[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 107 (Thursday, June 4, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 31844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-13558]



[[Page 31844]]

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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 601


Purchasing of Property and Services

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is revising the provision of its purchasing 
regulations concerning contract claims and disputes to update 
references to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, as recodified, and to 
notify contractors of the implementation of an electronic filing system 
by the Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals.

DATES: Effective date: July 6, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Written inquiries may be addressed to Supply Management 
Infrastructure, USPS, Room 1141, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Washington, DC 
20260.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul McGinn, (202) 268-4638.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document contains two revisions to 39 
CFR 601.109, Contract claims and disputes. That section implements the 
Contract Disputes Act of 1978, 41 U.S.C. 7101-7109. The first amended 
paragraph, Sec.  601.109(a), General, states that the regulation 
implements the Contract Disputes Act of 1978. The sole purpose of the 
revision is to update the recodified citation for the Contract Disputes 
Act.
    The second amended paragraph, Sec.  601.109(g)(7), Wording of 
decisions, clarifies that the identified paragraph must be included in 
decisions issued by a contracting officer for the Postal Service 
subject to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, and advises contractors 
of the implementation of an electronic filing system by the Postal 
Service Board of Contract Appeals.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 601

    Government procurement.

    Accordingly, for the reasons stated, 39 CFR part 601 is amended as 
follows:

PART 601--PURCHASING OF PROPERTY AND SERVICES

0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 601 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  39 U.S.C. 401, 404, 410, 411, 2008, 5001-5605.

0
2. In Sec.  601.109, revise paragraphs (a) and (g)(7) to read as 
follows:

Sec.  601.109  Contract claims and disputes.

    (a) General. This section implements the Contract Disputes Act of 
1978, as amended (41 U.S.C. 7101-7109). If ADR is used, the SDR 
official may serve as a mediator for contract performance disagreements 
prior to bringing a contract claim or dispute under this part.
* * * * *
    (g) * * *
    (7) Wording of decisions. The contracting officer's final decision 
must contain the following paragraph: ``This is the final decision of 
the contracting officer pursuant to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 
and the clause of your contract entitled Claims and Disputes. You may 
appeal this decision to the Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals by 
filing a new Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals case through the 
USPS Judicial Officer Department's Electronic Filing System Web site 
located at https://uspsjoe.newdawn.com/JusticeWeb within ninety days 
from the date you receive this decision. You also may appeal this 
decision to the Postal Service Board of Contract Appeals by mailing or 
otherwise furnishing written notice to the contracting officer within 
ninety days from the date you receive this decision. The notice should 
identify the contract by number, reference this decision, and indicate 
that an appeal is intended. Alternatively, you may bring an action 
directly in the United States Court of Federal Claims within twelve 
months from the date you receive this decision.''
* * * * *

Stanley F. Mires,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-13558 Filed 6-3-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-12-P