lessening the depletion of ozone in the upper atmosphere.

(b) In preparing specifications and purchase descriptions, and in the acquisition of supplies and services, agencies shall:

(1) Comply with the requirements of Title VI of the Clean Air Act, Executive Order 13148, and 40 CFR 82.84(a) (2), (3), (4), and (5); and

(2) Substitute safe alternatives to ozone-depleting substances, as identified under 42 U.S.C. 7671k, to the maximum extent practicable, as provided in 40 CFR 82.84(a)(1), except in the case of Class I substances being used for specified essential uses, as identified under 40 CFR 82.4(r).

Except for contracts that will be performed outside the United States and its outlying areas, insert the clause at:

(a) 52.223-11, Ozone-Depleting Substances, in solicitations and contracts for ozone-depleting substances or for supplies that may contain or be manufactured with ozone-depleting substances.

(b) 52.223-12, Refrigeration Equipment and Air Conditioners, in solicitations and contracts for services when the contract includes the maintenance, repair, or disposal of any equipment or appliance using ozone-depleting substances as a refrigerant, such as air conditioners, including motor vehicles, refrigerators, chillers, or freezers.

This subpart implements the requirements of Executive Order (E.O.) 13148 of April 21, 2000, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental Management.

(a) The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA) established programs to protect public health and the environment by providing the public with important information on the toxic chemicals being released by manufacturing facilities into the air, land, and water in its communities.

(b) Under EPCRA section 313 (42 U.S.C. 11023), and PPA section 6607 (42 U.S.C. 13106), the owner or operator of certain manufacturing facilities is required to submit annual reports on toxic chemical releases and waste management activities to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the States. See EPA's Web site at http://www.epa.gov/tri for guidance.

(a) This subpart applies to all competitive contracts expected to exceed $100,000 and competitive 8(a) contracts.

(b) This subpart does not apply to—

(1) Acquisitions of commercial items as defined in part 2; or

(2) Contractor facilities located outside the United States and its outlying areas.

(a) It is the policy of the Government to purchase supplies and services that have been produced with a minimum adverse impact on community health and the environment.

(b) Federal agencies, to the greatest extent practicable, shall contract with companies that report in a public manner on toxic chemicals released to the environment.

(a) E.O. 13148 requires that solicitations for competitive contracts expected to exceed $100,000 include, to the maximum extent practicable, as an award eligibility criterion, a certification by an offeror that, if awarded a contract, either—

(1) As the owner or operator of facilities to be used in the performance of the contract that are subject to Form R filing and reporting requirements, the offeror will file, and will continue to file throughout the life of the contract, for such facilities, the Toxic Chemical Release Inventory Form (Form R) as described in EPCRA sections 313 (a) and (g) and PPA section 6607; or—

(2) Facilities to be used in the performance of the contract are exempt from Form R filing and reporting requirements because the facilities—

(i) Do not manufacture, process, or otherwise use any toxic chemicals listed under section 313(c) of EPCRA, 42 U.S.C. 11023(c);—

(ii) Do not have 10 or more full-time employees as specified in section 313(b)(1)(A) of EPCRA, 42 U.S.C. 11023(b)(1)(A);—

(iii) Do not meet the reporting thresholds of toxic chemicals established under section 313(f) of EPCRA, 42 U.S.C. 11023(f) (including the alternate thresholds at 40 CFR 372.27, provided an appropriate certification form has been filed with EPA);—

(iv) Do not fall within the following Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes or their corresponding North American Industry Classification System sectors:

(A) Major group code 10 (except 1011, 1081, and 1094.

(B) Major group code 12 (except 1241).

(C) Major group codes 20 through 39.

(D) Industry code 4911, 4931, or 4939 (limited to facilities that combust coal and/or oil for the purpose of generating power for distribution in commerce).

(E) Industry code 4953 (limited to facilities regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Subtitle C (42 U.S.C. 6921, et seq.), or 5169, or 5171, or 7389 (limited to facilities primarily engaged in solvent recovery services on a contract or fee basis); or

(v) Are not located in the United States and its outlying areas.

(b) A determination that it is not practicable to include the solicitation provision at 52.223-13, Certification of Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, in a solicitation or class of solicitations shall be approved by a procurement official at a level no lower than the head of the contracting activity. Prior to making such a determination for a solicitation or class of solicitations with an estimated value in excess of $500,000 (including all options), the agency shall consult with the Environmental Protection Agency, Director, Environmental Assistance Division, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxic Substances (Mail Code 7408), Washington, DC 20460.

(c) Award shall not be made to offerors who do not certify in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section when the provision at 52.223-13, Certification of Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, is included in the solicitation. If facilities to be used by the offeror in the performance of the contract are not subject to Form R filing and reporting requirements and the offeror fails to check the appropriate box(es) in 52.223-13, Certification of Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, such failure shall be considered a minor informality or irregularity.

(d) The contracting officer shall cooperate with EPA representatives and provide such advice and assistance as may be required to aid EPA in the performance of its responsibilities under E.O. 13148.

(e) EPA, upon determining that a contractor is not filing the necessary forms or is filing incomplete information, may recommend to the head of the contracting activity that the contract be terminated for convenience. The head of the contracting activity shall consider the EPA recommendation and determine if termination or some other action is appropriate.

Except for acquisitions of commercial items as defined in part 2, the contracting officer shall—

(a) Insert the provision at 52.223-13, Certification of Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, in all solicitations for competitive contracts expected to exceed $100,000 and competitive 8(a) contracts, unless it has been determined in accordance with 23.905(b) that to do so is not practicable; and

(b) Insert the clause at 52.223-14, Toxic Chemical Release Reporting, in competitively awarded contracts exceeding $100,000 and competitively awarded 8(a) contracts, except when the determination at 23.905(b) has been made.

This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for obtaining information needed for Government—

(a) Compliance with right-to-know laws and pollution prevention requirements;

(b) Implementation of an environmental management system (EMS) at a Federal facility; and

(c) Completion of facility compliance audits (FCAs) at a Federal facility.

(a) Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. 11001-11050 (EPCRA).

(b) Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 13101-13109 (PPA).

(c) Executive Order 13148 of April 21, 2000, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental Management.

The requirements of this subpart apply to facilities owned or operated by an agency in the customs territory of the United States.

As used in this subpart—

Federal agency means an executive agency (see 2.101).

Priority chemical means a chemical identified by the Interagency Environmental Leadership Workgroup or, alternatively, by an agency pursuant to section 503 of Executive Order 13148 of April 21, 2000, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental Management.

(a) E.O. 13148 requires Federal facilities to comply with the provisions of EPCRA and PPA.

(b) Pursuant to E.O. 13148, and any agency implementing procedures, every new contract that provides for performance on a Federal facility shall require the contractor to provide information necessary for the Federal agency to comply with the—

(1) Emergency planning and toxic release reporting requirements in EPCRA, PPA, and E.O. 13148;

(2) Toxic chemical, priority chemical, and hazardous substance release and use reduction goals of sections 502 and 503 of Executive Order 13148; and

(3) Requirements for EMSs and FCAs if the place of performance is at a Federal facility designated by the agency.

(a) Insert the clause at 52.223-5, Pollution Prevention and Right-to-Know Information, in solicitations and contracts that provide for performance, in whole or in part, on a Federal facility.

(b) Use the clause with its Alternate I if the contract provides for contractor—

(1) Operation or maintenance of a Federal facility at which the agency has implemented or plans to implement an EMS; or

(2) Activities and operations—

(i) To be performed at a Government-operated Federal facility that has implemented or plans to implement an EMS; and

(ii) That the agency has determined are covered within the EMS.

(c) Use the clause with its Alternate II if—

(1) The contract provides for contractor activities on a Federal facility; and

(2) The agency has determined that the contractor activities should be included within the FCA or an environmental management system audit.

This subpart implements the requirements of the Executive Order (E.O.) 13513, dated October 1, 2009 (74 FR 51225, October 6, 2009), Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging while Driving.

This subpart applies to all solicitations and contracts.

As used in this subpart—

Driving—(1) Means operating a motor vehicle on an active roadway with the motor running, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic light, stop sign, or otherwise.

(2) Does not include operating a motor vehicle with or without the motor running when one has pulled over to the side of, or off, an active roadway and has halted in a location where one can safely remain stationary.

Text messaging means reading from or entering data into any handheld or other electronic device, including for the purpose of short message service texting, e-mailing, instant messaging, obtaining navigational information, or engaging in any other form of electronic data retrieval or electronic data communication. The term does not include glancing at or listening to a navigational device that is secured in a commercially designed holder affixed to the vehicle, provided that the destination and route are programmed into the device either before driving or while stopped in a location off the roadway where it is safe and legal to park.

Agencies shall encourage contractors and subcontractors to adopt and enforce policies that ban text messaging while driving—

(a) Company-owned or -rented vehicles or Government-owned vehicles; or

(b) Privately-owned vehicles when on official Government business or when performing any work for or on behalf of the Government.

The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.223-18, Contractor Policy to Ban Text Messaging While Driving, in all solicitations and contracts.

As used in this subpart—

Agency means any executive department, military department, Government corporation, Government controlled corporation, or other establishment in the executive branch of the Government (including the Executive Office of the President), or any independent regulatory agency.

Individual means a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

Maintain means maintain, collect, use, or disseminate.

Operation of a system of records means performance of any of the activities associated with maintaining the system of records, including the collection, use, and dissemination of records.

Record means any item, collection, or grouping of information about an individual that is maintained by an agency, including, but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history, and that contains the individual's name, or the identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual, such as a fingerprint or voiceprint or a photograph.

System of records on individuals means a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual.

(a) The Act requires that when an agency contracts for the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals on behalf of the agency to accomplish an agency function the agency must apply the requirements of the Act to the contractor and its employees working on the contract.

(b) An agency officer or employee may be criminally liable for violations of the Act. When the contract provides for operation of a system of records on individuals, contractors and their employees are considered employees of the agency for purposes of the criminal penalties of the Act.

(c) If a contract specifically provides for the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals on behalf of an agency to accomplish an agency function, the agency must apply the requirements of the Act to the contractor and its employees working on the contract. The system of records operated under the contract is deemed to be maintained by the agency and is subject to the Act.

(d) Agencies, which within the limits of their authorities, fail to require that systems of records on individuals operated on their behalf under contracts be operated in conformance with the Act may be civilly liable to individuals injured as a consequence of any subsequent failure to maintain records in conformance with the Act.

(a) The contracting officer shall review requirements to determine whether the contract will involve the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals to accomplish an agency function.

(b) If one or more of those tasks will be required, the contracting officer shall—

(1) Ensure that the contract work statement specifically identifies the system of records on individuals and the design, development, or operation work to be performed; and

(2) Make available, in accordance with agency procedures, agency rules and regulation implementing the Act.

When the design, development, or operation of a system of records on individuals is required to accomplish an agency function, the contracting officer shall insert the following clauses in solicitations and contracts:

(a) The clause at 52.224-1, Privacy Act Notification.

(b) The clause at 52.224-2, Privacy Act.

The Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended) provides that information is to be made available to the public either by (a) publication in the Federal Register; (b) providing an opportunity to read and copy records at convenient locations; or (c) upon request, providing a copy of a reasonably described record.

(a) A proposal in the possession or control of the Government, submitted in response to a competitive solicitation, shall not be made available to any person under the Freedom of Information Act. This prohibition does not apply to a proposal, or any part of a proposal, that is set forth or incorporated by reference in a contract between the Government and the contractor that submitted the proposal. (See 10 U.S.C. 2305(g) and 41 U.S.C. 253b(m).)

(b) No agency shall disclose any information obtained pursuant to 15.403-3(b) that is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. (See 10 U.S.C. 2306a(d)(2)(C) and 41 U.S.C. 254b(d)(2)(C).)

(c) A dispute resolution communication that is between a neutral person and a party to alternative dispute resolution proceedings, and that may not be disclosed under 5 U.S.C. 574, is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(3)).

(a) The Act specifies, among other things, how agencies shall make their records available upon public request, imposes strict time standards for agency responses, and exempts certain records from public disclosure. Each agency's implementation of these requirements is located in its respective title of the Code of Federal Regulations and referenced in subpart 24.2 of its implementing acquisition regulations.

(b) Contracting officers may receive requests for records that may be exempted from mandatory public disclosure. The exemptions most often applicable are those relating to classified information, to trade secrets and confidential commercial or financial information, to interagency or intra-agency memoranda, or to personal and medical information pertaining to an individual. Other exemptions include agency personnel practices, and law enforcement. Since these requests often involve complex issues requiring an in-depth knowledge of a large and increasing body of court rulings and policy guidance, contracting officers are cautioned to comply with the implementing regulations of their agency and to obtain necessary guidance from the agency officials having Freedom of Information Act responsibility. If additional assistance is needed, authorized agency officials may contact the Department of Justice, Office of Information and Privacy. A Freedom of Information Act guide and other resources are available at the Department of Justice website under FOIA reference materials: http://www.usdoj.gov/oip.

(a) This subpart implements—

(1) The Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 10a - 10d);

(2) Executive Order 10582, December 17, 1954; and

(3) Waiver of the component test of the Buy American Act for acquisitions of commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) items in accordance with 41 U.S.C 431.

(b) It applies to supplies acquired for use in the United States, including supplies acquired under contracts set aside for small business concerns, if—

(1) The supply contract exceeds the micro-purchase threshold; or

(2) The supply portion of a contract for services that involves the furnishing of supplies (e.g., lease) exceeds the micro-purchase threshold.

(a) The Buy American Act restricts the purchase of supplies that are not domestic end products. For manufactured end products, the Buy American Act uses a two-part test to define a domestic end product.

(1) The article must be manufactured in the United States; and

(2) The cost of domestic components must exceed 50 percent of the cost of all the components. In accordance with 41 U.S.C. 431, this component test of the Buy American Act has been waived for acquisitions of COTS items (see 12.505(a)).

(b) The Buy American Act applies to small business set-asides. A manufactured product of a small business concern is a U.S.-made end product, but is not a domestic end product unless it meets the component test in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(c) Exceptions that allow the purchase of a foreign end product are listed at 25.103. The unreasonable cost exception is implemented through the use of an evaluation factor applied to low foreign offers that are not eligible offers. The evaluation factor is not used to provide a preference for one foreign offer over another. Evaluation procedures and examples are provided in Subpart 25.5.

Except as provided in 25.103, acquire only domestic end products for public use inside the United States.

When one of the following exceptions applies, the contracting officer may acquire a foreign end product without regard to the restrictions of the Buy American Act:

(a) Public interest. The head of the agency may make a determination that domestic preference would be inconsistent with the public interest. This exception applies when an agency has an agreement with a foreign government that provides a blanket exception to the Buy American Act.

(b) Nonavailability. The Buy American Act does not apply with respect to articles, materials, or supplies if articles, materials, or supplies of the class or kind to be acquired, either as end items or components, are not mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities and of a satisfactory quality.

(1) Class determinations. (i) A nonavailability determination has been made for the articles listed in 25.104. This determination does not necessarily mean that there is no domestic source for the listed items, but that domestic sources can only meet 50 percent or less of total U.S. Government and nongovernment demand.

(ii) Before acquisition of an article on the list, the procuring agency is responsible to conduct market research appropriate to the circumstances, including seeking of domestic sources. This applies to acquisition of an article as—

(A) An end product; or

(B) A significant component (valued at more than 50 percent of the value of all the components).

(iii) The determination in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section does not apply if the contracting officer learns at any time before the time designated for receipt of bids in sealed bidding or final offers in negotiation that an article on the list is available domestically in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities of a satisfactory quality to meet the requirements of the solicitation. The contracting officer must—

(A) Ensure that the appropriate Buy American Act provision and clause are included in the solicitation (see 25.1101(a), 25.1101(b), or 25.1102);

(B) Specify in the solicitation that the article is available domestically and that offerors and contractors may not treat foreign components of the same class or kind as domestic components; and

(C) Submit a copy of supporting documentation to the appropriate council identified in 1.201-1, in accordance with agency procedures, for possible removal of the article from the list.

(2) Individual determinations. (i) The head of the contracting activity may make a determination that an article, material, or supply is not mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities of a satisfactory quality.

(ii) If the contracting officer considers that the nonavailability of an article is likely to affect future acquisitions, the contracting officer may submit a copy of the determination and supporting documentation to the appropriate council identified in 1.201-1, in accordance with agency procedures, for possible addition to the list in 25.104.

(3) A written determination is not required if all of the following conditions are present:

(i) The acquisition was conducted through use of full and open competition.

(ii) The acquisition was synopsized in accordance with 5.201.

(iii) No offer for a domestic end product was received.

(c) Unreasonable cost. The contracting officer may determine that the cost of a domestic end product would be unreasonable, in accordance with 25.105 and Subpart 25.5.

(d) Resale. The contracting officer may purchase foreign end products specifically for commissary resale.

(e) Information technology that is a commercial item. The restriction on purchasing foreign end products does not apply to the acquisition of information technology that is a commercial item, when using fiscal year 2004 or subsequent fiscal year funds (Section 535(a) of Division F, Title V, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004, and similar sections in subsequent appropriations acts).

(a) The following articles have been determined to be nonavailable in accordance with 25.103(b)(1)(i):

(b) This list will be published in the Federal Register for public comment no less frequently than once every five years. Unsolicited recommendations for deletions from this list may be submitted at any time and should provide sufficient data and rationale to permit evaluation (see 1.502).

(a) The contracting officer—

(1) Must use the evaluation factors in paragraph (b) of this section unless the head of the agency makes a written determination that the use of higher factors is more appropriate. If the determination applies to all agency acquisitions, the agency evaluation factors must be published in agency regulations; and

(2) Must not apply evaluation factors to offers of eligible products if the acquisition is subject to a trade agreement under Subpart 25.4.

(b) If there is a domestic offer that is not the low offer, and the restrictions of the Buy American Act apply to the low offer, the contracting officer must determine the reasonableness of the cost of the domestic offer by adding to the price of the low offer, inclusive of duty—

(1) 6 percent, if the lowest domestic offer is from a large business concern; or

(2) 12 percent, if the lowest domestic offer is from a small business concern. The contracting officer must use this factor, or another factor established in agency regulations, in small business set-asides if the low offer is from a small business concern offering the product of a small business concern that is not a domestic end product (see Subpart 19.5).

(c) The price of the domestic offer is reasonable if it does not exceed the evaluated price of the low offer after addition of the appropriate evaluation factor in accordance with paragraph (a) or (b) of this section. (See evaluation procedures at Subpart 25.5.)

(a) This subpart implements—

(1) The Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. 10a - 10d);

(2) Executive Order 10582, December 17, 1954; and

(3) Waiver of the component test of the Buy American Act for acquisitions of commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) items in accordance with 41 U.S.C. 431.

(b) It applies to contracts for the construction, alteration, or repair of any public building or public work in the United States.

(c) When using funds appropriated or otherwise provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5) (Recovery Act) for construction, see Subpart 25.6.

Except as provided in 25.202, use only domestic construction materials in construction contracts performed in the United States.

(a) When one of the following exceptions applies, the contracting officer may allow the contractor to acquire foreign construction materials without regard to the restrictions of the Buy American Act:

(1) Impracticable or inconsistent with public interest. The head of the agency may determine that application of the restrictions of the Buy American Act to a particular construction material would be impracticable or would be inconsistent with the public interest. The public interest exception applies when an agency has an agreement with a foreign government that provides a blanket exception to the Buy American Act.

(2) Nonavailability. The head of the contracting activity may determine that a particular construction material is not mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities of a satisfactory quality. The determinations of nonavailability of the articles listed at 25.104(a) and the procedures at 25.103(b)(1) also apply if any of those articles are acquired as construction materials.

(3) Unreasonable cost. The contracting officer concludes that the cost of domestic construction material is unreasonable in accordance with 25.204.

(4) Information technology that is a commercial item. The restriction on purchasing foreign construction material does not apply to the acquisition of information technology that is a commercial item, when using Fiscal Year 2004 or subsequent fiscal year funds (Section 535(a) of Division F, Title V, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004, and similar sections in subsequent appropriations acts).

(b) Determination and findings. When a determination is made for any of the reasons stated in this section that certain foreign construction materials may be used, the contracting officer must list the excepted materials in the contract. The agency must make the findings justifying the exception available for public inspection.

(c) Acquisitions under trade agreements. For construction contracts with an estimated acquisition value of $7,804,000 or more, see Subpart 25.4.

(a) For any acquisition, an offeror may request from the contracting officer a determination concerning the inapplicability of the Buy American Act for specifically identified construction materials. The time for submitting the request is specified in the solicitation in paragraph (b) of either 52.225-10 or 52.225-12, whichever applies. The information and supporting data that must be included in the request are also specified in the solicitation in paragraphs (c) and (d) of either 52.225-9 or 52.225-11, whichever applies.

(b) Before award, the contracting officer must evaluate all requests based on the information provided and may supplement this information with other readily available information.

(a) Offerors proposing to use foreign construction material other than that listed by the Government in the applicable clause at 52.225-9, paragraph (b)(2), or 52.225-11, paragraph (b)(3), or covered by the WTO GPA or a Free Trade Agreement (paragraph (b)(2) of 52.225-11), must provide the information required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of the respective clauses.

(b) Unless the head of the agency specifies a higher percentage, the contracting officer must add to the offered price 6 percent of the cost of any foreign construction material proposed for exception from the requirements of the Buy American Act based on the unreasonable cost of domestic construction materials. In the case of a tie, the contracting officer must give preference to an offer that does not include foreign construction material excepted at the request of the offeror on the basis of unreasonable cost.

(c) Offerors also may submit alternate offers based on use of equivalent domestic construction material to avoid possible rejection of the entire offer if the Government determines that an exception permitting use of a particular foreign construction material does not apply.

(d) If the contracting officer awards a contract to an offeror that proposed foreign construction material not listed in the applicable clause in the solicitation (paragraph (b)(2) of 52.225-9, or paragraph (b)(3) of 52.225-11), the contracting officer must add the excepted materials to the list in the contract clause.

(a) If a contractor requests a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American Act after contract award, the contractor must explain why it could not request the determination before contract award or why the need for such determination otherwise was not reasonably foreseeable. If the contracting officer concludes that the contractor should have made the request before contract award, the contracting officer may deny the request.

(b) The contracting officer must base evaluation of any request for a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American Act made after contract award on information required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of the applicable clause at 52.225-9 or 52.225-11 and/or other readily available information.

(c) If a determination, under 25.202(a), is made after contract award that an exception to the Buy American Act applies, the contracting officer must negotiate adequate consideration and modify the contract to allow use of the foreign construction material. When the basis for the exception is the unreasonable price of a domestic construction material, adequate consideration is at least the differential established in 25.202(a) or in accordance with agency procedures.

The contracting officer must—

(a) Review allegations of Buy American Act violations;

(b) Unless fraud is suspected, notify the contractor of the apparent unauthorized use of foreign construction material and request a reply, to include proposed corrective action; and

(c) If the review reveals that a contractor or subcontractor has used foreign construction material without authorization, take appropriate action, including one or more of the following:

(1) Process a determination concerning the inapplicability of the Buy American Act in accordance with 25.205.

(2) Consider requiring the removal and replacement of the unauthorized foreign construction material.

(3) If removal and replacement of foreign construction material incorporated in a building or work would be impracticable, cause undue delay, or otherwise be detrimental to the interests of the Government, the contracting officer may determine in writing that the foreign construction material need not be removed and replaced. A determination to retain foreign construction material does not constitute a determination that an exception to the Buy American Act applies, and this should be stated in the determination. Further, a determination to retain foreign construction material does not affect the Government's right to suspend or debar a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier for violation of the Buy American Act, or to exercise other contractual rights and remedies, such as reducing the contract price or terminating the contract for default.

(4) If the noncompliance is sufficiently serious, consider exercising appropriate contractual remedies, such as terminating the contract for default. Also consider preparing and forwarding a report to the agency suspending or debarring official in accordance with Subpart 9.4. If the noncompliance appears to be fraudulent, refer the matter to other appropriate agency officials, such as the officer responsible for criminal investigation.

(a) This section applies to contracts requiring contractor personnel to perform outside the United States—

(1) In a designated operational area during—

(i) Contingency operations;

(ii) Humanitarian or peacekeeping operations; or

(iii) Other military operations or military exercises, when designated by the combatant commander; or

(2) When supporting a diplomatic or consular mission—

(i) That has been designated by the Department of State as a danger pay post (see http://aoprals.state.gov/Web920/danger_pay_all.asp); or

(ii) That the contracting officer determines is a post at which application of the clause at FAR 52.225-19, Contractor Personnel in a Designated Operational Area or Supporting a Diplomatic or Consular Mission outside the United States, is appropriate.

(b) Any of the types of operations listed in paragraph (a)(1) of this section may include stability operations such as—

(1) Establishment or maintenance of a safe and secure environment; or

(2) Provision of emergency infrastructure reconstruction, humanitarian relief, or essential governmental services (until feasible to transition to local government).

(c) This section does not apply to personal services contracts (see FAR 37.104), unless specified otherwise in agency procedures.

(a) Generally, contractors are responsible for providing their own logistical and security support, including logistical and security support for their employees. The agency shall provide logistical or security support only when the appropriate agency official, in accordance with agency guidance, determines that—

(1) Such Government support is available and is needed to ensure continuation of essential contractor services; and

(2) The contractor cannot obtain adequate support from other sources at a reasonable cost.

(b) The contracting officer shall specify in the contract, and in the solicitation if possible, the exact support to be provided, and whether this support is provided on a reimbursable basis, citing the authority for the reimbursement.

The contracting officer shall follow agency procedures and the weapons policy established by the combatant commander or the chief of mission when authorizing contractor personnel to carry weapons (see paragraph (i) of the clause at 52.225-19, Contractor Personnel in a Designated Operational Area or Supporting a Diplomatic or Consular Mission outside the United States).

Insert the clause at 52.225-19, Contractor Personnel in a Designated Operational Area or Supporting a Diplomatic or Consular Mission outside the United States, in solicitations and contracts, other than personal service contracts with individuals, that will require contractor personnel to perform outside the United States—

(a) In a designated operational area during—

(1) Contingency operations;

(2) Humanitarian or peacekeeping operations; or

(3) Other military operations or military exercises, when designated by the combatant commander; or

(b) When supporting a diplomatic or consular mission—

(1) That has been designated by the Department of State as a danger pay post (see http://aoprals.state.gov/Web920/danger_pay_all.asp); or

(2) That the contracting officer determines is a post at which application of the clause FAR 52.225-19, Contractor Personnel in a Designated Operational Area or Supporting a Diplomatic or Consular Mission outside the United States, is appropriate.

(a) This subpart provides policies and procedures applicable to acquisitions that are covered by—

(1) The World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA), as approved by Congress in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (Pub. L. 103-465);

(2) Free Trade Agreements (FTA), consisting of—

(i) NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 1993 (19 U.S.C. 3301 note));

(ii) Chile FTA (the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 108-77));

(iii) Singapore FTA (the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 108-78) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note));

(iv) Australia FTA (the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 108-286) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note));

(v) Morocco FTA (The United States—Morocco Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States—Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 108-302) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note));

(vi) CAFTA-DR (The Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 109-53) (19 U.S.C. 4001 note));

(vii) Bahrain FTA (the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 109-169) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note));

(viii) Oman FTA (the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 109-283) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note)); and

(ix) Peru FTA (the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (Pub. L. 110-138) (19 U.S.C. 3805 note));

(3) The least developed country designation made by the U.S. Trade Representative, pursuant to the Trade Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 2511(b)(4)), in acquisitions covered by the WTO GPA;

(4) The Caribbean Basin Trade Initiative (CBTI) (determination of the U.S. Trade Representative that end products or construction material granted duty-free entry from countries designated as beneficiaries under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 U.S.C. 2701, et seq.), with the exception of Panama, must be treated as eligible products in acquisitions covered by the WTO GPA);

(5) The Israeli Trade Act (the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Area Agreement, as approved by Congress in the United States-Israel Free Trade Area Implementation Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C. 2112 note)); or

(6) The Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft (U.S. Trade Representative waiver of the Buy American Act for signatories of the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft, as implemented in the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (19 U.S.C. 2513)).

(b) For application of the trade agreements that are unique to individual agencies, see agency regulations.

(a) This subpart does not apply to—

(1) Acquisitions set aside for small businesses;

(2) Acquisitions of arms, ammunition, or war materials, or purchases indispensable for national security or for national defense purposes;

(3) Acquisitions of end products for resale;

(4) Acquisitions from Federal Prison Industries, Inc., under Subpart 8.6, and acquisitions under Subpart 8.7, Acquisition from Nonprofit Agencies Employing People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled; and

(5) Other acquisitions not using full and open competition, if authorized by Subpart 6.2 or 6.3, when the limitation of competition would preclude use of the procedures of this subpart; or sole source acquisitions justified in accordance with 13.501(a).

(b) In the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA) and each FTA, there is a U.S. schedule that lists services that are excluded from that agreement in acquisitions by the United States. Acquisitions of the following services are excluded from coverage by the U.S. schedule of the WTO GPA or an FTA as indicated in this table:

(a)(1) The Trade Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 2501, et seq.) provides the authority for the President to waive the Buy American Act and other discriminatory provisions for eligible products from countries that have signed an international trade agreement with the United States, or that meet certain other criteria, such as being a least developed country. The President has delegated this waiver authority to the U.S. Trade Representative. In acquisitions covered by the WTO GPA, Free Trade Agreements, or the Israeli Trade Act, the USTR has waived the Buy American Act and other discriminatory provisions for eligible products. Offers of eligible products receive equal consideration with domestic offers.

(2) The contracting officer shall determine the origin of services by the country in which the firm providing the services is established. See Subpart 25.5 for evaluation procedures for supply contracts covered by trade agreements.

(b) The value of the acquisition is a determining factor in the applicability of trade agreements. Most of these dollar thresholds are subject to revision by the U.S. Trade Representative approximately every 2 years. The various thresholds are summarized as follows:

(a) Eligible products from WTO GPA and FTA countries are entitled to the nondiscriminatory treatment specified in 25.402(a)(1). The WTO GPA and FTAs specify procurement procedures designed to ensure fairness (see 25.408).

(b) Thresholds. (1) To determine whether the acquisition of products by lease, rental, or lease-purchase contract (including lease-to-ownership, or lease-with-option-to purchase) is covered by the WTO GPA or an FTA, calculate the estimated acquisition value as follows:

(i) If a fixed-term contract of 12 months or less is contemplated, use the total estimated value of the acquisition.

(ii) If a fixed-term contract of more than 12 months is contemplated, use the total estimated value of the acquisition plus the estimated residual value of the leased equipment at the conclusion of the contemplated term of the contract.

(iii) If an indefinite-term contract is contemplated, use the estimated monthly payment multiplied by the total number of months that ordering would be possible under the proposed contract, i.e., the initial ordering period plus any optional ordering periods.

(iv) If there is any doubt as to the contemplated term of the contract, use the estimated monthly payment multiplied by 48.

(2) The estimated value includes the value of all options.

(3) If, in any 12-month period, recurring or multiple awards for the same type of product or products are anticipated, use the total estimated value of these projected awards to determine whether the WTO GPA or an FTA applies. Do not divide any acquisition with the intent of reducing the estimated value of the acquisition below the dollar threshold of the WTO GPA or an FTA.

(c) Purchase restriction. (1) Under the Trade Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 2512), in acquisitions covered by the WTO GPA, acquire only U.S.-made or designated country end products or U.S. or designated country services, unless offers for such end products or services are either not received or are insufficient to fulfill the requirements. This purchase restriction does not apply below the WTO GPA threshold for supplies and services, even if the acquisition is covered by an FTA.

Under the Caribbean Basin Trade Initiative, the United States Trade Representative has determined that, for acquisitions covered by the WTO GPA, Caribbean Basin country end products, construction material, and services must be treated as eligible products. In accordance with Section 201 (a)(3) of the Dominican Republic—Central America—United States Free Trade Implementation Act (Pub. L. 109-53), when the CAFTA-DR agreement enters into force with respect to a country, that country is no longer designated as a beneficiary country for purposes of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, and is therefore no longer included in the definition of “Caribbean Basin country” for purposes of the Caribbean Basin Trade Initiative.

Acquisitions of supplies by most agencies are covered by the Israeli Trade Act, if the estimated value of the acquisition is $50,000 or more but does not exceed the WTO GPA threshold for supplies (see 25.402(b)). Agencies other than the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Reclamation of the Department of the Interior, the Federal Housing Finance Board, and the Office of Thrift Supervision must evaluate offers of Israeli end products without regard to the restrictions of the Buy American Act. The Israeli Trade Act does not prohibit the purchase of other foreign end products. In accordance with Section 201 (a)(3) of the Dominican Republic—Central America—United States Free Trade Implementation Act (Pub. L. 109-53), when the CAFTA-DR agreement enters into force with respect to a country, that country is no longer designated as a beneficiary country for purposes of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act, and is therefore no longer included in the definition of “Caribbean Basin country” for purposes of the Caribbean Basin Trade Initiative.

Under the authority of Section 303 of the Trade Agreements Act, the U.S. Trade Representative has waived the Buy American Act for civil aircraft and related articles, that meet the substantial transformation test of the Trade Agreements Act, from countries that are parties to the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. Those countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Macao, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

(a) If the WTO GPA or an FTA applies (see 25.401), the contracting officer must—

(1) Comply with the requirements of 5.203, Publicizing and response time;

(2) Comply with the requirements of 5.207, Preparation and transmittal of synopses;

(3) Not include technical requirements in solicitations solely to preclude the acquisition of eligible products;

(4) Specify in solicitations that offerors must submit offers in the English language and in U.S. dollars (see 52.214-34, Submission of Offers in the English Language, and 52.214-35, Submission of Offers in U.S. Currency, or paragraph (c)(5) of 52.215-1, Instruction to Offerors—Competitive Acquisitions); and

(5) Provide unsuccessful offerors from WTO GPA or FTA countries notice in accordance with 14.409-1 or 15.503.

(b) See Subpart 25.5 for evaluation procedures and examples.

The contracting officer—

(a) Must apply the evaluation procedures of this subpart to each line item of an offer unless either the offer or the solicitation specifies evaluation on a group basis (see 25.503);

(b) May rely on the offeror's certification of end product origin when evaluating a foreign offer;

(c) Must identify and reject offers of end products that are prohibited in accordance with Subpart 25.7; and

(d) Must not use the Buy American Act evaluation factors prescribed in this subpart to provide a preference for one foreign offer over another foreign offer.

(a) Unless otherwise specified in agency regulations, perform the following steps in the order presented:

(1) Eliminate all offers or offerors that are unacceptable for reasons other than price; e.g., nonresponsive, debarred or suspended, or a prohibited source (see Subpart 25.7).

(2) Rank the remaining offers by price.

(3) If the solicitation specifies award on the basis of factors in addition to cost or price, apply the evaluation factors as specified in this section and use the evaluated cost or price in determining the offer that represents the best value to the Government.

(b) For acquisitions covered by the WTO GPA (see Subpart 25.4)—

(1) Consider only offers of U.S.-made or designated country end products, unless no offers of such end products were received;

(2) If the agency gives the same consideration given eligible offers to offers of U.S.-made end products that are not domestic end products, award on the low offer. Otherwise, evaluate in accordance with agency procedures; and

(3) If there were no offers of U.S.-made or designated country end products, make a nonavailability determination (see 25.103(b)(2)) and award on the low offer (see 25.403(c)).

(c) For acquisitions not covered by the WTO GPA, but subject to the Buy American Act (an FTA or the Israeli Trade Act also may apply), the following applies:

(1) If the low offer is a domestic offer or an eligible offer under NAFTA or the Israeli Trade Act, award on that offer.

(2) If the low offer is a noneligible offer and there were no domestic offers (see 25.103(b)(3)), award on the low offer.

(3) If the low offer is a noneligible offer and there is an eligible offer that is lower than the lowest domestic offer, award on the low offer. The Buy American Act provides an evaluation preference only for domestic offers.

(4) Otherwise, apply the appropriate evaluation factor provided in 25.105 to the low offer.

(i) If the evaluated price of the low offer remains less than the lowest domestic offer, award on the low offer.

(ii) If the price of the lowest domestic offer is less than the evaluated price of the low offer, award on the lowest domestic offer.

(d) Ties. (1) If application of an evaluation factor results in a tie between a domestic offer and a foreign offer, award on the domestic offer.

(2) If no evaluation preference was applied (i.e., offers afforded nondiscriminatory treatment under the Buy American Act), resolve ties between domestic and foreign offers by a witnessed drawing of lots by an impartial individual.

(3) Resolve ties between foreign offers from small business concerns (under the Buy American Act, a small business offering a manufactured article that does not meet the definition of “domestic end product” is a foreign offer) or foreign offers from a small business concern and a large business concern in accordance with 14.408-6(a).

(a) If the solicitation or an offer specifies that award can be made only on a group of line items or on all line items contained in the solicitation or offer, reject the offer—

(1) If any part of the award would consist of prohibited end products (see Subpart 25.7); or

(2) If the acquisition is covered by the WTO GPA and any part of the offer consists of items restricted in accordance with 25.403(c).

(b) If an offer restricts award to a group of line items or to all line items contained in the offer, determine for each line item whether to apply an evaluation factor (see 25.504-4, Example 1).

(1) First, evaluate offers that do not specify an award restriction on a line item basis in accordance with 25.502, determining a tentative award pattern by selecting for each line item the offer with the lowest evaluated price.

(2) Evaluate an offer that specifies an award restriction against the offered prices of the tentative award pattern, applying the appropriate evaluation factor on a line item basis.

(3) Compute the total evaluated price for the tentative award pattern and the offer that specified an award restriction.

(4) Unless the total evaluated price of the offer that specified an award restriction is less than the total evaluated price of the tentative award pattern, award based on the tentative award pattern.

(c) If the solicitation specifies that award will be made only on a group of line items or all line items contained in the solicitation, determine the category of end products on the basis of each line item, but determine whether to apply an evaluation factor on the basis of the group of items (see 25.504-4, Example 2).

(1) If the proposed price of domestic end products exceeds 50 percent of the total proposed price of the group, evaluate the entire group as a domestic offer. Evaluate all other groups as foreign offers.

(2) For foreign offers, if the proposed price of domestic end products and eligible products exceeds 50 percent of the total proposed price of the group, evaluate the entire group as an eligible offer.

(3) Apply the evaluation factor to the entire group in accordance with 25.502.

The following examples illustrate the application of the evaluation procedures in 25.502 and 25.503. The examples assume that the contracting officer has eliminated all offers that are unacceptable for reasons other than price or a trade agreement (see 25.502(a)(1)). The evaluation factor may change as provided in agency regulations.

(a)(1) Example 1.

(2) Analysis: This acquisition is for end products for use in the United States and is set aside for small business concerns. The Buy American Act applies. Since the acquisition value is less than $25,000 and the acquisition is set aside, none of the trade agreements apply. Perform the steps in 25.502(a). Offer C is evaluated as a foreign end product because it is the product of a small business, but is not a domestic end product (see 25.502(c)(4)). Since Offer B is a domestic offer, apply the 12 percent factor to Offer C (see 25.105(b)(2)). The resulting evaluated price of $11,200 remains lower than Offer B. The cost of Offer B is therefore unreasonable (see 25.105(c)). Award on Offer C at $10,000 (see 25.502(c)(4)(i)).

(b)(1) Example 2.

(2) Analysis: This acquisition is for end products for use in the United States and is set aside for small business concerns. The Buy American Act applies. Perform the steps in 25.502(a). Offer C is evaluated as a foreign end product because it is the product of a small business but is not a domestic end product (see 25.502(c)(4)). After applying the 12 percent factor, the evaluated price of Offer C is $11,424. Award on Offer B at $10,700 (see 25.502(c)(4)(ii)).

Example 1.

Analysis: Eliminate Offer D because the acquisition is covered by the WTO GPA and there is an offer of a U.S.-made or an eligible product (see 25.502(b)(1)). If the agency gives the same consideration given eligible offers to offers of U.S.-made end products that are not domestic offers, it is unnecessary to determine if U.S.-made end products are domestic (large or small business). No further analysis is necessary. Award on the low remaining offer, Offer C (see 25.502(b)(2)).

(a) Example 1.

Analysis: Since the low offer is an eligible offer, award on the low offer (see 25.502(c)(1)).

(b) Example 2.

Analysis: Since the acquisition is not covered by the WTO GPA , the contracting officer can consider the noneligible offer. Since no domestic offer was received, make a nonavailability determination and award on Offer B (see 25.502(c)(2)).

(c) Example 3.

Analysis: Since the acquisition is not covered by the WTO GPA , the contracting officer can consider the noneligible offer. Because the eligible offer (Offer B) is lower than the domestic offer (Offer A), no evaluation factor applies to the low offer (Offer C). Award on the low offer (see 25.502(c)(3)).

(a) Example 1.

Problem: Offeror C specifies all-or-none award. Assume all offerors are large businesses. The acquisition is not covered by the WTO GPA .

This subpart implements section 1605 in Division A of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5) (Recovery Act) with regard to manufactured construction material and the Buy American Act with regard to unmanufactured construction material. It applies to construction projects that use funds appropriated or otherwise provided by the Recovery Act.

As used in this subpart—

Domestic construction material means the following:

(1) An unmanufactured construction material mined or produced in the United States. (The Buy American Act applies.)

(2) A manufactured construction material that is manufactured in the United States and, if the construction material consists wholly or predominantly of iron or steel, the iron or steel was produced in the United States. (Section 1605 of the Recovery Act applies.)

Foreign construction material means a construction material other than a domestic construction material.

Manufactured construction material means any construction material that is not unmanufactured construction material.

Public building or public work means a building or work, the construction, prosecution, completion, or repair of which is carried on directly or indirectly by authority of, or with funds of, a Federal agency to serve the interest of the general public regardless of whether title thereof is in a Federal agency (see 22.401). These buildings and works may include, without limitation, bridges, dams, plants, highways, parkways, streets, subways, tunnels, sewers, mains, power lines, pumping stations, heavy generators, railways, airports, terminals, docks, piers, wharves, ways, lighthouses, buoys, jetties, breakwaters, levees, and canals, and the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of such buildings and works.

Recovery Act designated country means a World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement country, a Free Trade Agreement country, or a least developed country.

Steel means an alloy that includes at least 50 percent iron, between .02 and 2 percent carbon, and may include other elements.

Unmanufactured construction material means raw material brought to the construction site for incorporation into the building or work that has not been—

(1) Processed into a specific form and shape; or

(2) Combined with other raw material to create a material that has different properties than the properties of the individual raw materials.

Except as provided in 25.603—

(a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the Recovery Act may be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of a public building or public work unless the public building or public work is located in the United States and—

(1) All of the iron, steel, and manufactured goods used as construction material in the project are produced or manufactured in the United States.

(i) All manufactured construction material must be manufactured in the United States.

(ii) Iron or steel components. (A) Iron or steel components of construction material consisting wholly or predominantly of iron or steel must be produced in the United States. This does not restrict the origin of the elements of the iron or steel, but requires that all manufacturing processes of the iron or steel must take place in the United States, except metallurgical processes involving refinement of steel additives.

(B) The requirement in paragraph (a)(1)(ii)(A) of this section does not apply to iron or steel components or subcomponents in construction material that does not consist wholly or predominantly of iron or steel.

(iii) All other components. There is no restriction on the origin or place of production or manufacture of components or subcomponents that do not consist of iron or steel.

(iv) Examples. (A) If a steel guardrail consists predominantly of steel, even though coated with aluminum, then the steel would be subject to the section 1605 restriction requiring that all stages of production of the steel occur in the United States, in addition to the requirement to manufacture the guardrail in the United States. There would be no restrictions on the other components of the guardrail.

(B) If a wooden window frame is delivered to the site as a single construction material, there is no restriction on any of the components, including the steel lock on the window frame; or

(2) If trade agreements apply, the manufactured construction material shall either comply with the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this subsection, or be wholly the product of or be substantially transformed in a Recovery Act designated country;

(b) Manufactured materials purchased directly by the Government and delivered to the site for incorporation into the project shall meet the same domestic source requirements as specified for manufactured construction material in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section; and

(c) A project may include several contracts, a single contract, or one or more line items on a contract.\

Except as provided in 25.603, use only unmanufactured construction material mined or produced in the United States, as required by the Buy American Act or, if trade agreements apply, unmanufactured construction material mined or produced in a designated country may also be used.

(a)(1) When one of the following exceptions applies, the contracting officer may allow the contractor to incorporate foreign manufactured construction materials without regard to the restrictions of section 1605 of the Recovery Act or foreign unmanufactured construction material without regard to the restrictions of the Buy American Act:

(i) Nonavailability. The head of the contracting activity may determine that a particular construction material is not mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities of a satisfactory quality. The determinations of nonavailability of the articles listed at 25.104(a) and the procedures at 25.103(b)(1) also apply if any of those articles are acquired as construction materials.

(ii) Unreasonable cost. The contracting officer concludes that the cost of domestic construction material is unreasonable in accordance with 25.605.

(iii) Inconsistent with public interest. The head of the agency may determine that application of the restrictions of section 1605 of the Recovery Act to a particular manufactured construction material, or the restrictions of the Buy American Act to a particular unmanufactured construction material would be inconsistent with the public interest.

(2) In addition, the head of the agency may determine that application of the Buy American Act to a particular unmanufactured construction material would be impracticable.

(b) Determinations. When a determination is made, for any of the reasons stated in this section, that certain foreign construction materials may be used—

(1) The contracting officer shall list the excepted materials in the contract; and

(2) For determinations with regard to the inapplicability of section 1605 of the Recovery Act, unless the construction material has already been determined to be domestically nonavailable (see list at 25.104), the head of the agency shall provide a notice to the Federal Register within three business days after the determination is made, with a copy to the Administrator for Federal Procurement Policy and to the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board. The notice shall include—

(i) The title “Buy American Exception under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009”;

(ii) The dollar value and brief description of the project; and

(iii) A detailed justification as to why the restriction is being waived.

(c) Acquisitions under trade agreements. (1) For construction contracts with an estimated acquisition value of $7,804,000 or more, also see subpart 25.4. Offers proposing the use of construction material from a designated country shall receive equal consideration with offers proposing the use of domestic construction material.

(2) For purposes of applying section 1605 of the Recovery Act to evaluation of manufactured construction material, designated countries do not include the Caribbean Basin Countries.

(a) For any acquisition, an offeror may request from the contracting officer a determination concerning the inapplicability of section 1605 of the Recovery Act or the Buy American Act for specifically identified construction materials. The time for submitting the request is specified in the solicitation in paragraph (b) of either 52.225-22 or 52.225-24, whichever applies. The information and supporting data that must be included in the request are also specified in the solicitation in paragraphs (c) and (d) of either 52.225-21 or 52.225-23, whichever applies.

(b) Before award, the contracting officer must evaluate all requests based on the information provided and may supplement this information with other readily available information.

(c) Determination based on unreasonable cost of domestic construction material.

(1) Manufactured construction material. The contracting officer must compare the offered price of the contract using foreign manufactured construction material (i.e., any construction material not manufactured in the United States, or construction material consisting predominantly of iron or steel and the iron or steel is not produced in the United States) to the estimated price if all domestic manufactured construction material were used. If use of domestic manufactured construction material would increase the overall offered price of the contract by more than 25 percent, then the contracting officer shall determine that the cost of the domestic manufactured construction material is unreasonable.

(2) Unmanufactured construction material. The contracting officer must compare the cost of each foreign unmanufactured construction material to the cost of domestic unmanufactured construction material. If the cost of the domestic unmanufactured construction material exceeds the cost of the foreign unmanufactured construction material by more than 6 percent, then the contracting officer shall determine that the cost of the domestic unmanufactured construction material is unreasonable.

(a) If the contracting officer has determined that an exception applies because the cost of certain domestic construction material is unreasonable, in accordance with section 25.604, then the contracting officer shall apply evaluation factors to the offer incorporating the use of such foreign construction material as follows:

(1) Use an evaluation factor of 25 percent, applied to the total offered price of the contract, if foreign manufactured construction material is incorporated in the offer based on an exception for unreasonable cost of comparable domestic construction material requested by the offeror.

(2) In addition, use an evaluation factor of 6 percent applied to the cost of foreign unmanufactured construction material incorporated in the offer based on an exception for unreasonable cost of comparable domestic unmanufactured construction material requested by the offeror.

(3) Total evaluated price = offered price + (.25 × offered price, if (a)(1) applies) + (.06 × cost of foreign unmanufactured construction material, if (a)(2) applies).

(b) If the solicitation specifies award on the basis of factors in addition to cost or price, apply the evaluation factors as specified in paragraph (a) of this section and use the evaluated price in determining the offer that represents the best value to the Government.

(c) Unless paragraph (b) applies, if two or more offers are equal in price, the contracting officer must give preference to an offer that does not include foreign construction material excepted at the request of the offeror on the basis of unreasonable cost.

(d) Offerors also may submit alternate offers based on use of equivalent domestic construction material to avoid possible rejection of the entire offer if the Government determines that an exception permitting use of a particular foreign construction material does not apply.

(e) If the contracting officer awards a contract to an offeror that proposed foreign construction material not listed in the applicable clause in the solicitation (paragraph (b)(3) of 52.225-21, or paragraph (b)(3) of 52.225-23), the contracting officer must add the excepted materials to the list in the contract clause.

(a) If a contractor requests a determination regarding the inapplicability of section 1605 of the Recovery Act or the Buy American Act after contract award, the contractor must explain why it could not request the determination before contract award or why the need for such determination otherwise was not reasonably foreseeable. If the contracting officer concludes that the contractor should have made the request before contract award, the contracting officer may deny the request.

(b) The contracting officer must base evaluation of any request for a determination regarding the inapplicability of section 1605 of the Recovery Act or the Buy American Act made after contract award on information required by paragraphs (c) and (d) of the applicable clause at 52.225-21 or 52.225-23 and/or other readily available information.

(c) If a determination, under 25.603(a), is made after contract award that an exception to section 1605 of the Recovery Act or to the Buy American Act applies, the contracting officer must negotiate adequate consideration and modify the contract to allow use of the foreign construction material. When the basis for the exception is the unreasonable cost of a domestic construction material, adequate consideration is at least the differential established in 25.605(a).

The contracting officer must—

(a) Review allegations of violations of section 1605 of the Recovery Act or Buy American Act;

(b) Unless fraud is suspected, notify the contractor of the apparent unauthorized use of foreign construction material and request a reply, to include proposed corrective action; and

(c) If the review reveals that a contractor or subcontractor has used foreign construction material without authorization, take appropriate action, including one or more of the following:

(1) Process a determination concerning the inapplicability of section 1605 of the Recovery Act or the Buy American Act in accordance with 25.606.

(2) Consider requiring the removal and replacement of the unauthorized foreign construction material.

(3) If removal and replacement of foreign construction material incorporated in a building or work would be impracticable, cause undue delay, or otherwise be detrimental to the interests of the Government, the contracting officer may determine in writing that the foreign construction material need not be removed and replaced. A determination to retain foreign construction material does not constitute a determination that an exception to section 1605 of the Recovery Act or the Buy American Act applies, and this should be stated in the determination. Further, a determination to retain foreign construction material does not affect the Government's right to suspend or debar a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier for violation of section 1605 of the Recovery Act or the Buy American Act, or to exercise other contractual rights and remedies, such as reducing the contract price or terminating the contract for default.

(4) If the noncompliance is sufficiently serious, consider exercising appropriate contractual remedies, such as terminating the contract for default. Also consider preparing and forwarding a report to the agency suspending or debarring official in accordance with subpart 9.4. If the noncompliance appears to be fraudulent, refer the matter to other appropriate agency officials, such as the agency's inspector general or the officer responsible for criminal investigation.

This subpart implements—

(a) Economic sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in the Department of the Treasury prohibiting transactions involving certain countries, entities, and individuals;

(b) The Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-174);

(c) The Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (Iran Sanctions Act) (Pub. L. 104-172; 50 U.S.C. 1701 note), including amendments by the Iran Freedom Support Act (Pub. L. 109-293) and section 102 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-195); and

(d) Section 106 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8515).

(a) Except as authorized by OFAC, agencies and their contractors and subcontractors must not acquire any supplies or services if any proclamation, Executive order, or statute administered by OFAC, or if OFAC's implementing regulations at 31 CFR Chapter V, would prohibit such a transaction by a person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

(b) Except as authorized by OFAC, most transactions involving Cuba, Iran, and Sudan are prohibited, as are most imports from Burma or North Korea into the United States or its outlying areas. In addition, lists of entities and individuals subject to economic sanctions are included in OFAC's List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/sdn. More information about these restrictions, as well as updates, is available in OFAC's regulations at 31 CFR Chapter V and/or on OFAC's website at http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac.

(c) Refer questions concerning the restrictions in paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section to the Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Washington, DC 20220, (Telephone (202) 622-2490).

As used in this section—

Appropriate Congressional committees means—

(1) The Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, The Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and

(2) The Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.

Business operations means engaging in commerce in any form, including by acquiring, developing, maintaining, owning, selling, possessing, leasing, or operating equipment, facilities, personnel, products, services, personal property, real property, or any other apparatus of business or commerce.

Marginalized populations of Sudan means—

(1) Adversely affected groups in regions authorized to receive assistance under section 8(c) of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (Pub. L. 109-344) (50 U.S.C. 1701 note); and

(2) Marginalized areas in Northern Sudan described in section 4(9) of such Act.

Restricted business operations—

(1) Means, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this definition, business operations in Sudan that include power production activities, mineral extraction activities, oil-related activities, or the production of military equipment, as those terms are defined in the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-174).

(2) Does not include business operations that the person (as that term is defined in Section 2 of the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007) conducting the business can demonstrate—

(i) Are conducted under contract directly and exclusively with the regional government of southern Sudan;

(ii) Are conducted pursuant to specific authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the Department of the Treasury, or are expressly exempted under Federal law from the requirement to be conducted under such authorization;

(iii) Consist of providing goods or services to marginalized populations of Sudan;

(iv) Consist of providing goods or services to an internationally recognized peacekeeping force or humanitarian organization;

(v) Consist of providing goods or services that are used only to promote health or education; or

(vi) Have been voluntarily suspended.

As required by the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110-174), each offeror must certify that it does not conduct restricted business operations in Sudan.

Upon the determination of a false certification under subsection 25.702-2—

(a) The contracting officer may terminate the contract;

(b) The suspending official may suspend the contractor in accordance with the procedures in Subpart 9.4; and

(c) The debarring official may debar the contractor for a period not to exceed 3 years in accordance with the procedures in Subpart 9.4.

(a) The President may waive the requirement of subsection 25.702-2 on a case-by-case basis if the President determines and certifies in writing to the appropriate congressional committees that it is in the national interest to do so.

(b) An agency seeking waiver of the requirement shall submit the request through the Administrator of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy.

Person—

(1) Means—

(i) A natural person;

(ii) A corporation, business association, partnership, society, trust, financial institution, insurer, underwriter, guarantor, and any other business organization, any other nongovernmental entity, organization, or group, and any governmental entity operating as a business enterprise; and

(iii) Any successor to any entity described in paragraph (1)(ii) of this definition; and

(2) Does not include a government or governmental entity that is not operating as a business enterprise.

(a) Certification.

(1) As required by the Iran Sanctions Act, unless an exception applies or a waiver is granted in accordance with paragraph (c) or (d) of this subsection, each offeror must certify that the offeror, and any person owned or controlled by the offeror, does not engage in any activity for which sanctions may be imposed under section 5 of the Iran Sanctions Act.

(2) In general, the following activities, which are described in detail in section 5 of the Iran Sanctions Act, are activities for which sanctions may be imposed on or after July 1, 2010—

(i) Knowingly making an investment of $20,000,000 or more, or a combination of investments of $5,000,000 or more that equal or exceed $20,000,000 in a 12-month period, that directly and significantly contribute to the enhancement of Iran's ability to develop petroleum resources.

(ii) Knowingly selling, leasing or providing to Iran goods, services, technology, information, or support with a fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, or during a 12-month period with an aggregate fair market value of $5,000,000 or more, that could directly and significantly facilitate the maintenance or expansion of Iran's domestic production of refined petroleum products, including any direct and significant assistance with respect to the construction, modernization, or repair of petroleum refineries.

(iii) Knowingly selling or providing to Iran refined petroleum products with a fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, or during a 12-month period with an aggregate fair market value of $5,000,000 or more.

(iv) Knowingly selling, leasing, or providing to Iran goods, services, technology, information, or support with a fair market value of $1,000,000 or more, or during a 12-month period with an aggregate fair market value of $5,000,000 or more, that could directly and significantly contribute to the enhancement of Iran's ability to import refined petroleum products, including—

(A) Certain insurance or reinsurance, underwriting, financing, or brokering for the sale, lease, or provision of such items, or

(B) Providing ships or shipping services to deliver refined petroleum products to Iran.

(v) Exporting, transferring, or otherwise providing to Iran any goods, services, technology or other items knowing that it would contribute materially to the ability of Iran to acquire or develop chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons or related technologies, or acquire or develop destabilizing numbers and types of advanced conventional weapons.

(b) Remedies. Upon the determination of a false certification under paragraph (a) of this subsection, the agency shall take one or more of the following actions:

(1) The contracting officer may terminate the contract.

(2) The suspending official may suspend the contractor in accordance with the procedures in subpart 9.4.

(3) The debarring official may debar the contractor for a period not to exceed 3 years in accordance with the procedures in subpart 9.4.

(c) Exception for trade agreements. The certification requirements of paragraph (a) of this subsection do not apply with respect to the procurement of eligible products, as defined in section 308(4) of the Trade Agreements Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2518(4)), of any foreign country or instrumentality designated under section 301(b) of that Act (19 U.S.C. 2511(b)) (see subpart 25.4).

(d) Waiver. (1) The President may waive the requirement of subsection 25.703-2(a) on a case-by-case basis if the President determines and certifies in writing to the appropriate congressional committees (Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, Committee on Finance of the Senate, Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives, and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives) that it is in the national interest to do so.

(2) An agency or contractor seeking a waiver of the requirement shall submit the request through the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), allowing sufficient time for review and approval. Upon receipt of the waiver request, OFPP shall consult with the President's National Security Council, the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence in the Department of the Treasury, and the Office of Terrorism Finance and Economic Sanctions Policy, Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs in the State Department, allowing sufficient time for review and approval.

(3) In general, all waiver requests should include the following information:

(i) Agency name, complete mailing address, and point of contact name, telephone number, and e-mail address.

(ii) Offeror's name, complete mailing address, and point of contact name, telephone number, and e-mail address.

(iii) Description/nature of product or service.

(iv) The total cost and length of the contract.

(v) Justification, with market research demonstrating that no other offeror can provide the product or service and stating why the product or service must be procured from this offeror, as well as why it is in the national interest for the President to waive the prohibition on contracting with this offeror that conducts activities for which sanctions may be imposed under section 5 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.

(vi) Documentation regarding the offeror's past performance and integrity (see the Past Performance Information Retrieval System (including the Federal Awardee Performance Information and Integrity System at http://www.ppirs.gov) and any other relevant information).

(vii) Information regarding the offeror's relationship or connection with other firms that conduct activities for which sanctions may be imposed under section 5 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.

(viii) The activities in which the offeror is engaged for which sanctions may be imposed under section 5 of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.

The head of an executive agency may not enter into or extend a contract for the procurement of goods or services with a person that exports certain sensitive technology to Iran, as determined by the President and listed on the Excluded Parties List System at https://www.epls.gov/.

Treaties and agreements between the United States and foreign governments affect the evaluation of offers from foreign entities and the performance of contracts in foreign countries.

(a) When placing contracts with contractors located outside the United States, for performance outside the United States, contracting officers must—

(1) Determine the existence and applicability of any international agreements and ensure compliance with these agreements; and

(2) Conduct the necessary advance acquisition planning and coordination between the appropriate U.S. executive agencies and foreign interests as required by these agreements.

(b) The Department of State publishes many international agreements in the “United States Treaties and Other International Agreements” series. Copies of this publication normally are available in overseas legal offices and U.S. diplomatic missions.

(c) Contracting officers must award all contracts with Taiwanese firms or organizations through the American Institute of Taiwan (AIT). AIT is under contract to the Department of State.

This subpart provides policies and procedures for exempting from import duties certain supplies purchased under Government contracts.

United States laws impose duties on foreign supplies imported into the customs territory of the United States. Certain exemptions from these duties are available to Government agencies. Agencies must use these exemptions when the anticipated savings to appropriated funds will outweigh the administrative costs associated with processing required documentation.

For regulations governing importations and duties, see the Customs Regulations issued by the U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury (19 CFR Chapter 1). Except as provided elsewhere in the Customs Regulations (see 19 CFR 10.100), all shipments of imported supplies purchased under Government contracts are subject to the usual Customs entry and examination requirements. Unless the agency obtains an exemption (see 25.903), those shipments are also subject to duty.

(a) Subchapters VIII and X of Chapter 98 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (19 U.S.C. 1202) list supplies for which exemptions from duty may be obtained when imported into the customs territory of the United States under a Government contract. For certain of these supplies, the contracting agency must certify to the Commissioner of Customs that they are for the purpose stated in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (see 19 CFR 10.102-104, 10.114, and 10.121 and 15 CFR part 301 for requirements and formats).

(b) Supplies (excluding equipment) for Government-operated vessels or aircraft may be withdrawn from any customs-bonded warehouse, from continuous customs custody elsewhere than in a bonded warehouse, or from a foreign-trade zone, free of duty and internal revenue tax as provided in 19 U.S.C. 1309 and 1317. The contracting activity must cite this authority on the appropriate customs form when making purchases (see 19 CFR 10.59-10.65).

(a) Policy. The clause at 52.215-2, Audit and Records—Negotiation, prescribed at 15.209(b), and paragraph (d) of the clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders—Commercial Items, prescribed at 12.301(b)(4), implement 10 U.S.C. 2313 and 41 U.S.C. 254d. The basic clauses authorize examination of records by the Comptroller General.

(1) Insert the appropriate basic clause, whenever possible, in negotiated contracts with foreign contractors.

(2) The contracting officer may use 52.215-2 with its Alternate III or 52.212-5 with its Alternate I after—

(i) Exhausting all reasonable efforts to include the basic clause;

(ii) Considering factors such as alternate sources of supply, additional cost, and time of delivery; and

(iii) The head of the agency has executed a determination and findings in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, with the concurrence of the Comptroller General. However, concurrence of the Comptroller General is not required if the contractor is a foreign government or agency thereof or is precluded by the laws of the country involved from making its records available for examination.

(b) Determination and findings. The determination and findings must—

(1) Identify the contract and its purpose, and identify if the contract is with a foreign contractor or with a foreign government or an agency of a foreign government;

(2) Describe the efforts to include the basic clause;

(3) State the reasons for the contractor's refusal to include the basic clause;

(4) Describe the price and availability of the supplies or services from the United States and other sources; and

(5) Determine that it will best serve the interest of the United States to use the appropriate alternate clause in paragraph (a)(2) of this section.

(a) Unless an international agreement or the WTO GPA (see 25.408(a)(4)) requires a specific currency, contracting officers must determine whether solicitations for contracts to be entered into and performed outside the United States will require submission of offers in U.S. currency or a specified foreign currency. In unusual circumstances, the contracting officer may permit submission of offers in other than a specified currency.

(b) To ensure a fair evaluation of offers, solicitations generally should require all offers to be priced in the same currency. However, if the solicitation permits submission of offers in other than a specified currency, the contracting officer must convert the offered prices to U.S. currency for evaluation purposes. The contracting officer must use the current market exchange rate from a commonly used source in effect as follows:

(1) For acquisitions conducted using sealed bidding procedures, on the date of bid opening.

(2) For acquisitions conducted using negotiation procedures—

(i) On the date specified for receipt of offers, if award is based on initial offers; otherwise

(ii) On the date specified for receipt of final proposal revisions.

(c) If a contract is priced in foreign currency, the agency must ensure that adequate funds are available to cover currency fluctuations to avoid a violation of the Anti-Deficiency Act (31 U.S.C. 1341, 1342, 1511-1519).

The following provisions and clauses apply to the acquisition of supplies and the acquisition of services involving the furnishing of supplies.

(a)(1) Insert the clause at 52.225-1, Buy American Act—Supplies, in solicitations and contracts with a value exceeding the micro-purchase threshold but not exceeding $25,000; and in solicitations and contracts with a value exceeding $25,000, if none of the clauses prescribed in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section apply, except if—

(i) The solicitation is restricted to domestic end products in accordance with Subpart 6.3;

(ii) The acquisition is for supplies for use within the United States and an exception to the Buy American Act applies (e.g., nonavailability, public interest, or information technology that is a commercial item); or

(iii) The acquisition is for supplies for use outside the United States.

(2) Insert the provision at 52.225-2, Buy American Act Certificate, in solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-1.

(b)(1)(i) Insert the clause at 52.225-3, Buy American Act—Free Trade Agreements—Israeli Trade Act, in solicitations and contracts if—

(A) The acquisition is for supplies, or for services involving the furnishing of supplies, for use within the United States, and the acquisition value is $25,000 or more, but is less than $203,000;

(B) The acquisition is not for information technology that is a commercial item, using fiscal year 2004 or subsequent fiscal year funds; and

(C) No exception in 25.401 applies. For acquisitions of agencies not subject to the Israeli Trade Act (see 25.406), see agency regulations.

(ii) If the acquisition value is $25,000 or more but is less than $50,000, use the clause with its Alternate I.

(iii) If the acquisition value is $50,000 or more but is less than $70, 079, use the clause with its Alternate II.

(2)(i) Insert the provision at 52.225-4, Buy American Act—Free Trade Agreements—Israeli Trade Act Certificate, in solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-3.

(ii) If the acquisition value is $25,000 or more but is less than $50,000, use the provision with its Alternate I.

(iii) If the acquisition value is $50,000 or more but is less than $70,079, use the provision with its Alternate II.

(c)(1) Insert the clause at 52.225-5, Trade Agreements, in solicitations and contracts valued at $203,000 or more, if the acquisition is covered by the WTO GPA applies (see Subpart 25.4) and the agency has determined that the restrictions of the Buy American Act are not applicable to U.S.-made end products. If the agency has not made such a determination, the contracting officer must follow agency procedures.

(2) Insert the provision at 52.225-6, Trade Agreements Certificate, in solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-5.

(d) Insert the provision at 52.225-7, Waiver of Buy American Act for Civil Aircraft and Related Articles, in solicitations for civil aircraft and related articles (see 25.407), if the acquisition value is less than $203,000.

(e) Insert the clause at 52.225-8, Duty-Free Entry, in solicitations and contracts for supplies that may be imported into the United States and for which duty-free entry may be obtained in accordance with 25.903(a), if the value of the acquisition—

(1) Exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold; or

(2) Does not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, but the savings from waiving the duty is anticipated to be more than the administrative cost of waiving the duty. When used for acquisitions that do not exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, the contracting officer may modify paragraphs (c)(1) and (j)(2) of the clause to reduce the dollar figure.

(f) Insert the provision at 52.225-18, Place of Manufacture, in solicitations that are predominantly for the acquisition of manufactured end products, as defined in the provision at 52.225-18 (i.e., the estimated value of the manufactured end products exceeds the estimated value of other items to be acquired as a result of the solicitation).

When using funds other than those appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5) (Recovery Act), follow the prescriptions in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section. Otherwise, follow the prescription in paragraph (e).

(a) Insert the clause at 52.225-9, Buy American Act—Construction Materials, in solicitations and contracts for construction that is performed in the United States valued at less than $7,804,000.

(1) List in paragraph (b)(2) of the clause all foreign construction material excepted from the requirements of the Buy American Act.

(2) If the head of the agency determines that a higher percentage is appropriate, substitute the higher evaluation percentage in paragraph (b)(3)(i) of the clause.

(b)(1) Insert the provision at 52.225-10, Notice of Buy American Act Requirement—Construction Materials, in solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-9.

(2) If insufficient time is available to process a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American Act before receipt of offers, use the provision with its Alternate I.

(c) Insert the clause at 52.225-11, Buy American Act—Construction Materials under Trade Agreements, in solicitations and contracts for construction that is performed in the United States valued at $7,804,000 or more.

(1) List in paragraph (b)(3) of the clause all foreign construction material excepted from the requirements of the Buy American Act, other than designated country construction material.

(2) If the head of the agency determines that a higher percentage is appropriate, substitute the higher evaluation percentage in paragraph (b)(4)(i) of the clause.

(3)For acquisitions valued at $7,804,000 or more, but less than $9,110,318, use the clause with its Alternate I. List in paragraph (b)(3) of the clause all foreign construction material excepted from the requirements of the Buy American Act, unless the excepted foreign construction material is from a designated country other than Bahrain, Mexico, and Oman.

(d)(1) Insert the provision at 52.225-12, Notice of Buy American Act Requirement—Construction Materials under Trade Agreements, in solicitations containing the clause at 52.225-11.

(2) If insufficient time is available to process a determination regarding the inapplicability of the Buy American Act before receipt of offers, use the provision with its Alternate I.

(3) For acquisitions valued at $7,804,000 or more, but less than $9,110,318, use the clause with its Alternate II.

(e)(1) When using funds appropriated under the Recovery Act for construction, use provisions and clauses 52.225-21, 52.225-22, 52.225-23, or 52.225-24 (with appropriate Alternates) in lieu of the provisions and clauses 52.225-9, 52.225-10, 52.225-11, or 52.225-12 (with appropriate Alternates), respectively, that would be applicable as prescribed in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section if Recovery Act funds were not used.

(2) If these Recovery Act provisions and clauses are only applicable to a project consisting of certain line items in the contract, identify in the schedule the line items to which the provisions and clauses apply.

(3) When using clause 52.225-23, list foreign construction material in paragraph (b)(3) of the clause as follows:

(i) Basic clause. List all foreign construction materials excepted from the Buy American Act or section 1605 of the Recovery Act, other than manufactured construction material from a Recovery Act designated country or unmanufactured construction material from a designated country.

(ii) Alternate I. List in paragraph (b)(3) of the clause all foreign construction material excepted from the Buy American Act or section 1605 of the Recovery Act, other than—

(A) Manufactured construction material from a Recovery Act designated country other than Bahrain, Mexico, or Oman; or

(B) Unmanufactured construction material from a designated country other than Bahrain, Mexico, or Oman.

(a) Restrictions on certain foreign purchases. Insert the clause at 52.225-13, Restrictions on Certain Foreign Purchases, in solicitations and contracts, unless an exception applies.

(b) Translations. Insert the clause at 52.225-14, Inconsistency Between English Version and Translation of Contract, in solicitations and contracts if anticipating translation into another language.

(c) Foreign currency offers. Insert the provision at 52.225-17, Evaluation of Foreign Currency Offers, in solicitations that permit the use of other than a specified currency. Insert in the provision the source of the rate to be used in the evaluation of offers.

(d) The contracting officer shall include in each solicitation for the acquisition of products or services (other than commercial items procured under Part 12) the provision at 52.225-20, Prohibition on Conducting Restricted Business Operations in Sudan—Certification.

(e) The contracting officer shall include in each solicitation for the acquisition of products or services the provision at 52.225-25, Prohibition on Engaging in Sanctioned Activities Relating to Iran—Certification.

This subpart implements 25 U.S.C. 1544, which provides an incentive to prime contractors that use Indian organizations and Indian-owned economic enterprises as subcontractors.

As used in this subpart—

Indian means any person who is a member of any Indian tribe, band, group, pueblo, or community that is recognized by the Federal Government as eligible for services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 1452(c) and any “Native” as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601).

Indian organization means the governing body of any Indian tribe or entity established or recognized by the governing body of an Indian tribe for the purposes of 25 U.S.C., chapter 17.

Indian-owned economic enterprise means any Indian-owned (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior) commercial, industrial, or business activity established or organized for the purpose of profit, provided that Indian ownership constitutes not less than 51 percent of the enterprise.

Indian tribe means any Indian tribe, band, group, pueblo, or community, including native villages and native groups (including corporations organized by Kenai, Juneau, Sitka, and Kodiak) as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, that is recognized by the Federal Government as eligible for services from BIA in accordance with 25 U.S.C. 1452(c).

Interested party means a prime contractor or an actual or prospective offeror whose direct economic interest would be affected by the award of a subcontract or by the failure to award a subcontract.

Indian organizations and Indian-owned economic enterprises shall have the maximum practicable opportunity to participate in performing contracts awarded by Federal agencies. In fulfilling this requirement, the Indian Incentive Program allows an incentive payment equal to 5 percent of the amount paid to a subcontractor in performing the contract, if the contract so authorizes and the subcontractor is an Indian organization or Indian-owned economic enterprise.

(a) Contracting officers and prime contractors, acting in good faith, may rely on the representation of an Indian organization or Indian-owned economic enterprise as to its eligibility, unless an interested party challenges its status or the contracting officer has independent reason to question that status.

(b) In the event of a challenge to the representation of a subcontractor, the contracting officer shall refer the matter to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Attn: Chief, Division of Contracting and Grants Administration, 1849 C Street, NW., MS-2626-MIB, Washington, DC 20240-4000. The BIA will determine the eligibility and notify the contracting officer.

(c) The BIA will acknowledge receipt of the request from the contracting officer within 5 working days. Within 45 additional working days, BIA will advise the contracting officer, in writing, of its determination.

(d) The contracting officer will notify the prime contractor upon receipt of a challenge.

(1) To be considered timely, a challenge shall—

(i) Be in writing;

(ii) Identify the basis for the challenge;

(iii) Provide detailed evidence supporting the claim; and

(iv) Be filed with and received by the contracting officer prior to award of the subcontract in question.

(2) If the notification of a challenge is received by the prime contractor prior to award, it shall withhold award of the subcontract pending the determination by BIA, unless the prime contractor determines, and the contracting officer agrees, that award must be made in order to permit timely performance of the prime contract.

(3) Challenges received after award of the subcontract shall be referred to BIA, but the BIA determination shall have prospective application only.

(e) If the BIA determination is not received within the prescribed time period, the contracting officer and the prime contractor may rely on the representation of the subcontractor.

(f) Subject to the terms and conditions of the contract and the availability of funds, contracting officers shall authorize an incentive payment of 5 percent of the amount paid to the subcontractor. Contracting officers shall seek funding in accordance with agency procedures.

Contracting officers in civilian agencies may insert the clause at 52.226-1, Utilization of Indian Organizations and Indian-Owned Economic Enterprises, in solicitations and contracts if—

(a) In the opinion of the contracting officer, subcontracting possibilities exist for Indian organizations or Indian-owned economic enterprises; and

(b) Funds are available for any increased costs as described in paragraph (b)(2) of the clause at 52.226-1.

Emergency response contract means a contract with private entities that supports assistance activities in a major disaster or emergency area, such as debris clearance, distribution of supplies, or reconstruction.

Local firm means a private organization, firm, or individual residing or doing business primarily in a major disaster or emergency area.

Major disaster or emergency area means the area included in the official Presidential declaration(s) and any additional areas identified by the Department of Homeland Security. Major disaster declarations and emergency declarations are published in the Federal Register and are available at http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema.

When awarding emergency response contracts during the term of a major disaster or emergency declaration by the President of the United States under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.5121, et seq.), preference shall be given, to the extent feasible and practicable, to local firms. Preference may be given through a local area set-aside or an evaluation preference.

The contracting officer may set aside solicitations to allow only local firms within a specific geographic area to compete (see 6.207).

(a) The contracting officer, in consultation with the requirements office, shall define the specific geographic area for the local set-aside.

(b) A major disaster or emergency area may span counties in several contiguous States. The set-aside area need not include all the counties in the declared disaster/emergency area(s), but cannot go outside it.

(c) The contracting officer shall also determine whether a local area set-aside should be further restricted to small business concerns in the set-aside area (see Part 19).

The contracting officer may use an evaluation preference, when authorized in agency regulations or procedures.

(a) In anticipation of potential emergency response requirements, agencies involved in response planning should consider awarding emergency response contracts before a major disaster or emergency occurs to ensure immediate response and relief. These contracts should be structured to respond to immediate emergency response needs, and should not be structured in any way that may inhibit the transition of emergency response work to local firms (e.g., unnecessarily broad scopes of work or long periods of performance).

(b) 42 U.S.C. 5150(b)(2) requires that agencies performing response, relief, and reconstruction activities transition to local firms any work performed under contracts in effect on the date on which the President declares a major disaster or emergency, unless the head of such agency determines in writing that it is not feasible or practicable. This determination may be made on an individual contract or class basis. The written determination shall be prepared within a reasonable time given the circumstances of the emergency.

(c) In effecting the transition, agencies are not required to terminate or renegotiate existing contracts. Agencies should transition the work at the earliest practical opportunity after consideration of the following:

(1) The potential duration of the disaster or emergency.

(2) The severity of the disaster or emergency.

(3) The scope and structure of the existing contract, including its period of performance and the milestone(s) at which a transition is reasonable (e.g., before exercising an option).

(4) The potential impact of a transition, including safety, national defense, and mobilization.

(5) The expected availability of qualified local offerors who can provide the products or services at a reasonable price.

(d) The agency shall transition the work to local firms using the local area set-aside identified in 26.202-1.

(a) 42 U.S.C. 5150(b)(1) requires that, subsequent to any Presidential declaration of a major disaster or emergency, any expenditure of Federal funds, under an emergency response contract not awarded to a local firm, must be justified in writing in the contract file. The justification should include consideration for the scope of the major disaster or emergency and the immediate requirements or needs of supplies and services to ensure life is protected, victims are cared for, and property is protected.

(b) The justification may be made on an individual or class basis. The contracting officer approves the justification.

(a) Contracting officers shall consult the Disaster Response Registry at www.ccr.gov to determine the availability of contractors for debris removal, distribution of supplies, reconstruction, and other disaster or emergency relief activities inside the United States and outlying areas.

(b) A list of prospective vendors voluntarily participating in the Disaster Response Registry can be retrieved using the CCR Search tool on the CCR webpage. These vendors may be identified by selecting the criteria for “Disaster Response Contractors”. Contractors are required to register with CCR in order to gain access to the Disaster Response Registry.

(a) The contracting officer shall insert the provision at 52.226-3, Disaster or Emergency Area Representation, in solicitations involving the local area set-aside. For commercial items, see 12.301(e)(4).

(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.226-4, Notice of Disaster or Emergency Area Set-aside in solicitations and contracts involving local area set-asides.

(c) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.226-5, Restrictions on Subcontracting Outside Disaster or Emergency Area, in all solicitations and contracts that involve local area set-asides.

(a) This subpart implements Executive Order 12928 of September 16, 1994, which promotes participation of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs) in Federal procurement.

(b) This subpart does not pertain to contracts performed entirely outside the United States and its outlying areas.

It is the policy of the Government to promote participation of HBCUs and MIs in Federal procurement.

Executive Order 12928 requires periodic reporting to the President on the progress of departments and agencies in complying with the laws and requirements mentioned in the Executive order.

Insert the provision at 52.226-2, Historically Black College or University and Minority Institution Representation, in solicitations exceeding the micro-purchase threshold, for research, studies, supplies, or services of the type normally acquired from higher educational institutions. For DoD, NASA, and Coast Guard acquisitions, also insert the provision in solicitations that contain the clause at 52.219-23, Notice of Price Evaluation Adjustment for Small Disadvantaged Business Concerns.

This section implements the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-247).

As used in this subpart—

Apparently wholesome food means food that meets all quality and labeling standards imposed by Federal, State, and local laws and regulations even though the food may not be readily marketable due to appearance, age, freshness, grade, size, surplus, or other conditions, in accordance with (b)(2)of the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (42 U.S.C. 1791(b)).

Excess food means food that—

(1) Is not required to meet the needs of the executive agencies; and

(2) Would otherwise be discarded.

Food-insecure means inconsistent access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

Nonprofit organization means any organization that is—

(1) Described in section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and

(2) Exempt from tax under section 501(a) of that Code.

The Government encourages executive agencies and their contractors, to the maximum extent practicable and safe, to donate excess apparently wholesome food to nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to food-insecure people in the United States.

(a) In accordance with the Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-247) an executive agency shall comply with the following:

(1) Encourage donations. In the applicable contracts stated at section 26.404, encourage contractors, to the maximum extent practicable and safe, to donate apparently wholesome excess food to nonprofit organizations that provide assistance to food-insecure people in the United States.

(2) Costs. (i) In any case in which a contractor enters into a contract with an executive agency under which apparently wholesome food is donated to food-insecure people in the United States, the head of the executive agency shall not assume responsibility for the costs and logistics of collecting, transporting, maintaining the safety of, or distributing excess, apparently wholesome food to food-insecure people in the United States under this Act.

(ii) The Government will not reimburse any costs incurred by the contractor against this contract or any other contract for the donation of Federal excess foods. Any costs incurred for Federal excess food donations are not considered allowable public relations costs in accordance with 31.205-1(f)(8).

(3) Liability. An executive agency (including an executive agency that enters into a contract with a contractor) and any contractor making donations pursuant to this Act shall be exempt from civil and criminal liability to the extent provided under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act (42 U.S.C. 1791).

Insert the clause at 52.226-6, Promoting Excess Food Donation to Nonprofit Organizations, in solicitations and contracts greater than $25,000 for the provision, service, or sale of food in the United States.