Unless the contract is exempt under 48 CFR 9903.201-1 and 9903.201-2, the provisions of 48 CFR Part 9903 are incorporated herein by reference and the Contractor, in connection with this contract, shall--

(CAS-covered Contracts Only) By submission of a Disclosure Statement, disclose in writing the Contractor’s cost accounting practices as required by 48 CFR 9903.202-1 through 9903.202-5, including methods of distinguishing direct costs from indirect costs and the basis used for allocating indirect costs. The practices disclosed for this contract shall be the same as the practices currently disclosed and applied on all other contracts and subcontracts being performed by the Contractor and which contain a Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) clause. If the Contractor has notified the Contracting Officer that the Disclosure Statement contains trade secrets and commercial or financial information which is privileged and confidential, the Disclosure Statement shall be protected and shall not be released outside of the Government.

Follow consistently the Contractor’s cost accounting practices in accumulating and reporting contract performance cost data concerning this contract. If any change in cost accounting practices is made for the purposes of any contract or subcontract subject to CAS requirements, the change must be applied prospectively to this contract and the Disclosure Statement must be amended accordingly. If the contract price or cost allowance of this contract is affected by such changes, adjustment shall be made in accordance with subparagraph (a)(4) or (a)(5) of this clause, as appropriate.

Comply with all CAS, including any modifications and interpretations indicated thereto contained in 48 CFR Part 9904, in effect on the date of award of this contract or, if the Contractor has submitted cost or pricing data, on the date of final agreement on price as shown on the Contractor’s signed certificate of current cost or pricing data. The Contractor shall also comply with any CAS (or modifications to CAS) which hereafter become applicable to a contract or subcontract of the Contractor. Such compliance shall be required prospectively from the date of applicability to such contract or subcontract.

Agree to an adjustment of the contract price or cost allowance, as appropriate, if the Contractor or a subcontractor fails to comply with an applicable Cost Accounting Standard, or to follow any cost accounting practice consistently and such failure results in any increased costs paid by the United States. Such adjustment shall provide for recovery of the increased costs to the United States, together with interest thereon computed at the annual rate established under section 6621 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 6621) for such period, from the time the payment by the United States was made to the time the adjustment is effected. In no case shall the Government recover costs greater than the increased cost to the Government, in the aggregate, on the relevant contracts subject to the price adjustment, unless the Contractor made a change in its cost accounting practices of which it was aware or should have been aware at the time of price negotiations and which it failed to disclose to the Government.

If the parties fail to agree whether the Contractor or a subcontractor has complied with an applicable CAS in 48 CFR 9904 or a CAS rule or regulation in 48 CFR 9903 and as to any cost adjustment demanded by the United States, such failure to agree will constitute a dispute under the Contract Disputes Act (41 U.S.C. 601).

The Contractor shall permit any authorized representatives of the Government to examine and make copies of any documents, papers, or records relating to compliance with the requirements of this clause.

The Contractor shall include in all negotiated subcontracts which the Contractor enters into, the substance of this clause, except paragraph (b), and shall require such inclusion in all other subcontracts, of any tier, including the obligation to comply with all CAS in effect on the subcontractor’s award date or if the subcontractor has submitted cost or pricing data, on the date of final agreement on price as shown on the subcontractor’s signed Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data. If the subcontract is awarded to a business unit which pursuant to 48 CFR 9903.201-2 is subject to other types of CAS coverage, the substance of the applicable clause set forth in subsection 30.201-4 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation shall be inserted. This requirement shall apply only to negotiated subcontracts in excess of $500,000 except that the requirement shall not apply to negotiated subcontracts otherwise exempt from the requirement to include a CAS clause as specified in 48 CFR 9903.201-1.

Submit to the Contracting Officer a description of any cost accounting practice change, the total potential impact of the change on contracts containing a CAS clause, and a general dollar magnitude of the change which identifies the potential shift of costs between CAS-covered contracts by contract type (i.e., firm-fixed-price, incentive, cost-plus-fixed fee, etc.) and other Contractor business activity. As related to CAS-covered contracts, the analysis should identify the potential impact on funds of the various Agencies/Departments (i.e., Department of Energy, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Army, Navy, Air Force, other Department of Defense, other Government) as follows:

For any change in cost accounting practices required to comply with a new or modified CAS in accordance with subparagraph (a)(3) and subdivision (a)(4)(i) of the clause at FAR 52.230-2, Cost Accounting Standards, within 60 days (or such other date as may be mutually agreed to) after award of a contract requiring this change.

For any change in cost accounting practices proposed in accordance with subdivision (a)(4)(ii) or (iii) of the clause at FAR 52.230-2, Cost Accounting Standards, or with subparagraph (a)(3) of the clause at FAR 52.230-3, Disclosure and Consistency of Cost Accounting Practices, not less than 60 days (or such other date as may be mutually agreed to) before the effective date of the proposed change.

For any failure to comply with an applicable CAS or to follow a disclosed practice (as contemplated by subparagraph (a)(5) at FAR 52.230-2, Cost Accounting Standards, or by subparagraph (a)(4) at FAR 52.230-3, Disclosure and Consistency of Cost Accounting Practices):

After an ACO determination of materiality, submit a cost impact proposal in the form and manner specified by the Contracting Officer within 60 days (or such other date as may be mutually agreed to) after the date of determination of the adequacy and compliance of a change submitted pursuant to paragraph (a) of this clause. The cost impact proposal shall be in sufficient detail to permit evaluation, determination, and negotiation of the cost impact upon each separate CAS-covered contract and subcontract.

Cost impact proposals submitted for changes in cost accounting practices required in accordance with subparagraph (a)(3) and subdivision (a)(4)(i) of the clause at FAR 52.230-2, Cost Accounting Standards; or subparagraph (a)(3) and subdivisions (a)(4)(i) or (a)(4)(iv) of the clause at FAR 52.230-5, Cost Accounting Standards-Educational Institution; shall identify the applicable standard or cost principle and all contracts and subcontracts containing the clauses entitled Cost Accounting Standards or Cost Accounting Standards-Educational Institution, which have an award date before the effective date of that standard or cost principle.

Cost impact proposals submitted for any change in cost accounting practices proposed in accordance with subdivisions (a)(4)(ii) or (iii) of the clauses at FAR 52.230-2, Cost Accounting Standards, and FAR 52.230-5, Cost Accounting Standards-Educational Institution; or with subparagraph (a)(3) of the clause at FAR 52.230-3, Disclosure and Consistency of Cost Accounting Practices, shall identify all contracts and subcontracts containing the clauses at FAR 52.230-2, Cost Accounting Standards, and FAR 52.230-5, Cost Accounting Standards-Educational Institution, and FAR 52.230-3, Disclosure and Consistency of Cost Accounting Practices.

Cost impact proposals submitted for failure to comply with an applicable CAS or to follow a disclosed practice as contemplated by subparagraph (a)(5) of the clause at FAR 52.230-2, Cost Accounting Standards, or by subparagraph (a)(4) of the clause at FAR 52.230-3, Disclosure and Consistency of Cost Accounting Practices, shall identify the cost impact on each separate CAS covered contract from the date of failure to comply until the noncompliance is corrected.

If the submissions required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this clause are not submitted within the specified time, or any extension granted by the Contracting Officer, an amount not to exceed 10 percent of each subsequent amount determined payable related to the Contractor’s CAS-covered prime contracts, up to the estimated general dollar magnitude of the cost impact, may be withheld until such time as the required submission has been provided in the form and manner specified by the Contracting Officer.

Agree to appropriate contract and subcontract amendments to reflect adjustments established in accordance with subparagraphs (a)(4) and (a)(5) of the CAS clause at FAR 52.230-2 or with subparagraphs (a)(3) or (a)(4) of the Disclosure and Consistency of Cost Accounting Practices clause at FAR 52.230-3.

For all subcontracts subject to the clauses at FAR 52.230-2, 52.230-3, or 52.230-5--

So state in the body of the subcontract, in the letter of award, or in both (self-deleting clauses shall not be used); and

Include the substance of this clause in all negotiated subcontracts. In addition, within 30 days after award of the subcontract, submit the following information to the Contractor’s cognizant contract administration office for transmittal to the contract administrative office cognizant of the subcontractor’s facility:

Notify the Contracting Officer in writing of any adjustments required to subcontracts under this contract and agree to an adjustment, based on them, to this contract price or estimated cost and fee. This notice is due within 30 days after proposed subcontract adjustments are received and shall include a proposal for adjusting the higher tier subcontract or the prime contract appropriately.

For subcontracts containing the CAS clause, require the subcontractor to comply with all Standards in effect on the date of award or of final agreement on price, as shown on the subcontractor’s signed Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data, whichever is earlier.

Withholdings pursuant to any clause relating to wages or hours of employees;

Withholdings not specifically provided for by this contract;

The recovery of overpayments; and

Any other withholding for which the Contracting Officer determines that this limitation is inappropriate.

The Contractor agrees to notify the Contracting Officer of any State or local tax, fee, or charge levied or purported to be levied on or collected from the Contractor with respect to the contract work, any transaction thereunder, or property in the custody or control of the Contractor and constituting an allowable item of cost if due and payable, but which the Contractor has reason to believe, or the Contracting Officer has advised the Contractor, is or may be inapplicable or invalid;* and the Contractor further agrees to refrain from paying any such tax, fee, or charge unless authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer. Any State or local tax, fee, or charge paid with the approval of the Contracting Officer or on the basis of advice from the Contracting Officer that such tax, fee, or charge is applicable and valid, and which would otherwise be an allowable item of cost, shall not be disallowed as an item of cost by reason of any subsequent ruling or determination that such tax, fee, or charge was in fact inapplicable or invalid.

*Requirement for notice may be broadened to include all State and local taxes which may be claimed as allowable costs when considered to be appropriate.

The Contractor agrees to take such action as may be required or approved by the Contracting Officer to cause any State or local tax, fee, or charge which would be an allowable cost to be paid under protest; and to take such action as may be required or approved by the Contracting Officer to seek recovery of any payments made, including assignment to the Government or its designee of all rights to an abatement or refund thereof, and granting permission for the Government to join with the Contractor in any proceedings for the recovery thereof or to sue for recovery in the name of the Contractor. If the Contracting Officer directs the Contractor to institute litigation to enjoin the collection of or to recover payment of any such tax, fee, or charge referred to above, or if a claim or suit is filed against the Contractor for a tax, fee, or charge it has refrained from paying in accordance with this article, the procedures and requirements of the article entitled “Insurance, Litigation, and Claims” shall apply and the costs and expenses incurred by the Contractor shall be allowable items of costs, as provided in this contract, together with the amount of any judgment rendered against the Contractor.

The Government shall hold the Contractor harmless from penalties and interest incurred through compliance with this clause. All recoveries or credits in respect of the foregoing taxes, fees, and charges (including interest) shall inure to and be for the sole benefit of the Government.

Except as otherwise provided in this contract under a Price Reduction for Defective Cost or Pricing Data clause or a Cost Accounting Standards clause, all amounts that become payable by the Contractor to the Government under this contract (net of any applicable tax credit under the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 1481)) shall bear simple interest from the date due until paid unless paid within 30 days of becoming due. The interest rate shall be the interest rate established by the Secretary of the Treasury as provided in Section 12 of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-563), which is applicable to the period in which the amount becomes due, as provided in paragraph (b) of this clause, and then at the rate applicable for each six-month period as fixed by the Secretary until the amount is paid.

Amounts shall be due at the earliest of the following dates:

The date fixed under this contract.

The date of the first written demand for payment consistent with this contract, including any demand resulting from a default termination.

The date the Government transmits to the Contractor a proposed supplemental agreement to confirm completed negotiations establishing the amount of debt.

If this contract provides for revision of prices, the date of written notice to the Contractor stating the amount of refund payable in connection with a pricing proposal or a negotiated pricing agreement not confirmed by contract modification.

The interest charge made under this clause may be reduced under the procedures prescribed in 32.614-2 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation in effect on the date of this contract.

Invoice Payments.

Due date.

Certain food products and other payments.

Contractor’s invoice. The Contractor shall prepare and submit invoices to the designated billing office specified in the contract. A proper invoice must include the items listed in subdivisions (a)(3)(i) through (a)(3)(viii) of this clause. If the invoice does not comply with these requirements, it shall be returned within 7 days after the date the designated billing office received the invoice (3 days for meat, meat food products, or fish; 5 days for perishable agricultural commodities, edible fats or oils, and food products prepared from edible fats or oils), with a statement of the reasons why it is not a proper invoice. Untimely notification will be taken into account in computing any interest penalty owed the Contractor in the manner described in subparagraph (a)(5) of this clause.

Interest penalty. An interest penalty shall be paid automatically by the designated payment office, without request from the Contractor, if payment is not made by the due date and the conditions listed in subdivisions (a)(4)(i) through (a)(4)(iii) of this clause are met, if applicable. However, when the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday when Federal Government offices are closed and Government business is not expected to be conducted, payment may be made on the following business day without incurring a late payment interest penalty.

Computing penalty amount. The interest penalty shall be at the rate established by the Secretary of the Treasury under section 12 of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (41 U.S.C. 611) that is in effect on the day after the due date, except where the interest penalty is prescribed by other governmental authority (e.g., tariffs). This rate is referred to as the “Renegotiation Board Interest Rate,” and it is published in the Federal Register semiannually on or about January 1 and July 1. The interest penalty shall accrue daily on the invoice principal payment amount approved by the Government until the payment date of such approved principal amount; and will be compounded in 30-day increments inclusive from the first day after the due date through the payment date. That is, interest accrued at the end of any 30-day period will be added to the approved invoice principal payment amount and will be subject to interest penalties if not paid in the succeeding 30-day period. If the designated billing office failed to notify the Contractor of a defective invoice within the periods prescribed in subparagraph (a)(3) of this clause, then the due date on the corrected invoice will be adjusted by subtracting from such date the number of days taken beyond the prescribed notification of defects period. Any interest penalty owed the Contractor will be based on this adjusted due date. Adjustments will be made by the designated payment office for errors in calculating interest penalties.

Prompt payment discounts. An interest penalty also shall be paid automatically by the designated payment office, without request from the Contractor, if a discount for prompt payment is taken improperly. The interest penalty will be calculated as described in subparagraph (a)(5) of this clause on the amount of discount taken for the period beginning with the first day after the end of the discount period through the date when the Contractor is paid.

Additional interest penalty.

Contract Financing Payments.

Due dates for recurring financing payments. If this contract provides for contract financing, requests for payment shall be submitted to the designated billing office as specified in this contract or as directed by the Contracting Officer. Contract financing payments shall be made on the [insert day as prescribed by Agency head; if not prescribed, insert 30th day] day after receipt of a proper contract financing request by the designated billing office. In the event that an audit or other review of a specific financing request is required to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract, the designated payment office is not compelled to make payment by the due date specified.

Due dates for other contract financing. For advance payments, loans, or other arrangements that do not involve recurring submissions of contract financing requests, payment shall be made in accordance with the corresponding contract terms or as directed by the Contracting Officer.

Interest penalty not applicable. Contract financing payments shall not be assessed an interest penalty for payment delays.

Fast payment procedure due dates. If this contract contains the clause at 52.213-1, Fast Payment Procedure, payments will be made within 15 days after the date of receipt of the invoice.

In accordance with paragraph (a)(2) of this clause, the Contractor shall submit to the General Services Administration (GSA) for audit, legible copies of all paid freight bills/invoices, commercial bills of lading (CBL's), passenger coupons, and other supporting documents for transportation services on which the United States will assume freight charges that were paid--

Cost-reimbursement Contractors shall only submit for audit those CBL's with freight shipment charges exceeding $50.00. Bills under $50.00 shall be retained on-site by the Contractor and made available for GSA on-site audits. This exception only applies to freight shipment bills and is not intended to apply to bills and invoices for any other transportation services.

The Contractor shall forward copies of paid freight bills/invoices, CBL's, passenger coupons, and supporting documents as soon as possible following the end of the month, in one package to the:

General Services Administration
Attn: FWA
1800 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20405.

The Contractor shall include the paid freight bills/invoices, CBL's, passenger coupons, and supporting documents for first-tier subcontractors under a cost-reimbursement contract. If the inclusion of the paid freight bills/invoices, CBL's, passenger coupons, and supporting documents for any subcontractor in the shipment is not practicable, the documents may be forwarded to GSA in a separate package.

Any original transportation bills or other documents requested by GSA shall be forwarded promptly by the Contractor to GSA. The Contractor shall ensure that the name of the contracting agency is stamped or written on the face of the bill before sending it to GSA.

A statement prepared in duplicate by the Contractor shall accompany each shipment of transportation documents. GSA will acknowledge receipt of the shipment by signing and returning the copy of the statement. The statement shall show--

The name and address of the Contractor;

The contract number including any alpha-numeric prefix identifying the contracting office;

The name and address of the contracting office;

The total number of bills submitted with the statement; and

A listing of the respective amounts paid or, in lieu of such listing, an adding machine tape of the amounts paid showing the Contractor's voucher or check numbers.

This contract is subject to the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, as amended (41 U.S.C. 601-613).

Except as provided in the Act, all disputes arising under or relating to this contract shall be resolved under this clause.

“Claim,” as used in this clause, means a written demand or written assertion by one of the contracting parties seeking, as a matter of right, the payment of money in a sum certain, the adjustment or interpretation of contract terms, or other relief arising under or relating to this contract. A claim arising under a contract, unlike a claim relating to that contract, is a claim that can be resolved under a contract clause that provides for the relief sought by the claimant. However, a written demand or written assertion by the Contractor seeking the payment of money exceeding $100,000 is not a claim under the Act until certified as required by subparagraph (d)(2) of this clause. A voucher, invoice, or other routine request for payment that is not in dispute when submitted is not a claim under the Act. The submission may be converted to a claim under the Act, by complying with the submission and certification requirements of this clause, if it is disputed either as to liability or amount or is not acted upon in a reasonable time.

A claim by the Contractor shall be made in writing and, unless otherwise stated in this contract, submitted within 6 years after accrual of the claim to the Contracting Officer for a written decision. A claim by the Government against the Contractor shall be subject to a written decision by the Contracting Officer.

The certification may be executed by any person duly authorized to bind the Contractor with respect to the claim.

For Contractor claims of $100,000 or less, the Contracting Officer must, if requested in writing by the Contractor, render a decision within 60 days of the request. For Contractor-certified claims over $100,000, the Contracting Officer must, within 60 days, decide the claim or notify the Contractor of the date by which the decision will be made.

The Contracting Officer's decision shall be final unless the Contractor appeals or files a suit as provided in the Act.

If the claim by the Contractor is submitted to the Contracting Officer or a claim by the Government is presented to the Contractor, the parties, by mutual consent, may agree to use alternative dispute resolution (ADR). If the Contractor refuses an offer for ADR, the Contractor shall inform the Contracting Officer, in writing, of the Contractor's specific reasons for rejecting the offer.

The Government shall pay interest on the amount found due and unpaid from (1) the date that the Contracting Officer receives the claim (certified, if required); or (2) the date that payment otherwise would be due, if that date is later, until the date of payment. With regard to claims having defective certification, as defined in FAR 33.201, interest shall be paid from the date that the Contracting Officer initially receives the claim. Simple interest on claims shall be paid at the rate, fixed by the Secretary of the Treasury as provided in the Act, which is applicable to the period during which the Contracting Officer receives the claim and then at the rate applicable for each 6-month period as fixed by the Treasury Secretary during the pendency of the claim.

The Contractor shall proceed diligently with performance of this contract, pending final resolution of any request for relief, claim, appeal, or action arising under or relating to the contract, and comply with any decision of the Contracting Officer.