Federal Acquisition Regulation; Government Property, 54878-54889 [05-18516]
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54878
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maintain documentation in existence
when its return is filed regarding the
allocation of gross income, and
allocation and apportionment of
expenses, losses, and other deductions,
the methodologies used, and the
circumstances justifying use of those
methodologies. The taxpayer must make
available such documentation within 30
days upon request.
(3) Access to software. If the taxpayer
or any third party used any computer
software, within the meaning of section
7612(d), to allocate gross income, or to
allocate or apportion expenses, losses,
and other deductions, the taxpayer must
make available upon request—
(i) Any computer software executable
code, within the meaning of section
7612(d), used for such purposes,
including an executable copy of the
version of the software used in the
preparation of the taxpayer’s return
(including any plug-ins, supplements,
etc.) and a copy of all related electronic
data files. Thus, if software
subsequently is upgraded or
supplemented, a separate executable
copy of the version used in preparing
the taxpayer’s return must be retained;
(ii) Any related computer software
source code, within the meaning of
section 7612(d), acquired or developed
by the taxpayer or a related person, or
primarily for internal use by the
taxpayer or such person rather than for
commercial distribution; and
(iii) In the case of any spreadsheet
software or similar software, any
formulae or links to supporting
worksheets.
(4) Use of allocation methodology. In
general, when a taxpayer allocates gross
income under paragraph (b)(2)(iii),
(b)(2)(iv), or (h)(1)(ii) of this section, it
does so by making the allocation on a
timely filed original return (including
extensions). However, a taxpayer will be
permitted to make changes to such
allocations made on its original return
with respect to any taxable year for
which the statute of limitations has not
closed as follows:
(i) In the case of a taxpayer that has
made a change to such allocations prior
to the opening conference for the audit
of the taxable year to which the
allocation relates or who makes such a
change within 90 days of such opening
conference, if the IRS issues a written
information document request asking
the taxpayer to provide the documents
and such other information described in
paragraphs (k)(2) and (3) of this section
with respect to the changed allocations
and the taxpayer complies with such
request within 30 days of the request,
then the IRS will complete its
examination, if any, with respect to the
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allocations for that year as part of the
current examination cycle. If the
taxpayer does not provide the
documents and information described
in paragraphs (k)(2) and (3) of this
section within 30 days of the request,
then the procedures described in
paragraph (k)(4)(ii) of this section shall
apply.
(ii) If the taxpayer changes such
allocations more than 90 days after the
opening conference for the audit of the
taxable year to which the allocations
relate or the taxpayer does not provide
the documents and information with
respect to the changed allocations as
requested in accordance with
paragraphs (k)(2) and (3) of this section,
then the IRS will, in a separate cycle,
determine whether an examination of
the taxpayer’s allocations is warranted
and complete any such examination.
The separate cycle will be worked as
resources are available and may not
have the same estimated completion
date as the other issues under
examination for the taxable year. The
IRS may ask the taxpayer to extend the
statute of limitations on assessment and
collection for the taxable year to permit
examination of the taxpayer’s method of
allocation, including an extension
limited, where appropriate, to the
taxpayer’s method of allocation.
(l) Effective date. This section applies
to taxable years beginning on or after the
date of publication of final regulations
in the Federal Register.
Mark E. Matthews,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 05–18265 Filed 9–16–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
48 CFR Parts 1, 2, 17, 31, 32, 35, 42,
45, 49, 51, 52, and 53
[FAR Case 2004–025]
RIN: 9000–AK30
Federal Acquisition Regulation;
Government Property
Department of Defense (DoD),
General Services Administration (GSA),
and National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCIES:
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SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency
Acquisition Council and the Defense
Acquisition Regulations Council
(Councils) are proposing to amend the
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to
simplify procedures, clarify language,
and eliminate obsolete requirements
related to the management and
disposition of Government property in
the possession of contractors. Various
FAR parts are amended to implement a
policy that fosters efficiency, flexibility,
innovation, and creativity, while
continuing to protect the Government’s
interest in the public’s property. The
proposed rule specifically impacts
contracting officers, property
administrators, and contractors
responsible for the management of
Government property.
DATES: Interested parties should submit
written comments to the FAR
Secretariat on or before November 18,
2005 to be considered in the
formulation of a final rule.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments
identified by FAR case 2004–025 by any
of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Agency Web Site: https://
www.acqnet.gov/far/ProposedRules/
proposed.htm. Click on the FAR case
number to submit comments.
• E-mail: farcase.2004–025@gsa.gov.
Include FAR case 2004–025 in the
subject line of the message.
• Fax: 202–501–4067.
• Mail: General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat
(VIR), 1800 F Street, NW, Room 4035,
ATTN: Laurieann Duarte, Washington,
DC 20405.
Instructions: Please submit comments
only and cite FAR case 2004–025 in all
correspondence related to this case. All
comments received will be posted
without change to https://
www.acqnet.gov/far/ProposedRules/
proposed.htm, including any personal
and/or business confidential
information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT The
FAR Secretariat at (202) 501–4755 for
information pertaining to status or
publication schedules. For clarification
of content, contact Ms. Jeritta Parnell,
Procurement Analyst, at (202) 501–
4082. Please cite FAR case 2004–025.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
In the late 1990s, the Department of
Defense (DoD) initiated a complete
rewrite of FAR Part 45 and associated
clauses. Beyond attempting to address
long-standing property management
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issues, the effort reflected the general
consensus that adoption of more
typically commercial business practices
would not only attract more commercial
firms to the marketplace but also result
in significant savings of acquisition
dollars. For many reasons, only one
portion of that rewrite - Subpart 45.6
with its associated clauses and forms,
was published as a final rule. Therefore,
another rewrite of Part 45 and its
associated clauses is being proposed.
The proposed language, by
encouraging efficiency, flexibility,
innovation, and creativity, complements
the use of current processes and
technologies such as Enterprise
Resource Planning, relational databases,
unique item identification, radio
frequency tags, bar-coding, and the
general trend toward commercialization
of components and equipment.
The concepts of the proposed rewrite
have been discussed and presented to a
wide audience. Briefings were presented
at public meetings, defense industry
representative meetings, industry and
trade associations, and to the military
departments, GSA Property
Management Executive Council and
other interested parties.
The new language reflects a life-cycle,
performance-based approach to property
management and permits the adoption
of more typically commercial business
practices.
The proposed rule requires
contracting officers, property
administrators and other personnel
involved in awarding or administering
contracts with Government property to
be aware of industry-leading practices
and standards for managing Government
property. Other associated impacts
include—
(a) Stricter policy for contracting
officers to follow when determining
whether or not to provide property to
contractors.
(b) Possible contracting officer
revocation of the Government’s
assumption of risk when the property
administrator determines that the
contractor’s property management
practices are inadequate and/or present
an undue risk to the Government.
(c) An outcome-based framework for
the management of property in
possession of contractors.
(d) Identification by contractors of the
standard or practice proposed for
managing Government property.
Many of the policy language changes
are administrative in nature (i.e.,
deleting obsolete terms, eliminating
duplicate language, clarifying and
relocating definitions to clauses, etc.).
Other policy changes include revising or
adding new definitions as a result of
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previous changes and/or lessons
learned. FAR Subparts 45.1, General;
45.2, Competitive Advantage; 45.3,
Providing Government Property to
Contractors; 45.4, Contractor Use and
Rental of Government Property; and
45.5, Management of Government
Property in the Possession of
Contractors, have been revised and
reorganized in such a manner that it was
necessary to delete language in these
sections in their entirety and replace
them with revised language and titles.
FAR Subpart 45.6 remains unchanged,
except for the revision of the term
‘‘Government property’’ found in FAR
45.600 to read ‘‘contractor inventory’’
and the movement of the definitions to
the new FAR 45.101 and the revised
clause at 52.245–1(a).
Definitions for ‘‘Special Test
Equipment’’ and ‘‘Special Tooling’’ are
revised and moved from Part 45 to Part
2 and a new definition ‘‘Voluntary
Consensus Standards’’ is added in Part
2. The definition for ‘‘Plant Clearance
Officer’’ in Part 2 is also revised.
Definitions for ‘‘Acquisition cost,’’
‘‘Real property,’’ and ‘‘Government
property’’ located in the clause at
52.245–9, Use and Charges, are revised
and included in the new FAR 45.101.
The proposed rule includes the
following new definitions in FAR
45.101 and the clause at 52.245–1:
• ‘‘Contractor Inventory’’
• ‘‘Contractor’s Managerial
Personnel’’
• ‘‘Equipment’’
• ‘‘Property’’
• ‘‘Provide’’
• ‘‘Unique Federal Property’’.
The proposed rule, if adopted, would
eliminate the following definitions:
• Agency Peculiar Property
• Accessory Item
• Auxiliary Item
• Custodial Records
• Facilities
• Facilities Contracts
• Government Furnished Material
• Government Production and
Research Property
• Individual Item Record
• Plant equipment
• Nonprofit Organization
• Salvage
• Stock Record
• Summary Record
• Utility Distribution System
• Work-in-Process.
The FAR clauses at 52.245–1,
Property Records; 52.245–2,
Government Property (Fixed Price
Contracts); 52.245–5, Government
Property (Cost-Reimbursement, Time
and Material, or Labor Hour Contracts);
and 52.245–19, Government Property
Furnished ‘‘As Is’’, were combined to
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form one new clause—52.245–1,
Government Property. A new property
clause at 52.245–2, Government
Property (Installation Operations for
Services), was added specifically to
address contracts designed for military
base-operating and installation-level
contracts, particularly those awarded
under the Office of Management and
Budget Circular A–76 process. The
Councils seek specific comment on the
new clause at FAR 52.245–1 as to: (1)
whether the proposed wording of
paragraphs (f) and (g) are clear in their
intent; and (2) whether the intent of
paragraphs (f) and (g) could be achieved
in some other manner.
The following clauses were deleted in
their entirety because they were either
obsolete or conflicted with the use of
consensus standards and/or industryleading standards and practices for
property management:
• 52.245–3
• 52.245–4
• 52.245–5
• 52.245–6
• 52.245–7
• 52.245–8
• 52.245–10
• 52.245–11
• 52.245–12
• 52.245–13
• 52.245–14
• 52.245–15
• 52.245–16
• 52.245–17
• 52.245–18.
The rule deletes the current FAR text
on facilities contracts and the associated
clauses because the Councils believe
they are outmoded and no longer
necessary. The Councils found that
facilities contracts, contracts established
solely to account for property with
subsequent contracts authorized to use
that property, are rarely used. The
Councils also found that facilities
clauses are being used in service
contracts for the operation of
Government-Owned ContractorOperated Facilities (GOCOs). In the case
of GOCOs, it is believed that agencies’
property management needs can better,
and more appropriately, be met through
tailoring the statement of work in these
service contracts to the agency’s specific
needs and incorporating the new
property clause at FAR 52.245–1.
Should the facilities contract coverage
be deleted in a subsequent final rule,
any required administrative conforming
revisions (e.g., elimination of cross
references to deleted facilities contract
clauses) will be effected in the final
rule.
The Councils seek specific comment
on instances in which there is a
continued need for coverage or clauses
similar to those that are being deleted.
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The following additional FAR
changes are consistent with the intent of
this proposed rule:
• Deletion of 42.302(a)(27). This
paragraph refers to the Special Test
Equipment clause which is being
deleted.
• Revision of FAR 51.107 to delete
references to facilities contracts.
• Revision of FAR 52.245–17,
Special Tooling, was originally
proposed under FAR Case 2002–015,
Use and Rental and Special Tooling.
Public comments recommended
deletion of this clause rather than
revision. Therefore, this case solicits
comments on the deletion of the clause
at 52.245–17, Special Tooling.
The cost principle at FAR 31.205–19
is revised to reflect the changes made in
the proposed clause at FAR 52.245–1, to
indicate that, unless the Government
has determined that the contractor’s
property management practices are
inadequate and/or present an undue risk
to the Government, the cost of insurance
is allowable when the contractor is
liable and the insurance does not cover
loss, damage, destruction, or theft which
results from willful misconduct or lack
of good faith on the part of the
contractor’s managerial personnel.
This is not a significant regulatory
action and, therefore, was not subject to
review under Section 6(b) of Executive
Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and
Review, dated September 30, 1993. This
rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C.
804.
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The changes may have a significant
economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities within the
meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility
Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., because the
rule affects the method of managing
Government property and is intended to
give agencies and contractors more
flexibility in applying industry-leading
practices and standards. As such, it is
expected that the rule will have a
positive effect on small business.
An Initial Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis (IRFA) has been prepared. The
analysis is summarized as follows:
The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council
and the Defense Acquisition Regulations
Council (Councils) are proposing revising the
FAR to update FAR Parts 45 and 52. The
revisions will attempt to address longstanding property management issues and
will reflect a general consensus that adoption
of more typically commercial business
practices would not only attract more
commercial firms to the marketplace but also
result in significant savings of acquisition
dollars. Moreover, much of the current FAR
language related to property management is
well over fifty years old, and contains
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inconsistent, often conflicting guidance that
is at odds with modern materials
management technology such as Enterprise
Resource Planning, relational databases,
unique item identification, radio frequency
tags, bar-coding, and the general trend
toward commercialization of components
and equipment.
Title II of the Federal Property and
Administrative Services Act of 1949, Public
Law 81–152, as amended, requires, in part
that executive agencies account for
Government property, determine when such
property is excess, and dispose of excess
Government property promptly. The
proposed rule amends the FAR to revise the
policies for the management of Governmentowned property used and acquired by private
industry in the performance of Government
contracts.
It is estimated that approximately 5000
contractors have Federal property in their
possession. DoD has 2,242 contractors.
Approximately 62 percent of DoD’s
contractors are small businesses. Given that
property in the possession of contractors is
overwhelmingly DoD property, it is estimated
the DoD ratio of small business to total
businesses having such property is a
reasonable approximation for all Government
contractors. Therefore, it is estimated that
approximately 3,100 small businesses have
Government property in their possession.
This proposed rule substantially decreases
the impact of the current FAR provisions by
simplifying procedures, reducing
recordkeeping and eliminating requirements
related to the management of Government
property in the possession of contractors. The
rule continues the philosophy of ordinarily
requiring contractors to furnish all property
necessary to perform Government contracts,
but also introduces more modern and
innovative concepts.
The rule is structured around a number of
principles or objectives which, it is believed,
will have an overall positive impact on
contractors regardless of size. The rule
balances regulation with principle-based
standards that allow for minimal regulatory
requirement and greater flexibility and
efficiency to achieve best value for the
Government. The rule introduces commercial
standards and industry best practices into the
property management process to the
maximum extent possible. This facilitates
moving from a prescribed regulatory process
to a performance-based outcome
environment. The use of sound business
practices should reduce both the
Government’s and the contractor’s ongoing
administrative costs of dealing with
Government property. Contractors will
initiate and maintain the processes, systems,
records, and methodologies necessary for
effective control of the Government’s
property.
While it may be that small businesses are
more dependent on Government—furnished
property than large businesses, the
underlying philosophy has not changed (i.e.,
contractors are ordinarily required to furnish
all property necessary to perform the
Government contracts).
The Federal Property Management
Regulation and the Federal Management
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Regulation published by the General Services
Administration provide property
management guidance to Government
personnel. Some of the material overlaps or
is duplicated by the FAR property
management provisions. The duplication or
overlap stems from the need to have contract
administration issues addressed in the FAR
and broadly disseminated to Government and
contractor personnel.
The FAR Secretariat has submitted a
copy of the IRFA to the Chief Counsel
for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration. A copy of the IRFA may
be obtained from the FAR Secretariat.
The Councils will consider comments
from small entities concerning the
affected FAR parts 1, 2, 17, 31, 32, 35,
42, 45, 49, 51, 52, and 53, in accordance
with 5 U.S.C. 610. Comments must be
submitted separately and should cite 5
U.S.C 601, et seq. (FAR case 2004–025),
in correspondence.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub.
L. 104–13) applies because the proposed
rule contains information collection
requirements. Accordingly, the FAR
Secretariat submitted a request for a
revised information collection
requirement concerning Government
Property to the Office of Management
and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et
seq.
The present FAR requirements
currently approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) are
being revised under OMB Control
Number 9000–0075.
The information collection includes
the following requirements relating to
FAR Part 45 and 52.245:
1. FAR 45.606–1 requires a contractor
to submit inventory schedules.
2. FAR 45.606–3(a) requires a
contractor to correct and resubmit
inventory schedules as necessary.
3. FAR 52.245–1(f)(1)(ii) requires
contractors to receive, record, identify
and manage Government property.
4. FAR 52.245–1(f)(1)(iii) requires
contractors to create and maintain
records of all Government property
accountable to the contract.
5. FAR 52.245–1(f)(1)(iv) requires
contractors to periodically perform,
record, and report physical inventories
during contract performance.
6. FAR 52.245–1(f)(1)(vi) requires
contractors to have a process to create
and provide reports.
7. FAR 52.245–1(f)(1)(viii) requires
contractors to promptly disclose and
report Government Property in their
possession that is excess to contract
performance.
8. FAR 52.245–1(f)(1)(ix) requires
contractors to disclose and report to the
Property Administrator the need for
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replacement and/or capital
rehabilitation.
9. FAR 52.245–1(f)(1)(x) requires
contractors to perform and report to the
Property Administrator contract
property closeout.
10. FAR 52.245–1(f)(2) requires
contractors to establish and maintain
source data, particularly in the areas of
recognition of acquisitions and
dispositions of material and equipment.
11. FAR 52.245–1(j)(4) requires
contractors to submit inventory disposal
schedules to the Plant Clearance Officer.
12. FAR 52.245–9(f) requires a
contractor to submit a facilities use
statement to the contracting officer
within 90 days after the close of each
rental period.
The information will be used to
control and account for Governmentowned property in the possession of
contractors.
Annual Reporting Burden:
Public reporting burden for this
collection of information is estimated to
average .4598 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information.
The annual reporting burden is
estimated as follows:
Respondents: 15,100.
Responses per respondent: 896.71.
Total annual responses: 13,540,450.
Preparation hours per response: .46.
Total response burden hours:
6,226.350.
D. Request for Comments Regarding
Paperwork Burden
Submit comments, including
suggestions for reducing this burden,
not later than November 18, 2005 to:
FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102,
NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, and a
copy to the General Services
Administration, FAR Secretariat (VIR),
1800 F Street, NW, Room 4035,
Washington, DC 20405.
Public comments are particularly
invited on: whether this collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of functions of the FAR,
and will have practical utility; whether
our estimate of the public burden of this
collection of information is accurate,
and based on valid assumptions and
methodology; ways to enhance the
quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and ways in
which we can minimize the burden of
the collection of information on those
who are to respond, through the use of
appropriate technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology.
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Requester may obtain a copy of the
justification from the General Services
Administration, FAR Secretariat (VIR),
Room 4035, Washington, DC 20405,
telephone (202) 501–4755. Please cite
OMB Control Number 9000–0075,
Government Property, in all
correspondence.
List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 1, 2, 17,
31, 32, 35, 42, 45, 49, 51, 52, and 53
Government procurement.
Dated: September 7, 2005.
Julia B. Wise,
Director, Contract Policy Division.
Therefore, DoD, GSA, and NASA
propose amending 48 CFR parts 1, 2, 17,
31, 32, 35, 42, 45, 49, 51, 52, and 53, as
set forth below:
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR
parts 1, 2, 17, 31, 32, 35, 42, 45, 49, 51,
52, and 53, is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 10 U.S.C.
chapter 137; and 42 U.S.C. 2473(c).
PART 1—FEDERAL ACQUISITION
REGULATIONS SYSTEM
1.106
[Amended]
2. Amend section 1.106 in the table
following the introductory paragraph by
removing FAR segments ‘‘52.245–3’’,
‘‘52.245–5’’, ‘‘52.245–7’’, ‘‘52.245–8’’,
‘‘52.245–10’’, ‘‘52.245–11’’, ‘‘52.245–
16’’, ‘‘52.245–17’’, and ‘‘52.245–18’’ and
the corresponding OMB Control
Number ‘‘9000–0075’’.
PART 2—DEFINITIONS OF WORDS
AND TERMS
3. Amend section 2.101 in paragraph
(b) by revising the definition ‘‘Plant
clearance officer’’, and by adding, in
alphabetical order, the definitions
‘‘Special test equipment’’, ‘‘Special
tooling’’, and ‘‘Voluntary Consensus
Standards’’ to read as follows:
2.101
Definitions.
*
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
Plant clearance officer means an
authorized representative of the
contracting officer assigned the
responsibility of screening,
redistributing, and disposing of
Contractor Inventory from a Contractor’s
plant or work site. The term
‘‘Contractor’s plant’’ includes, but is not
limited to, Government-owned
Contractor-operated plants and Federal
installations as may be required under
the scope of the contract.
*
*
*
*
*
Special test equipment means either
single or multipurpose integrated test
units engineered, designed, fabricated,
or modified to accomplish special
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purpose testing in performing a
contract. It consists of items or
assemblies of equipment including
standard or general purpose items or
components that are interconnected and
interdependent so as to become a new
functional entity for special testing
purposes. Special test equipment does
not include material, special tooling,
real property (except foundations and
similar improvements necessary for
installing special test equipment), and
equipment items used for general testing
purposes or property that with relatively
minor expense can be made suitable for
general purpose use.
Special tooling means jigs, dies,
fixtures, molds, patterns, taps, gauges,
all components of these items, and
replacement of these items, which are of
such a specialized nature that without
substantial modification or alteration
their use is limited to the development
or production of particular supplies or
parts thereof or to the performance of
particular services. Special tooling does
not include material, special test
equipment, unique federal property, real
property (except foundations and
similar improvements necessary for
installing special tooling), equipment,
machine tools, or similar capital items.
*
*
*
*
*
Voluntary Consensus Standards
means common and repeated use of
rules, conditions, guidelines or
characteristics for products, or related
processes and production methods and
related management systems. Voluntary
Consensus Standards are developed or
adopted by domestic and international
voluntary consensus standard making
bodies.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 17—SPECIAL CONTRACTING
METHODS
4. Amend section 17.603 by revising
paragraph (a)(5) to read as follows:
17.603
Limitations.
(a) * * *
(5) Functions that can more properly
be accomplished in accordance with
Subpart 45.3, Authorizing the Use and/
or Rental of Government Property.
*
*
*
*
*
PART 31—CONTRACT COST
PRINICPLES AND PROCEDURES
5. Amend section 31.205–19 by
revising paragraph (e)(2)(iv) to read as
follows:
31.205–19
*
Insurance and indemnification.
*
*
*
(e) * * *
(2) * * *
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(iv) Unless the Government has
determined that the contractor’s
property management practices are
inadequate and/or present an undue risk
to the Government, costs of insurance
for the risk of loss, damage, destruction,
or theft of Government property are
allowable to the extent that the
contractor is liable for such loss,
damage, destruction, or theft, and such
insurance does not cover loss, damage,
destruction, or theft which results from
willful misconduct or lack of good faith
on the part of any of the contractor’s
managerial personnel (as described in
the FAR clause at 52.245–1(h)(1)(ii)).
*
*
*
*
*
31.205–40
[Amended]
6. Amend section 31.205–40 in
paragraph (a) by removing ‘‘45.101’’ and
adding ‘‘2.101(b)’’ in its place.
7. Amend section 32.503–15 by
revising paragraph (b)(1) to read as
follows:
45.101
PART 35—RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING
[Removed and Reserved]
8. Remove and reserve section 35.014.
PART 42—CONTRACT
ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT
SERVICES
[Amended]
9. Amend section 42.302 by removing
and reserving paragraph (a)(27).
PART 45—GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
10. Amend section 45.000 by revising
the second sentence to read as follows:
45.000
Subpart 45.4—Title to Government Property
45.401 Title to Government property.
Subpart 45.1—General
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(1) The clause at 52.245–1,
Government Property.
*
*
*
*
*
42.302
Subpart 45.3—Authorizing the Use and/or
Rental of Government Property
45.301 Use and rental.
45.302 Contracts with foreign Governments
or international organizations.
45.303 Use of Government property on
independent research and development
programs.
Application of Government title
*
35.014
Subpart 45.2—Solicitation and Evaluation
Procedures
45.201 General.
Subpart 45.5—Support Government
Property Administration
45.501 Support Government property
administration.
PART 32—CONTRACT FINANCING
32.503–15
terms.
45.101 Definitions.
45.102 Policy.
45.103 General.
45.104 Responsibility and liability for
Government property.
45.105 Analysis of contractors’ property
management system.
45.106 Transferring accountability.
45.107 Contract clauses.
Scope of part.
* * * It does not apply to property
under any statutory leasing authority,
(except as to non-Government use of
plant equipment under 45.301(f)); to
property to which the Government has
acquired a lien or title solely because of
partial, advance, progress, or
performance-based payments; or to
disposal of real property.
11. Revise Subparts 45.1 through 45.5
to read as follows:
Subpart 45.1—General
Sec.
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Definitions.
As used in this part—
Acquisition cost means—
(1) For contractor acquired property,
the full cost determined in accordance
with the system established by the
Contractor in conformance with
consistently applied sound accounting
principles.
(2) For Government furnished
property, the amount identified in the
contract, or in the absence of such
identification, the fair market value
attributed to the item by the contractor.
Common item means material that is
common to the applicable Government
contract and the contractor’s other work.
Contractor acquired property means
property acquired, fabricated, or
otherwise provided by the contractor for
performing a contract and to which the
Government has title.
Contractor inventory means—
(1) Any property acquired by and in
the possession of a contractor or
subcontractor under a contract for
which title is vested in the Government
and which exceeds the amounts needed
to complete full performance under the
entire contract;
(2) Any property that the Government
is obligated or has the option to take
over under any type of contract, e.g., as
a result either of any changes in the
specifications or plans thereunder or of
the termination of the contract (or
subcontract thereunder), before
completion of the work, for the
convenience or at the option of the
Government; and
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(3) Government-furnished property
that exceeds the amounts needed to
complete full performance under the
entire contract.
Contractor’s managerial personnel
means the contractor’s directors,
officers, managers, superintendents, or
equivalent representatives who have
supervision or direction of all or
substantially all of the contractor’s
business; all or substantially all of the
contractor’s operation at any one plant
or separate location; or a separate and
complete major industrial operation.
Demilitarization means rendering a
product designated for demilitarization
unusable for, and not restorable to, the
purpose for which it was designed or is
customarily used.
Discrepancies incident to shipment
means all deficiencies incident to
shipment of Government property to or
from a contractor’s facility whereby
differences exist between the property
purported to have been shipped and
property actually received.
Equipment means a tangible article of
personal property that is complete inand-of itself, durable, nonexpendable,
and needed for the performance of a
contract. Equipment generally has an
expected service life of one year or
more, and does not ordinarily lose its
identity or become a component part of
another article when put into use.
Government-furnished property
means property in the possession of, or
directly acquired by, the Government
and subsequently furnished to the
contractor for performance of a contract.
Government property means all
property owned or leased by the
Government. Government property
includes both Government-furnished
and contractor-acquired property.
Material means property that may be
consumed or expended during the
performance of a contract, component
parts of a higher assembly, or items that
lose their individual identity through
incorporation into an end-item. Material
does not include equipment, special
tooling, special test equipment, or
unique federal property.
Nonseverable means property that
cannot be removed after erection or
installation without substantial loss of
value or damage to the installed
property or to the premises where
installed.
Precious metals means silver, gold,
platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium,
rhodium, and ruthenium.
Property means all tangible property,
both real and personal.
Property Administrator means an
authorized representative of the
contracting officer assigned the
responsibility of administering the
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contract requirements and obligations
relating to Government property in the
possession of a contractor.
Provide means to furnish existing
Government property or to allow the
contractor to acquire property on behalf
of the Government under this contract.
Real property means land, land rights,
buildings, structures, utility systems,
steam-generation systems, and
equipment attached to and made part of
buildings and structures (such as
heating systems). As such, land rights
are considered real property. It does not
include foundations and other work
necessary for installing special tooling,
special test equipment, or equipment.
Sensitive property means property
potentially dangerous to the public
safety or security if stolen, lost, or
misplaced, or that shall be subject to
exceptional physical security,
protection, control, and accountability
such as classified property, weapons,
ammunition, explosives, controlled
substances, radioactive materials,
hazardous materials or wastes, or
precious metals.
Surplus property means excess
personal property not required by any
Federal agency as determined by the
Administrator of the General Services
Administration (GSA).
Unique Federal property means
Government-owned personal property
that is peculiar to the mission of an
agency, e.g., military or space property.
Unique federal property excludes
material, special test equipment, special
tooling, real property and equipment.
45.102
Policy.
(a) Contractors are ordinarily required
to furnish all property necessary to
perform Government contracts.
(b) Contracting officers shall provide
property to contractors only when it is
clearly demonstrated—
(1) To be in the Government’s best
interest;
(2) That the overall benefit to the
procurement significantly outweighs the
increased cost of administration,
including ultimate property disposal;
(3) That providing the property does
not substantially increase the
Government’s assumption of risk; and
(4) That Government requirements
cannot otherwise be met.
(c) The contractor’s inability or
unwillingness to supply its own
resources is not sufficient reason for the
furnishing or acquisition of property.
45.103
General.
(a) Agencies shall—
(1) Allow and encourage contractors
to use voluntary consensus standards
(see 11.101(c)) and/or industry-leading
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practices and standards to manage
Government property in their
possession.
(2) Eliminate to the maximum
practical extent any competitive
advantage a prospective contractor may
have by using Government property and
ensure maximum practical reutilization
of Contractor Inventory for Government
purposes (see 45.602).
(3) Require contractors to use
Government property already in their
possession to the maximum extent
possible in performing Government
contracts.
(4) Charge appropriate rentals when
the property is authorized for use on
other than a rent-free basis.
(5) Require contractors to justify
retaining Government property not
needed for contract performance and to
declare property as excess when no
longer needed for contract performance.
(b) Agencies will not generally require
contractors to establish property
management systems that are separate
from a contractor’s established
procedures, practices, and systems used
to account for and manage contractorowned property.
the contractor’s property management
system does not comply with
contractual requirements, (i.e., is
inadequate, not acceptable and/or
presents an undue risk to the
Government), and shall request prompt
correction of deficiencies and shall
provide a schedule for their completion.
If the contractor does not correct the
deficiencies in accordance with the
schedule, the contracting officer shall
notify the contractor, in writing, that
failure to take the required corrective
action(s) may result in—
(1) Contract price adjustment;
(2) Withdrawal of the Government’s
assumption of risk for loss, damage,
destruction, or theft; and/or
(3) Other such action as determined
by the contracting officer.
(c) If the contractor fails to take the
required corrective action(s) in response
to the notification provided by the
contracting officer in accordance with
paragraph (b) of this section, the
contracting officer shall notify the
contractor in writing of any Government
decision to apply the remedies
described in paragraphs (b)(1) through
(b)(3) of this section.
45.104 Responsibility and liability for
Government property.
45.106
(a) Generally, contractors are not held
liable for loss, damage, destruction, or
theft of Government property under the
following types of contracts:
(1) Cost reimbursement contracts.
(2) Time and material contracts.
(3) Labor hour contracts.
(4) Negotiated fixed price contracts for
which the price is not based upon an
exception at 15.403–1.
(b) However, the contracting officer
may revoke the Government’s
assumption of risk when the property
administrator determines that the
contractor’s property management
practices are inadequate and/or present
an undue risk to the Government. A
prime contractor that provides
Government property to a subcontractor
shall not be relieved of any
responsibility to the Government that
the prime contractor may have under
the terms of the prime contract.
45.105 Analysis of contractors’ property
management system.
(a) The agency responsible for
contract administration shall conduct an
analysis of the contractor’s property
management policies, procedures,
practices, and systems. This analysis
shall be accomplished as frequently as
conditions warrant, in accordance with
agency procedures.
(b) The property administrator shall
notify the contractor in writing when
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Transferring accountability.
Government property shall be
transferred from one contract to another
only when firm requirements exist
under the gaining contract (see 45.102).
Such transfers shall be documented by
modifications to both gaining and losing
contracts. Once transferred, all property
shall be considered Governmentfurnished property to the gaining
contract.
45.107
Contract clauses.
(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph
(d) of this section, the contracting officer
shall insert the clause at 52.245–1,
Government Property, in—
(i) All cost reimbursement, time-andmaterial, and labor hour type
solicitations and contracts; and
(ii) Fixed-price solicitations and
contracts when the Government will
provide Government property.
(2) The contracting officer shall use
the clause with its Alternate I in
contracts other than those identified in
45.104(a).
(3) The contracting officer shall use
the clause with its Alternate II when a
contract for the conduct of basic or
applied research at nonprofit
institutions of higher education or at
nonprofit organizations whose primary
purpose is the conduct of scientific
research (see 35.014) is contemplated.
(b) The contracting officer shall insert
the clause at 52.245–2, Government
Property (Installation Operations for
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Services), in service contracts to be
performed on a Government installation
when Government-furnished property
will be provided for initial provisioning
only and the Government is not
responsible for repair or replacement.
(c) The contracting officer shall insert
the clause at 52.245–9, Use and Charges,
in solicitations and contracts when
rental of Government property is
contemplated.
(d) When the acquisition cost of the
item to be repaired does not exceed the
simplified acquisition threshold,
purchase orders for property repair need
not include a Government property
clause.
Subpart 45.2—Solicitation and
Evaluation Procedures
45.201
General.
(a) The contracting officer shall insert
a listing of the Government property to
be offered in all solicitations where
Government-furnished property is
anticipated (see 45.102). The listing
shall include at a minimum—
(1) The name, commercial part
number and description, manufacturer,
bulk identifier, model number, and
National Stock Number (if needed for
additional item identification tracking
and/or disposition);
(2) Quantity/unit of measure;
(3) Unit acquisition cost; and
(4) Unique-item identifier or
equivalent (if available and necessary
for individual item tracking).
(b) When Government property is
offered for use in a competitive
acquisition, solicitations will ordinarily
require that the contractor assume all
costs related to making the property
available for use, such as payment of all
transportation, installation or
rehabilitation costs.
(c) The solicitation shall describe the
evaluation procedures to be followed,
including rental charges or equivalents
and other costs or savings to be
evaluated, and shall require all offerors
to submit the following information
with their offers:
(1) A list or description of all
Government property that the offeror or
its subcontractors propose to use on a
rent-free basis. The list shall identify the
accountable contract under which the
property is held and the authorization
for its use (from the contracting officer
having cognizance of the property).
(2) The dates during which the
property will be available for use
(including the first, last, and all
intervening months) and, for any
property that will be used concurrently
in performing two or more contracts, the
amounts of the respective uses in
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sufficient detail to support prorating the
rent.
(3) The amount of rent that would
otherwise be charged in accordance
with the clause at 52.245–9, Use and
Charges.
(4) The voluntary consensus standard
or industry leading practices and
standards to be used in the management
of Government property, or existing
property management plans, methods,
practices, or procedures for accounting
for property.
(d) The contracting officer shall
consider any potentially unfair
competitive advantage that may result
from the contractor possessing
Government property. At a minimum,
this shall be done by—
(1) Adjusting the offers by applying,
for evaluation purposes only, a rental
equivalent evaluation factor; or
(2) By charging the offeror rent for
using the property when adjusting the
offer is not practical.
(e) The contracting officer shall
ensure the offeror’s property
management plans, methods, practices,
or procedures for accounting for
property are consistent with the
requirements of the solicitation.
Subpart 45.3—Authorizing the Use
and/or Rental of Government Property
45.301
Use and rental.
This subpart prescribes policies and
procedures for contractor use and rental
of Government Property.
(a) Government property shall
normally be provided on a rent-free
basis in performance of the contract
under which it is accountable or
otherwise authorized.
(b) Rental charges, to the extent
authorized do not apply to the
following:
(1) Government property that is
located in Government-owned,
contractor-operated plants operated on a
cost-plus-fee basis.
(2) Government property that is left in
place or installed on contractor-owned
property for mobilization or future
Government production purposes;
however, rental charges shall apply to
that portion of property or its capacity
used for non-government commercial
purposes or otherwise authorized for
use.
(c) The contracting officer cognizant
of the Government property may
authorize the rent-free use of property in
the possession of nonprofit
organizations when used for research,
development, or educational work
and—
(1) The use of the property is in the
national interest;
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(2) The property will not be used for
the direct benefit of a profit-making
organization; and
(3) The Government receives some
direct benefit, such as rights to use the
results of the work without charge, from
its use.
(d) In exchange for consideration as
determined by the cognizant contracting
officer(s), the contractor may use
Government property under fixed-price
contracts other than the contract to
which it is accountable. When, after
contract award, a contractor requests the
use of Government property, the
contracting officer shall obtain a fair
rental or other adequate consideration if
use is authorized.
(e) The cognizant contracting
officer(s) may authorize the use of
Government property on a rent-free
basis on a cost-type Government
contract other than the contract to
which it is accountable.
(f) In exchange for consideration as
determined by the cognizant contracting
officer, the contractor may use
Government property for commercial
use. Prior approval of the Head of the
Contracting Activity is required where
non-Government use is expected to
exceed 25 percent of the total use of
Government and commercial work
performed.
45.302 Contracts with foreign
Governments or international
organizations.
Requests by, or for the benefit of,
foreign governments or international
organizations to use Government
property shall be processed in
accordance with agency procedures.
45.303 Use of Government property on
independent research and development
programs.
The contracting officer may authorize
a contractor to use the property on an
independent research and development
(IR&D) program, if—
(a) Such use will not conflict with the
primary use of the property or enable
the contractor to retain property that
could otherwise be released;
(b) The contractor agrees not to
include as a charge against any
Government contract the rental value of
the property used on its IR&D program;
and
(c) A rental charge for the portion of
the contractor’s IR&D program cost
allocated to commercial work is
deducted from any agreed-upon
Government share of the contractor’s
IR&D costs.
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contractor of any deficiencies within the
subcontractor’s property management
system.
Subpart 45.4—Title to Government
Property
45.401
Title to Government property.
(a) The Government retains title to all
Government-furnished property until
properly disposed of, as authorized by
law or regulation. Property that is leased
by the Government and subsequently
furnished to the contractor for use shall
be considered Government-furnished
property under the clause at 52.245–1,
Government Property.
(b) Under fixed price type contracts,
the contractor retains title to all
property acquired by the contractor for
use on the contract, except for property
identified as a deliverable end item. If
a deliverable item is to be retained by
the contractor for use after inspection
and acceptance by the Government, it
shall be made accountable to the
contract through a contract modification
listing the item as Governmentfurnished property.
(c) Under cost-type and time-andmaterial contracts, the Government
acquires title to all property to which
the contractor is entitled to
reimbursement as a direct item of cost,
provided the property acquired is
reasonable, allocable, and allowable (see
Part 31). If the contractor is covered by
Cost Accounting Standards, its
disclosure statement may affect the
charging, and consequently, the title
vesting provisions.
Subpart 45.5—Support Government
Property Administration
45.501 Support Government property
administration.
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[Amended]
12. Amend section 45.600 by
removing ‘‘Government property’’ and
‘‘or progress’’ and adding ‘‘contractor
inventory’’ and ‘‘, progress, or
performance-based’’ in their places,
respectively.
45.601
[Removed and Reserved]
13. Remove and reserve section
45.601.
PART 49—TERMINIATION OF
CONTRACTS
14. Amend section 49.108–3 by
revising paragraph (b)(1) to read as
follows:
49.108–3
*
Settlement procedure.
*
*
*
*
(b) * * *
(1) All subcontractor termination
inventory be disposed of and accounted
for in accordance with the procedures
contained in paragraph (j) of the clause
at 52.245–1, Government Property; and
*
*
*
*
*
PART 51—USE OF GOVERNMENT
SOURCES BY CONTRACTORS
51.106
[Amended]
15. Amend section 51.106 by
removing from paragraph (b) ‘‘52.245–
2’’ and adding ‘‘52.245–1’’ in its place,
and removing ‘‘, or 52.245–5, Alternate
I’’.
51.107
(a) To ensure subcontractor
compliance with Government property
administration requirements, the
property administrator assigned to the
prime contract may request support
property administration from another
contract administration office, provided
the contractor has agreed to allow such
property administration.
(b) In instances where the prime
contractor does not agree to allow the
support property administrator to
provide support property
administration, the prime property
administrator shall immediately refer
the matter to the contracting officer.
(c) In instances where the prime
contractor does not concur with the
findings of the support Property
Administrator, the prime property
administrator shall immediately refer
the matter to the contracting officer.
(d) The prime property administrator
shall accept the findings of the
delegated support property
administrator and advise the prime
VerDate Aug<31>2005
45.600
[Amended]
16. Amend section 51.107 by
removing the last sentence.
51.200
[Amended]
17. Amend section 51.200 by
removing ‘‘45.304’’ and adding ‘‘45.102’’
in its place.
PART 52—SOLICIATION PROVISIONS
AND CONTRACT CLAUSES
18. Revise sections 52.245–1 and
52.245–2 to read as follows:
52.245–1
Government Property.
As prescribed in 45.107(a), insert the
following clause:
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY (DATE)
(a) Definitions. As used in this clause—
Acquisition cost means—
(1) For Contractor acquired property, the
full cost determined in accordance with the
system established by the Contractor in
conformance with consistently applied
sound accounting principles.
(2) For Government furnished property, the
amount identified in the contract, or in the
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54885
absence of such identification, the fair market
value attributed to the item by the Contractor.
Common item means material that is
common to the applicable Government
contract and the contractor’s other work.
Contractor-acquired property means
property acquired, fabricated, or otherwise
provided by the Contractor for performing a
contract, and to which the Government has
title.
Contractor’s managerial personnel means
the Contractor’s directors, officers, managers,
superintendents, or equivalent
representatives who have supervision or
direction of all or substantially all of the
Contractor’s business; all or substantially all
of the Contractor’s operation at any one plant
or separate location.
Contractor inventory means—
(1) Any property acquired by and in the
possession of a Contractor or subcontractor
under a contract for which title is vested in
the Government and which exceeds the
amounts needed to complete full
performance under the entire contract;
(2) Any property that the Government is
obligated or has the option to take over under
any type of contract, e.g., as a result either
of any changes in the specifications or plans
thereunder or of the termination of the
contract (or subcontract thereunder), before
completion of the work, for the convenience
or at the option of the Government; and
(3) Government-furnished property that
exceeds the amounts needed to complete full
performance under the entire contract.
Demilitarization means rendering a
product designated for demilitarization
unusable for and not restorable to, the
purpose for which it was designed or is
customarily used.
Discrepancies incident to shipment means
all deficiencies incident to shipment of
Government property to or from a
Contractor’s facility whereby differences
exist between the property purported to have
been shipped and property actually received.
Equipment means a tangible article of
personal property that is complete in-and-of
itself, durable, nonexpendable, and needed
for the performance of a contract. Equipment
generally has an expected service life of one
year or more, and does not ordinarily lose its
identity or become a component part of
another article when put into use.
Government-furnished property means
property in the possession of, or directly
acquired by, the Government and
subsequently furnished to the Contractor for
performance of a contract.
Government property means all property
owned or leased by the Government.
Government property includes both
Government-furnished and contractoracquired property.
Material means property that may be
consumed or expended during the
performance of a contract, component parts
of a higher assembly, or items that lose their
individual identity through incorporation
into an end-item. Material does not include
equipment, special tooling, special test
equipment, or unique Federal property.
Nonseverable means property that cannot
be removed after erection or installation
without substantial loss of value or damage
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to the installed property or to the premises
where installed.
Precious metals means silver, gold,
platinum, palladium, iridium, osmium,
rhodium, and ruthenium.
Property means all tangible property, both
real and personal.
Property Administrator means an
authorized representative of the Contracting
Officer assigned the responsibility of
administering the contract requirements and
obligations relating to Government property
in the possession of a Contractor.
Provide means to furnish existing
Government property or to allow the
Contractor to acquire property on behalf of
the Government under this contract.
Real property means land, land rights,
buildings, structures, utility systems, steamgeneration systems, and equipment attached
to and made part of buildings and structures
(such as heating systems). As such, land
rights are considered real property. It does
not include foundations and other work
necessary for installing special tooling,
special test equipment, or equipment.
Sensitive property means property
potentially dangerous to the public safety or
security if stolen, lost, or misplaced, or that
shall be subject to exceptional physical
security, protection, control, and
accountability such as classified property,
weapons, ammunition, explosives, controlled
substances, radioactive materials, hazardous
materials or wastes, or precious metals.
Surplus property means excess personal
property not required by any Federal agency
as determined by the Administrator of the
General Services Administration (GSA).
Unique Federal Property means
Government-owned personal property that is
peculiar to the mission of an agency, e.g.,
military or space property. Unique Federal
property excludes material, special test
equipment, special tooling, real property and
equipment.
(b) Property management. (1) The
Contractor shall have a system to manage
(control, use, preserve, protect, repair and
maintain) Government property in its
possession. The system shall be adequate to
satisfy the requirements of this clause. In
doing so, the Contractor shall initiate and
maintain the processes, systems, records, and
methodologies necessary for effective control
of Government property, consistent with
voluntary consensus standards and/or
industry-leading practices and standards for
Government property management.
(2) The Contractor’s responsibility extends
from the initial acquisition and receipt of
property, through stewardship, custody, and
use until formally relieved of responsibility
by authorized means, including delivery,
consumption, expending, disposition, or via
a completed investigation, evaluation, and
final determination for lost, damaged, or
destroyed property. This requirement applies
to all Government property under the
Contractor’s accountability, stewardship,
possession or control, including its vendors
or subcontractors (see paragraph (f)(1)(v) of
this clause).
(3) The Contractor shall include the
requirements of this clause in all
subcontracts under which Government
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15:32 Sep 16, 2005
Jkt 205001
property is acquired or furnished for
subcontract performance.
(c) Use of Government property. The
Contractor shall use Government property,
either furnished or acquired under this
contract, only for performing this contract,
unless otherwise provided for in this contract
or approved by the Contracting Officer. The
Contractor shall not modify, cannibalize, or
make alterations to Government property
unless this contract specifically identifies the
modifications, alterations or improvements
as work to be performed.
(d) Government-furnished property. (1) The
Government shall deliver to the Contractor
the Government-furnished property
described in this contract. The Government
shall furnish related data and information
needed for the intended use of the property.
(2) The Government shall retain title to all
Government-furnished property; title shall
not be affected by incorporation into, or
attachment to, any property not owned by the
Government. Government-furnished property
shall not lose its identity as Government
property by its attachment to real property.
(3) The delivery and/or performance dates
specified in this contract are based upon the
expectation that the Government-furnished
property will be suitable for contract
performance and will be delivered to the
Contractor by the dates stated in the contract.
(i) If the property is not delivered to the
Contractor by the dates stated in the contract,
the Contracting Officer shall, upon the
Contractor’s timely written request, consider
an equitable adjustment to the contract.
(ii) In the event property is received by the
Contractor in a condition not suitable for its
intended use, the Contracting Officer shall,
upon the Contractor’s timely written request,
advise the Contractor on a course of action
to remedy the problem. Such action may
include repairing, replacing, modifying,
returning, or otherwise disposing of the
property at the Government’s expense. Upon
completion of the required action(s) the
Contracting Officer shall consider an
equitable adjustment to the contract (see also
paragraph (f)(1)(ii)(A) of this clause).
(iii) The Government may, at its option,
furnish property in an ‘‘as is’’ condition. In
such cases, the Government makes no
warranty with respect to the serviceability
and/or suitability of the property for contract
performance. Any repairs, replacement, and/
or refurbishment shall be at the Contractor’s
expense.
(4)(i) The Contracting Officer may by
written notice, at any time—
(A) Increase or decrease the amount of
Government-furnished property under this
contract;
(B) Substitute other Government-furnished
property for the property previously
furnished, to be furnished, or to be acquired
by the Contractor for the Government under
this contract; or
(C) Withdraw authority to use property.
(ii) Upon completion of any action(s) under
paragraph (d)(4)(i) of this clause, and the
Contractor’s timely written request, the
Contracting Officer shall consider an
equitable adjustment to the contract.
(e) Title to Contractor-acquired property.
Title to all property purchased by the
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Sfmt 4702
Contractor, for which the Contractor is
entitled to be reimbursed as a direct item of
cost, under this contract, shall pass to and
vest in the Government upon—
(1) A vendor’s or supplier’s initial delivery
of such property to the Contractor;
(2) Issuance of the property for use in
contract performance, including the
installation of parts through normal
maintenance;
(3) Commencement of processing of the
property for use in contract performance; or
(4) Reimbursement by the Government for
the cost of the property, whichever occurs
first.
(f) Contractor plans and systems. (1)
Contractors shall develop property
management plans and systems, at the
contract, program, site or entity level to
enable the following outcomes:
(i) Acquisition of property. The Contractor
shall document that all property was
acquired consistent with its engineering,
production planning, material control
operations, and/or cost accounting disclosure
statement.
(ii) Receipt of Government property. The
Contractor shall receive Government
property (document the receipt), record (the
information necessary to meet the record
requirements of paragraphs (f)(1)(iii)(A)(1),
(2), (3), (4) and (5) of this clause), identify (as
Government-owned), and manage any
discrepancies incident to shipment.
(A) Government-furnished property. The
Contractor shall furnish a written statement
to the Property Administrator containing all
relevant facts, such as cause or condition and
a recommended course(s) of action, if
overages, shortages, or damages and/or other
discrepancies are discovered upon receipt of
Government-furnished property.
(B) Contractor-acquired property. The
Contractor shall take all actions necessary to
adjust for overages, shortages, damage and/or
other discrepancies discovered upon receipt,
in shipment of Contractor-acquired property
from a vendor or supplier, so as to ensure the
proper allocability and allowability of
associated costs.
(iii) Records of Government property. The
Contractor shall create and maintain records
of all Government property accountable to
the contract, including Governmentfurnished and Contractor-acquired property.
(A) Property records shall enable a
complete, current, auditable record of all
transactions and shall, unless otherwise
approved by the Property Administrator,
contain the following data:
(1) The name, commercial part number and
description, manufacturer, bulk identifier,
model number, and National Stock Number
(if needed for additional item identification
tracking and/or disposition).
(2) Quantity received (or fabricated),
issued, and balance-on-hand.
(3) Unit acquisition cost.
(4) Unique-item identifier or equivalent (if
available and necessary for individual item
tracking).
(5) Unit of measure.
(6) Accountable contract number or
equivalent code designation.
(7) Location.
(8) Disposition.
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(9) Posting reference and date of
transaction.
(10) Date placed in service.
(B) When approved by the Property
Administrator, the Contractor may maintain,
in lieu of formal property records, a file of
appropriately cross-referenced documents
evidencing receipt, issue, and use of material
that is issued for immediate consumption.
(iv) Physical inventory. The Contractor
shall periodically perform, record, and report
physical inventories during contract
performance. A final physical inventory shall
be performed upon contract completion or
termination. The Property Administrator may
waive this final inventory requirement,
depending on the circumstances, e.g., overall
reliability of the Contractor’s system or the
property is to be transferred to a follow-on
contract.
(v) Subcontractor control. (A) The
Contractor shall award subcontracts that
clearly identify assets to be provided and
shall ensure appropriate flow down of
contract requirements, including any cost
savings achieved as a result of its prime
contract relationship with the Government.
(B) The Contractor shall assure its
subcontracts are properly administered and
reviews are periodically performed to
determine the adequacy of the
subcontractor’s property management
system.
(vi) Reports. The Contractor shall have a
process to create and provide reports
including: reports of discrepancies; loss,
damage and destruction; physical inventory
results; audits and self-assessments;
corrective actions; and other reports as
directed by the Contracting Officer.
(A) Loss, damage, destruction, and theft.
Unless otherwise directed by the Property
Administrator, the Contractor shall
investigate and promptly furnish to the
Property Administrator, a written narrative of
all incidents of loss, damage, destruction, or
theft, as soon as the facts become known or
when requested by the Government. Such
reports shall, at a minimum, contain the
following information:
(1) Date of incident (if known).
(2) The name, commercial description,
manufacturer, model number, and National
Stock Number (if applicable).
(3) Quantity.
(4) Unique Item Identifier (if available).
(5) Accountable Contract number.
(6) A statement indicating current or future
need.
(7) Acquisition cost, or if applicable,
estimated scrap proceeds, estimated repair or
replacement costs.
(8) All known interests in commingled
property of which the Government property
is a part.
(9) Cause and corrective action taken or to
be taken to prevent recurrence.
(10) A statement that the Government will
receive any reimbursement covering the loss,
damage, destruction, or theft, in the event the
Contractor was or will be reimbursed or
compensated.
(11) Copies of all supporting
documentation.
(B) The Contractor shall take all reasonable
actions necessary to protect the Government
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15:32 Sep 16, 2005
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property from further loss, damage,
destruction, or theft. The Contractor shall
separate the damaged and undamaged
Government property, place all the affected
Government property in the best possible
order, and take such other action as the
Property Administrator directs.
(C) The Contractor shall do nothing to
prejudice the Government’s rights to recover
against third parties for any loss, damage,
destruction, or theft of Government property.
(D) Upon the request of the Contracting
Officer, the Contractor shall, at the
Government’s expense, furnish to the
Government all reasonable assistance and
cooperation, including the prosecution of
suit and the execution of instruments of
assignment in favor of the Government in
obtaining recovery.
(vii) Relief of stewardship responsibility.
Unless the contract provides otherwise, the
Contractor shall be relieved of stewardship
responsibility for Government property when
such property is—
(A) Consumed or expended, reasonably
and properly, or otherwise accounted for, in
the performance of the contract as
determined by the Property Administrator,
including reasonable inventory adjustments;
(B) Delivered or shipped from the
Contractor’s plant, under Government
instructions, except when shipment is to a
subcontractor or other location of the
Contractor; or
(C) Disposed of in accordance with
paragraphs (j) and (k) of this clause.
(viii) Utilizing Government property. The
Contractor shall utilize, consume, and store
Government property only as authorized
under this contract. The Contractor shall
promptly disclose and report Government
property in its possession that is excess to
contract performance.
(ix) Maintenance. The Contractor shall
properly maintain Government property. The
Contractor’s maintenance program shall
enable the identification, disclosure, and
performance of normal preventative
maintenance and repair. The Contractor shall
disclose and report to the Property
Administrator the need for replacement and/
or capital rehabilitation.
(x) Property closeout. The Contractor shall
promptly perform and report to the Property
Administrator contract property closeout, to
include reporting, investigating and securing
closure of all loss, damage, destruction, or
theft cases; physically inventorying all
property upon termination or completion of
this contract; and disposing of items at the
time they are determined to be excess to
contractual needs.
(2) The Contractor shall establish and
maintain Government accounting source
data, as may be required by this contract,
particularly in the areas of recognition of
acquisitions and dispositions of material and
equipment.
(3) The Contractor shall establish and
maintain procedures necessary to assess its
property management system effectiveness,
and shall perform periodic internal reviews
and audits. The findings and/or results of
such reviews and audits shall be made
available to the Property Administrator.
(g) Systems analysis. (1) The Government
shall have access to the Contractor’s
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54887
premises, at reasonable times, for the
purposes of reviewing, inspecting and
evaluating the Contractor’s property
management systems, procedures, records,
and supporting documentation.
(2) Records of Government property shall
be readily available to authorized
Government personnel and shall be
safeguarded from tampering or destruction.
(3) Should it be determined by the
Government that the Contractor’s property
management practices are inadequate or not
acceptable for the effective management and/
or control of Government property under this
contract; and/or present an undue risk to the
Government, the Contractor shall
immediately take all necessary corrective
actions as directed by the Property
Administrator.
(h) Contractor Liability for Government
Property. (1) Unless otherwise provided for
in the contract, the Contractor shall not be
liable for loss, damage, destruction, or theft
to the Government property furnished or
acquired under this contract, except when
any one of the following applies:
(i) The risk is covered by insurance or the
Contractor is otherwise reimbursed (to the
extent of such insurance or reimbursement).
(ii) The loss, damage, destruction, or theft
is the result of willful misconduct or lack of
good faith on the part of the Contractor’s
managerial personnel. Contractor’s
managerial personnel, in this clause, means
the Contractor’s directors, officers, managers,
superintendents, or equivalent
representatives who have supervision or
direction of all or substantially all of the
Contractor’s business; all or substantially all
of the Contractor’s operation at any one plant
or separate location; or a separate and
complete major industrial operation.
(iii) The Contracting Officer has, in writing,
withdrawn the Government’s assumption of
risk for loss, damage, destruction, or theft,
due to a determination under paragraph (g)
of this clause that the Contractor’s property
management practices are inadequate, and/or
present an undue risk to the Government,
and the Contractor failed to take timely
corrective action. If the Contractor can
establish by clear and convincing evidence
that the loss, damage, destruction, or theft of
Government property occurred while the
Contractor had adequate property
management practices or the loss, damage,
destruction, or theft of Government property
did not result from the Contractor’s failure to
maintain adequate property management
practices, the Contractor shall not be held
liable.
(2) The allowability of insurance costs
shall be determined in accordance with
31.205–19 of the Federal Acquisition
Regulation.
(i) Equitable adjustment. Equitable
adjustments under this clause shall be made
in accordance with the procedures of the
Changes clause. The right to an equitable
adjustment shall be the Contractor’s
exclusive remedy and the Government shall
not be liable to suit for breach of contract for
the following—
(1) Any delay in delivery of Governmentfurnished property.
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(2) Delivery of Government-furnished
property in a condition not suitable for its
intended use.
(3) An increase, decrease, or substitution of
Government-furnished property.
(4) Failure to repair or replace Government
property for which the Government is
responsible.
(j) Contractor inventory disposal. Except as
otherwise provided for in this contract, the
Contractor shall not dispose of Contractor
inventory until authorized to do so by the
Plant Clearance Officer.
(1) Scrap to which the Government has
obtained title under paragraph (e) of this
clause.—(i) Contractor with an approved
scrap procedure. (A) The Contractor may
dispose of scrap resulting from production or
testing under this contract without
Government approval. However, if the scrap
requires demilitarization or is sensitive
property, the Contractor shall submit the
scrap on an inventory disposal schedule.
(B) For scrap from other than production
or testing the Contractor may prepare scrap
lists in lieu of inventory disposal schedules
(provided such lists are consistent with the
approved scrap procedures), except that
inventory disposal schedules shall be
submitted for scrap aircraft or aircraft parts
and scrap that—
(1) Requires demilitarization;
(2) Is a classified item;
(3) Is generated from classified items;
(4) Contains hazardous materials or
hazardous wastes;
(5) Contains precious metals; or
(6) Is dangerous to the public health,
safety, or welfare.
(ii) Contractor without an approved scrap
procedure. The Contractor shall submit an
inventory disposal schedule for all scrap.
(2) Predisposal requirements. Once the
Contractor determines that Contractoracquired property is no longer needed for
contract performance, the Contractor in the
following order of priority—
(i) May purchase the property at the
acquisition cost;
(ii) Shall make reasonable efforts to return
unused property to the appropriate supplier
at fair market value (less, if applicable, a
reasonable restocking fee that is consistent
with the supplier’s customary practices); and
(iii) Shall list, on Standard Form 1428,
Inventory Disposal Schedule, property that
was not purchased under paragraph (j)(2)(i)
of this clause, could not be returned to a
supplier, or could not be used in the
performance of other Government contracts.
(3) Inventory disposal schedules. (i) The
Contractor shall use Standard Form 1428,
Inventory Disposal Schedule, to identify—
(A) Government-furnished Property that is
no longer required for performance of this
contract, provided the terms of another
Government contract do not require the
Government to furnish that property for
performance of this contract;
(B) Contractor acquired property, to which
the Government has obtained title under
paragraph (e) of this clause, which is no
longer required for performance of that
contract; and
(C) Termination inventory.
(ii) The Contractor may annotate inventory
disposal schedules to identify property the
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15:32 Sep 16, 2005
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Contractor wishes to purchase from the
Government.
(iii) Unless the Plant Clearance Officer has
agreed otherwise, or the contract requires
electronic submission of inventory disposal
schedules, the Contractor shall prepare
separate inventory disposal schedules for—
(A) Special test equipment with
commercial components;
(B) Special test equipment without
commercial components;
(C) Printing equipment;
(D) Information technology (e.g.,
computers, computer components, peripheral
equipment, and related equipment);
(E) Precious metals;
(F) Nonnuclear hazardous materials or
hazardous wastes; or
(G) Nuclear materials or nuclear wastes.
(iv) The Contractor shall describe the
property in sufficient detail to permit an
understanding of its intended use. Property
with the same description, condition code,
and reporting location may be grouped in a
single line item.
(4) Submission requirements. The
Contractor shall submit inventory disposal
schedules to the Plant Clearance Officer no
later than—
(i) 30 days following the Contractor’s
determination that a Government property
item is no longer required for performance of
this contract;
(ii) 60 days, or such longer period as may
be approved by the Plant Clearance Officer,
following completion of contract deliveries
or performance; or
(iii) 120 days, or such longer period as may
be approved by the Termination Contracting
Officer following contract termination in
whole or in part.
(5) Corrections. The Plant Clearance Officer
may—
(i) Reject a schedule for cause (e.g.,
contains errors, determined to be inaccurate);
and
(ii) Require the Contractor to correct an
inventory disposal schedule.
(6) Postsubmission adjustments. The
Contractor shall notify the Plant Clearance
Officer at least 10 working days in advance
of its intent to remove an item from an
approved inventory disposal schedule. Upon
approval of the Plant Clearance Officer, or
upon expiration of the notice period, the
Contractor may make the necessary
adjustments to the inventory schedule.
(7) Storage. (i) The Contractor shall store
the property identified on an inventory
disposal schedule pending receipt of disposal
instructions. The Government’s failure to
furnish disposal instructions within 120 days
following acceptance of an inventory
disposal schedule may entitle the Contractor
to an equitable adjustment for costs incurred
to store such property on or after the 121st
day.
(ii) The Contractor shall obtain the Plant
Clearance Officer’s approval to remove
Government property from the premises
where the property is currently located prior
to receipt of final disposition instructions. If
approval is granted, any costs incurred by the
Contractor to transport or store the property
shall not increase the price or fee of any
Government contract. The storage facility
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shall be appropriate for assuring the
property’s physical safety and suitability for
use. Approval does not relieve the Contractor
of any liability for such property under this
contract.
(8) Disposition instructions. (i) If the
Government does not furnish disposition
instructions to the Contractor within 45 days
following acceptance of a scrap list, the
Contractor may dispose of the listed scrap in
accordance with the Contractor’s approved
scrap procedures.
(ii) The Contractor shall prepare for
shipment, deliver f.o.b. origin, or dispose of
Contractor inventory as directed by the Plant
Clearance Officer. If not returned to the
Government, the Contractor shall remove and
destroy any markings identifying the
property as U.S. Government-owned property
prior to its disposal.
(iii) The Contracting Officer may require
the Contractor to demilitarize the property
prior to shipment or disposal. In such cases,
the Contractor may be entitled to an equitable
adjustment under paragraph (i) of this clause.
(9) Disposal proceeds. The Contractor shall
credit the net proceeds from the disposal of
Contractor inventory to the price or cost of
work or as the Contracting Officer directs.
(10) Subcontractor inventory disposal
schedules. The Contractor shall require its
Subcontractors to submit inventory disposal
schedules to the Contractor in accordance
with the requirements of paragraph (j)(4) of
this clause.
(k) Abandonment of Government property.
(1) The Government shall not abandon
sensitive Government property or
termination inventory without the
Contractor’s written consent.
(2) The Government, upon notice to the
Contractor, may abandon any nonsensitive
Government property in place, at which time
all obligations of the Government regarding
such property shall cease.
(3) The Government has no obligation to
restore or rehabilitate the Contractor’s
premises under any circumstances; however,
if Government—furnished property is
withdrawn or is unsuitable for the intended
use, or if other Government property is
substituted, then the equitable adjustment
under paragraph (i) of this clause may
properly include restoration or rehabilitation
costs.
(l) Communication. All communications
under this clause shall be in writing.
(m) Overseas Contracts. If this contract is
to be performed outside of the United States
and its outlying areas, the words
‘‘Government’’ and ‘‘Government-furnished’’
(wherever they appear in this clause) shall be
construed as ‘‘United States Government’’
and ‘‘United States Government-furnished,’’
respectively.
(End of clause)
Alternate I (Date). As prescribed in
45.107(a)(2), substitute the following for
paragraph (h)(1) of the basic clause:
(h)(1) The Contractor assumes the risk of,
and shall be responsible for, any loss,
damage, destruction, or theft of Government
property upon its delivery to the Contractor
as Government-furnished property. However,
the Contractor is not responsible for
reasonable wear and tear to Government
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property or for Government property
properly consumed in performing this
contract.
Alternate II (Date). As prescribed in
45.107(a)(3), substitute the following for
paragraph (e) of the basic clause:
(e) Title to property (and other tangible
personal property) purchased with funds
available for research and having an
acquisition cost of less than $5,000 shall vest
in the Contractor upon acquisition or as soon
thereafter as feasible; provided that the
Contractor obtained the Contracting Officer’s
approval before each acquisition. Title to
property purchased with funds available for
research and having an acquisition cost of
$5,000 or more shall vest as set forth in this
contract. If title to property vests in the
Contractor under this paragraph, the
Contractor agrees that no charge will be made
to the Government for any depreciation,
amortization, or use under any existing or
future Government contract or subcontract
thereunder. The Contractor shall furnish the
Contracting Officer a list of all property to
which title is vested in the Contractor under
this paragraph within 10 days following the
end of the calendar quarter during which it
was received. Vesting title under this
paragraph is subject to civil rights legislation,
42 U.S.C. 2000d. Before title is vested and by
signing this contract, the Contractor accepts
and agrees that—
‘‘No person in the United States or its
outlying areas shall, on the ground of race,
color, or national origin, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or
be otherwise subjected to discrimination
under this contemplated financial assistance
(title to property).’’
52.245–2 Government Property
(Installation Operations for Services).
As prescribed in 45.107(b), insert the
following clause:
Government Property (Installation
Operations for Services) (Date)
(a) This Government Property is furnished
to the Contractor in an ‘‘as-is, where is’’
condition. The Government makes no
warranty regarding the suitability for use of
the Government property specified in this
contract. The Contractor shall be afforded the
opportunity to inspect the Government
property as specified in the solicitation.
(b) The Government bears no responsibility
for repair or replacement of any lost,
damaged or destroyed Government property.
If any or all of the Government property is
lost, damaged or destroyed or becomes no
longer usable, the Contractor shall be
responsible for replacement of the property at
Contractor expense. The Contractor shall
have title to all replacement property and
shall continue to be responsible for contract
performance.
(c) Unless the Contracting Officer
determines otherwise, the Government
abandons all rights and title to unserviceable
(i.e., scrap) property resulting from contract
performance. Upon notification to the
Contracting Officer, the Contractor shall
remove such property from the Government
premises and dispose of it at Contractor
expense.
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15:32 Sep 16, 2005
Jkt 205001
(d) Except as provided in this clause,
Government property furnished under this
contract shall be governed by the
Government Property clause of this contract.
(End of clause)
52.245–3 through 52.245–8
Reserved]
[Removed and
*
*
Use and Charges.
*
*
*
USE AND CHARGES (DATE)
(a) * * *
Acquisition cost means—
(1) For Contractor acquired property, the
full cost determined in accordance with the
system established by the Contractor in
conformance with consistently applied
sound accounting principles.
(2) For Government-furnished property, the
amount identified in the contract, or in the
absence of such identification, the fair market
value attributed to the item by the Contractor.
Government property means all property
owned or leased by the Government.
Government property includes both
Government-furnished and Contractoracquired property.
Real property means land, land rights,
buildings, structures, utility systems, steamgeneration systems, and equipment attached
to and made part of buildings and structures
(such as heating systems). As such, land
rights are considered real property. It does
not include foundations and other work
necessary for installing special tooling,
special test equipment, or equipment.
*
*
*
*
*
52.245–10 through 52.245–19
and Reserved]
[Removed
21. Remove and reserve sections
52.245–10 through 52.245–19.
PART 53—FORMS
53.245
[Amended]
22. Amend section 52.245 in
paragraph (e) by removing ‘‘52.245–2(i),
52.245–5(i)’’ and adding ‘‘52.245–1’’ in
its place.
[FR Doc. 05–18516 Filed 9–16–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820–EP–S
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
49 CFR Part 572
[Docket No. 2005–22068]
19. Remove and reserve sections
52.245–3 through52.245–8.
20. Amend section 52.245–9 by—
a. Removing from the introductory
paragraph ‘‘45.106(h)’’ and adding
‘‘45.107(c)’’ in its place;
b. Revising the date of the clause; and
c. Revising in paragraph (a) the
definitions ‘‘Acquisition cost’’,
‘‘Government property’’, and ‘‘Real
property’’.
The revised text reads as follows:
52.245–9
54889
Sfmt 4702
Anthropomorphic Test Devices; Denial
of Petition for Consideration
Regarding Amending the Side Impact
Dummy (SID); Specifications
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.
ACTION: Denial of petition for
rulemaking.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice denies a petition
for rulemaking submitted by Ford Motor
Company (Ford) on December 19, 2003,
that asked the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) to
amend the Side Impact Dummy (SID)
specifications in 49 CFR Part 572,
Subpart F, for use in Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No.
214, ‘‘Side Impact Occupant
Protection,’’ and the Side Impact New
Car Assessment Program (Side NCAP).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
technical issues: Mr. Sean Doyle,
NHTSA Office of Crashworthiness
Standards. Telephone: (202) 366–1740.
Facsimile: (202) 366–7002.
For legal issues: Ms. Dee Fujita,
NHTSA Office of the Chief Counsel.
Telephone: (202) 366–2992. Facsimile:
(202) 366–3820.
Both officials can be reached by mail
at the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, 400 Seventh Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20590.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 30, 1990, NHTSA
published a final rule (Federal Register
Vol. 55, No. 210, Docket Number 88–06;
Notice 8) to amend FMVSS No. 214, at
the time titled, ‘‘Side Door Strength.’’
Prior to this final rule, a vehicle’s side
impact performance was determined
solely by a static assessment of the
ability of a door to resist forces imparted
by a piston pressing a rigid steel
cylinder against the door’s outer surface.
However, with the implementation of
this final rule, effective September 1,
1993, vehicles were additionally
required to undergo full-scale dynamic
crash tests to assess occupant
protection. Because of its acceptable
reliability and durability during
research testing conducted in support of
the final rule, the agency chose the SID
to measure the potential for injuries to
an occupant’s thorax and pelvis in a
side impact crash (Federal Register Vol.
E:\FR\FM\19SEP1.SGM
19SEP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 180 (Monday, September 19, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54878-54889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18516]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
48 CFR Parts 1, 2, 17, 31, 32, 35, 42, 45, 49, 51, 52, and 53
[FAR Case 2004-025]
RIN: 9000-AK30
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Government Property
AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense
Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing to amend the
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to simplify procedures, clarify
language, and eliminate obsolete requirements related to the management
and disposition of Government property in the possession of
contractors. Various FAR parts are amended to implement a policy that
fosters efficiency, flexibility, innovation, and creativity, while
continuing to protect the Government's interest in the public's
property. The proposed rule specifically impacts contracting officers,
property administrators, and contractors responsible for the management
of Government property.
DATES: Interested parties should submit written comments to the FAR
Secretariat on or before November 18, 2005 to be considered in the
formulation of a final rule.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by FAR case 2004-025 by any of
the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Agency Web Site: https://www.acqnet.gov/far/ProposedRules/
proposed.htm. Click on the FAR case number to submit comments.
E-mail: farcase.2004-025@gsa.gov. Include FAR case 2004-
025 in the subject line of the message.
Fax: 202-501-4067.
Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory
Secretariat (VIR), 1800 F Street, NW, Room 4035, ATTN: Laurieann
Duarte, Washington, DC 20405.
Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite FAR case 2004-
025 in all correspondence related to this case. All comments received
will be posted without change to https://www.acqnet.gov/far/
ProposedRules/proposed.htm, including any personal and/or business
confidential information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT The FAR Secretariat at (202) 501-4755
for information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For
clarification of content, contact Ms. Jeritta Parnell, Procurement
Analyst, at (202) 501-4082. Please cite FAR case 2004-025.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
In the late 1990s, the Department of Defense (DoD) initiated a
complete rewrite of FAR Part 45 and associated clauses. Beyond
attempting to address long-standing property management
[[Page 54879]]
issues, the effort reflected the general consensus that adoption of
more typically commercial business practices would not only attract
more commercial firms to the marketplace but also result in significant
savings of acquisition dollars. For many reasons, only one portion of
that rewrite - Subpart 45.6 with its associated clauses and forms, was
published as a final rule. Therefore, another rewrite of Part 45 and
its associated clauses is being proposed.
The proposed language, by encouraging efficiency, flexibility,
innovation, and creativity, complements the use of current processes
and technologies such as Enterprise Resource Planning, relational
databases, unique item identification, radio frequency tags, bar-
coding, and the general trend toward commercialization of components
and equipment.
The concepts of the proposed rewrite have been discussed and
presented to a wide audience. Briefings were presented at public
meetings, defense industry representative meetings, industry and trade
associations, and to the military departments, GSA Property Management
Executive Council and other interested parties.
The new language reflects a life-cycle, performance-based approach
to property management and permits the adoption of more typically
commercial business practices.
The proposed rule requires contracting officers, property
administrators and other personnel involved in awarding or
administering contracts with Government property to be aware of
industry-leading practices and standards for managing Government
property. Other associated impacts include--
(a) Stricter policy for contracting officers to follow when
determining whether or not to provide property to contractors.
(b) Possible contracting officer revocation of the Government's
assumption of risk when the property administrator determines that the
contractor's property management practices are inadequate and/or
present an undue risk to the Government.
(c) An outcome-based framework for the management of property in
possession of contractors.
(d) Identification by contractors of the standard or practice
proposed for managing Government property.
Many of the policy language changes are administrative in nature
(i.e., deleting obsolete terms, eliminating duplicate language,
clarifying and relocating definitions to clauses, etc.). Other policy
changes include revising or adding new definitions as a result of
previous changes and/or lessons learned. FAR Subparts 45.1, General;
45.2, Competitive Advantage; 45.3, Providing Government Property to
Contractors; 45.4, Contractor Use and Rental of Government Property;
and 45.5, Management of Government Property in the Possession of
Contractors, have been revised and reorganized in such a manner that it
was necessary to delete language in these sections in their entirety
and replace them with revised language and titles. FAR Subpart 45.6
remains unchanged, except for the revision of the term ``Government
property'' found in FAR 45.600 to read ``contractor inventory'' and the
movement of the definitions to the new FAR 45.101 and the revised
clause at 52.245-1(a).
Definitions for ``Special Test Equipment'' and ``Special Tooling''
are revised and moved from Part 45 to Part 2 and a new definition
``Voluntary Consensus Standards'' is added in Part 2. The definition
for ``Plant Clearance Officer'' in Part 2 is also revised.
Definitions for ``Acquisition cost,'' ``Real property,'' and
``Government property'' located in the clause at 52.245-9, Use and
Charges, are revised and included in the new FAR 45.101.
The proposed rule includes the following new definitions in FAR
45.101 and the clause at 52.245-1:
``Contractor Inventory''
``Contractor's Managerial Personnel''
``Equipment''
``Property''
``Provide''
``Unique Federal Property''.
The proposed rule, if adopted, would eliminate the following
definitions:
Agency Peculiar Property
Accessory Item
Auxiliary Item
Custodial Records
Facilities
Facilities Contracts
Government Furnished Material
Government Production and Research Property
Individual Item Record
Plant equipment
Nonprofit Organization
Salvage
Stock Record
Summary Record
Utility Distribution System
Work-in-Process.
The FAR clauses at 52.245-1, Property Records; 52.245-2, Government
Property (Fixed Price Contracts); 52.245-5, Government Property (Cost-
Reimbursement, Time and Material, or Labor Hour Contracts); and 52.245-
19, Government Property Furnished ``As Is'', were combined to form one
new clause--52.245-1, Government Property. A new property clause at
52.245-2, Government Property (Installation Operations for Services),
was added specifically to address contracts designed for military base-
operating and installation-level contracts, particularly those awarded
under the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 process. The
Councils seek specific comment on the new clause at FAR 52.245-1 as to:
(1) whether the proposed wording of paragraphs (f) and (g) are clear in
their intent; and (2) whether the intent of paragraphs (f) and (g)
could be achieved in some other manner.
The following clauses were deleted in their entirety because they
were either obsolete or conflicted with the use of consensus standards
and/or industry-leading standards and practices for property
management:
52.245-3
52.245-4
52.245-5
52.245-6
52.245-7
52.245-8
52.245-10
52.245-11
52.245-12
52.245-13
52.245-14
52.245-15
52.245-16
52.245-17
52.245-18.
The rule deletes the current FAR text on facilities contracts and
the associated clauses because the Councils believe they are outmoded
and no longer necessary. The Councils found that facilities contracts,
contracts established solely to account for property with subsequent
contracts authorized to use that property, are rarely used. The
Councils also found that facilities clauses are being used in service
contracts for the operation of Government-Owned Contractor-Operated
Facilities (GOCOs). In the case of GOCOs, it is believed that agencies'
property management needs can better, and more appropriately, be met
through tailoring the statement of work in these service contracts to
the agency's specific needs and incorporating the new property clause
at FAR 52.245-1. Should the facilities contract coverage be deleted in
a subsequent final rule, any required administrative conforming
revisions (e.g., elimination of cross references to deleted facilities
contract clauses) will be effected in the final rule.
The Councils seek specific comment on instances in which there is a
continued need for coverage or clauses similar to those that are being
deleted.
[[Page 54880]]
The following additional FAR changes are consistent with the intent
of this proposed rule:
Deletion of 42.302(a)(27). This paragraph refers to the
Special Test Equipment clause which is being deleted.
Revision of FAR 51.107 to delete references to facilities
contracts.
Revision of FAR 52.245-17, Special Tooling, was originally
proposed under FAR Case 2002-015, Use and Rental and Special Tooling.
Public comments recommended deletion of this clause rather than
revision. Therefore, this case solicits comments on the deletion of the
clause at 52.245-17, Special Tooling.
The cost principle at FAR 31.205-19 is revised to reflect the
changes made in the proposed clause at FAR 52.245-1, to indicate that,
unless the Government has determined that the contractor's property
management practices are inadequate and/or present an undue risk to the
Government, the cost of insurance is allowable when the contractor is
liable and the insurance does not cover loss, damage, destruction, or
theft which results from willful misconduct or lack of good faith on
the part of the contractor's managerial personnel.
This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not
subject to review under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866,
Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is
not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.
B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The changes may have a significant economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., because the rule affects the
method of managing Government property and is intended to give agencies
and contractors more flexibility in applying industry-leading practices
and standards. As such, it is expected that the rule will have a
positive effect on small business.
An Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) has been
prepared. The analysis is summarized as follows:
The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense
Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing revising
the FAR to update FAR Parts 45 and 52. The revisions will attempt to
address long-standing property management issues and will reflect a
general consensus that adoption of more typically commercial
business practices would not only attract more commercial firms to
the marketplace but also result in significant savings of
acquisition dollars. Moreover, much of the current FAR language
related to property management is well over fifty years old, and
contains inconsistent, often conflicting guidance that is at odds
with modern materials management technology such as Enterprise
Resource Planning, relational databases, unique item identification,
radio frequency tags, bar-coding, and the general trend toward
commercialization of components and equipment.
Title II of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act
of 1949, Public Law 81-152, as amended, requires, in part that
executive agencies account for Government property, determine when
such property is excess, and dispose of excess Government property
promptly. The proposed rule amends the FAR to revise the policies
for the management of Government-owned property used and acquired by
private industry in the performance of Government contracts.
It is estimated that approximately 5000 contractors have Federal
property in their possession. DoD has 2,242 contractors.
Approximately 62 percent of DoD's contractors are small businesses.
Given that property in the possession of contractors is
overwhelmingly DoD property, it is estimated the DoD ratio of small
business to total businesses having such property is a reasonable
approximation for all Government contractors. Therefore, it is
estimated that approximately 3,100 small businesses have Government
property in their possession.
This proposed rule substantially decreases the impact of the
current FAR provisions by simplifying procedures, reducing
recordkeeping and eliminating requirements related to the management
of Government property in the possession of contractors. The rule
continues the philosophy of ordinarily requiring contractors to
furnish all property necessary to perform Government contracts, but
also introduces more modern and innovative concepts.
The rule is structured around a number of principles or
objectives which, it is believed, will have an overall positive
impact on contractors regardless of size. The rule balances
regulation with principle-based standards that allow for minimal
regulatory requirement and greater flexibility and efficiency to
achieve best value for the Government. The rule introduces
commercial standards and industry best practices into the property
management process to the maximum extent possible. This facilitates
moving from a prescribed regulatory process to a performance-based
outcome environment. The use of sound business practices should
reduce both the Government's and the contractor's ongoing
administrative costs of dealing with Government property.
Contractors will initiate and maintain the processes, systems,
records, and methodologies necessary for effective control of the
Government's property.
While it may be that small businesses are more dependent on
Government--furnished property than large businesses, the underlying
philosophy has not changed (i.e., contractors are ordinarily
required to furnish all property necessary to perform the Government
contracts).
The Federal Property Management Regulation and the Federal
Management Regulation published by the General Services
Administration provide property management guidance to Government
personnel. Some of the material overlaps or is duplicated by the FAR
property management provisions. The duplication or overlap stems
from the need to have contract administration issues addressed in
the FAR and broadly disseminated to Government and contractor
personnel.
The FAR Secretariat has submitted a copy of the IRFA to the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. A copy of
the IRFA may be obtained from the FAR Secretariat. The Councils will
consider comments from small entities concerning the affected FAR parts
1, 2, 17, 31, 32, 35, 42, 45, 49, 51, 52, and 53, in accordance with 5
U.S.C. 610. Comments must be submitted separately and should cite 5
U.S.C 601, et seq. (FAR case 2004-025), in correspondence.
C. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub. L. 104-13) applies because the
proposed rule contains information collection requirements.
Accordingly, the FAR Secretariat submitted a request for a revised
information collection requirement concerning Government Property to
the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.
The present FAR requirements currently approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) are being revised under OMB Control Number
9000-0075.
The information collection includes the following requirements
relating to FAR Part 45 and 52.245:
1. FAR 45.606-1 requires a contractor to submit inventory
schedules.
2. FAR 45.606-3(a) requires a contractor to correct and resubmit
inventory schedules as necessary.
3. FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(ii) requires contractors to receive, record,
identify and manage Government property.
4. FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(iii) requires contractors to create and
maintain records of all Government property accountable to the
contract.
5. FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(iv) requires contractors to periodically
perform, record, and report physical inventories during contract
performance.
6. FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(vi) requires contractors to have a process to
create and provide reports.
7. FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(viii) requires contractors to promptly
disclose and report Government Property in their possession that is
excess to contract performance.
8. FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(ix) requires contractors to disclose and
report to the Property Administrator the need for
[[Page 54881]]
replacement and/or capital rehabilitation.
9. FAR 52.245-1(f)(1)(x) requires contractors to perform and report
to the Property Administrator contract property closeout.
10. FAR 52.245-1(f)(2) requires contractors to establish and
maintain source data, particularly in the areas of recognition of
acquisitions and dispositions of material and equipment.
11. FAR 52.245-1(j)(4) requires contractors to submit inventory
disposal schedules to the Plant Clearance Officer.
12. FAR 52.245-9(f) requires a contractor to submit a facilities
use statement to the contracting officer within 90 days after the close
of each rental period.
The information will be used to control and account for Government-
owned property in the possession of contractors.
Annual Reporting Burden:
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is
estimated to average .4598 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information.
The annual reporting burden is estimated as follows:
Respondents: 15,100.
Responses per respondent: 896.71.
Total annual responses: 13,540,450.
Preparation hours per response: .46.
Total response burden hours: 6,226.350.
D. Request for Comments Regarding Paperwork Burden
Submit comments, including suggestions for reducing this burden,
not later than November 18, 2005 to: FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102,
NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, and a copy to the General Services
Administration, FAR Secretariat (VIR), 1800 F Street, NW, Room 4035,
Washington, DC 20405.
Public comments are particularly invited on: whether this
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
functions of the FAR, and will have practical utility; whether our
estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is
accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology; ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use
of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Requester may obtain a copy of the justification from the General
Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (VIR), Room 4035, Washington,
DC 20405, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB Control Number
9000-0075, Government Property, in all correspondence.
List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 1, 2, 17, 31, 32, 35, 42, 45, 49,
51, 52, and 53
Government procurement.
Dated: September 7, 2005.
Julia B. Wise,
Director, Contract Policy Division.
Therefore, DoD, GSA, and NASA propose amending 48 CFR parts 1, 2,
17, 31, 32, 35, 42, 45, 49, 51, 52, and 53, as set forth below:
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR parts 1, 2, 17, 31, 32, 35,
42, 45, 49, 51, 52, and 53, is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 137; and 42
U.S.C. 2473(c).
PART 1--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
1.106 [Amended]
2. Amend section 1.106 in the table following the introductory
paragraph by removing FAR segments ``52.245-3'', ``52.245-5'',
``52.245-7'', ``52.245-8'', ``52.245-10'', ``52.245-11'', ``52.245-
16'', ``52.245-17'', and ``52.245-18'' and the corresponding OMB
Control Number ``9000-0075''.
PART 2--DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND TERMS
3. Amend section 2.101 in paragraph (b) by revising the definition
``Plant clearance officer'', and by adding, in alphabetical order, the
definitions ``Special test equipment'', ``Special tooling'', and
``Voluntary Consensus Standards'' to read as follows:
2.101 Definitions.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
Plant clearance officer means an authorized representative of the
contracting officer assigned the responsibility of screening,
redistributing, and disposing of Contractor Inventory from a
Contractor's plant or work site. The term ``Contractor's plant''
includes, but is not limited to, Government-owned Contractor-operated
plants and Federal installations as may be required under the scope of
the contract.
* * * * *
Special test equipment means either single or multipurpose
integrated test units engineered, designed, fabricated, or modified to
accomplish special purpose testing in performing a contract. It
consists of items or assemblies of equipment including standard or
general purpose items or components that are interconnected and
interdependent so as to become a new functional entity for special
testing purposes. Special test equipment does not include material,
special tooling, real property (except foundations and similar
improvements necessary for installing special test equipment), and
equipment items used for general testing purposes or property that with
relatively minor expense can be made suitable for general purpose use.
Special tooling means jigs, dies, fixtures, molds, patterns, taps,
gauges, all components of these items, and replacement of these items,
which are of such a specialized nature that without substantial
modification or alteration their use is limited to the development or
production of particular supplies or parts thereof or to the
performance of particular services. Special tooling does not include
material, special test equipment, unique federal property, real
property (except foundations and similar improvements necessary for
installing special tooling), equipment, machine tools, or similar
capital items.
* * * * *
Voluntary Consensus Standards means common and repeated use of
rules, conditions, guidelines or characteristics for products, or
related processes and production methods and related management
systems. Voluntary Consensus Standards are developed or adopted by
domestic and international voluntary consensus standard making bodies.
* * * * *
PART 17--SPECIAL CONTRACTING METHODS
4. Amend section 17.603 by revising paragraph (a)(5) to read as
follows:
17.603 Limitations.
(a) * * *
(5) Functions that can more properly be accomplished in accordance
with Subpart 45.3, Authorizing the Use and/or Rental of Government
Property.
* * * * *
PART 31--CONTRACT COST PRINICPLES AND PROCEDURES
5. Amend section 31.205-19 by revising paragraph (e)(2)(iv) to read
as follows:
31.205-19 Insurance and indemnification.
* * * * *
(e) * * *
(2) * * *
[[Page 54882]]
(iv) Unless the Government has determined that the contractor's
property management practices are inadequate and/or present an undue
risk to the Government, costs of insurance for the risk of loss,
damage, destruction, or theft of Government property are allowable to
the extent that the contractor is liable for such loss, damage,
destruction, or theft, and such insurance does not cover loss, damage,
destruction, or theft which results from willful misconduct or lack of
good faith on the part of any of the contractor's managerial personnel
(as described in the FAR clause at 52.245-1(h)(1)(ii)).
* * * * *
31.205-40 [Amended]
6. Amend section 31.205-40 in paragraph (a) by removing ``45.101''
and adding ``2.101(b)'' in its place.
PART 32--CONTRACT FINANCING
7. Amend section 32.503-15 by revising paragraph (b)(1) to read as
follows:
32.503-15 Application of Government title terms.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(1) The clause at 52.245-1, Government Property.
* * * * *
PART 35--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTING
35.014 [Removed and Reserved]
8. Remove and reserve section 35.014.
PART 42--CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT SERVICES
42.302 [Amended]
9. Amend section 42.302 by removing and reserving paragraph
(a)(27).
PART 45--GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
10. Amend section 45.000 by revising the second sentence to read as
follows:
45.000 Scope of part.
* * * It does not apply to property under any statutory leasing
authority, (except as to non-Government use of plant equipment under
45.301(f)); to property to which the Government has acquired a lien or
title solely because of partial, advance, progress, or performance-
based payments; or to disposal of real property.
11. Revise Subparts 45.1 through 45.5 to read as follows:
Subpart 45.1--General
Sec.
45.101 Definitions.
45.102 Policy.
45.103 General.
45.104 Responsibility and liability for Government property.
45.105 Analysis of contractors' property management system.
45.106 Transferring accountability.
45.107 Contract clauses.
Subpart 45.2--Solicitation and Evaluation Procedures
45.201 General.
Subpart 45.3--Authorizing the Use and/or Rental of Government Property
45.301 Use and rental.
45.302 Contracts with foreign Governments or international
organizations.
45.303 Use of Government property on independent research and
development programs.
Subpart 45.4--Title to Government Property
45.401 Title to Government property.
Subpart 45.5--Support Government Property Administration
45.501 Support Government property administration.
Subpart 45.1--General
45.101 Definitions.
As used in this part--
Acquisition cost means--
(1) For contractor acquired property, the full cost determined in
accordance with the system established by the Contractor in conformance
with consistently applied sound accounting principles.
(2) For Government furnished property, the amount identified in the
contract, or in the absence of such identification, the fair market
value attributed to the item by the contractor.
Common item means material that is common to the applicable
Government contract and the contractor's other work.
Contractor acquired property means property acquired, fabricated,
or otherwise provided by the contractor for performing a contract and
to which the Government has title.
Contractor inventory means--
(1) Any property acquired by and in the possession of a contractor
or subcontractor under a contract for which title is vested in the
Government and which exceeds the amounts needed to complete full
performance under the entire contract;
(2) Any property that the Government is obligated or has the option
to take over under any type of contract, e.g., as a result either of
any changes in the specifications or plans thereunder or of the
termination of the contract (or subcontract thereunder), before
completion of the work, for the convenience or at the option of the
Government; and
(3) Government-furnished property that exceeds the amounts needed
to complete full performance under the entire contract.
Contractor's managerial personnel means the contractor's directors,
officers, managers, superintendents, or equivalent representatives who
have supervision or direction of all or substantially all of the
contractor's business; all or substantially all of the contractor's
operation at any one plant or separate location; or a separate and
complete major industrial operation.
Demilitarization means rendering a product designated for
demilitarization unusable for, and not restorable to, the purpose for
which it was designed or is customarily used.
Discrepancies incident to shipment means all deficiencies incident
to shipment of Government property to or from a contractor's facility
whereby differences exist between the property purported to have been
shipped and property actually received.
Equipment means a tangible article of personal property that is
complete in-and-of itself, durable, nonexpendable, and needed for the
performance of a contract. Equipment generally has an expected service
life of one year or more, and does not ordinarily lose its identity or
become a component part of another article when put into use.
Government-furnished property means property in the possession of,
or directly acquired by, the Government and subsequently furnished to
the contractor for performance of a contract.
Government property means all property owned or leased by the
Government. Government property includes both Government-furnished and
contractor-acquired property.
Material means property that may be consumed or expended during the
performance of a contract, component parts of a higher assembly, or
items that lose their individual identity through incorporation into an
end-item. Material does not include equipment, special tooling, special
test equipment, or unique federal property.
Nonseverable means property that cannot be removed after erection
or installation without substantial loss of value or damage to the
installed property or to the premises where installed.
Precious metals means silver, gold, platinum, palladium, iridium,
osmium, rhodium, and ruthenium.
Property means all tangible property, both real and personal.
Property Administrator means an authorized representative of the
contracting officer assigned the responsibility of administering the
[[Page 54883]]
contract requirements and obligations relating to Government property
in the possession of a contractor.
Provide means to furnish existing Government property or to allow
the contractor to acquire property on behalf of the Government under
this contract.
Real property means land, land rights, buildings, structures,
utility systems, steam-generation systems, and equipment attached to
and made part of buildings and structures (such as heating systems). As
such, land rights are considered real property. It does not include
foundations and other work necessary for installing special tooling,
special test equipment, or equipment.
Sensitive property means property potentially dangerous to the
public safety or security if stolen, lost, or misplaced, or that shall
be subject to exceptional physical security, protection, control, and
accountability such as classified property, weapons, ammunition,
explosives, controlled substances, radioactive materials, hazardous
materials or wastes, or precious metals.
Surplus property means excess personal property not required by any
Federal agency as determined by the Administrator of the General
Services Administration (GSA).
Unique Federal property means Government-owned personal property
that is peculiar to the mission of an agency, e.g., military or space
property. Unique federal property excludes material, special test
equipment, special tooling, real property and equipment.
45.102 Policy.
(a) Contractors are ordinarily required to furnish all property
necessary to perform Government contracts.
(b) Contracting officers shall provide property to contractors only
when it is clearly demonstrated--
(1) To be in the Government's best interest;
(2) That the overall benefit to the procurement significantly
outweighs the increased cost of administration, including ultimate
property disposal;
(3) That providing the property does not substantially increase the
Government's assumption of risk; and
(4) That Government requirements cannot otherwise be met.
(c) The contractor's inability or unwillingness to supply its own
resources is not sufficient reason for the furnishing or acquisition of
property.
45.103 General.
(a) Agencies shall--
(1) Allow and encourage contractors to use voluntary consensus
standards (see 11.101(c)) and/or industry-leading practices and
standards to manage Government property in their possession.
(2) Eliminate to the maximum practical extent any competitive
advantage a prospective contractor may have by using Government
property and ensure maximum practical reutilization of Contractor
Inventory for Government purposes (see 45.602).
(3) Require contractors to use Government property already in their
possession to the maximum extent possible in performing Government
contracts.
(4) Charge appropriate rentals when the property is authorized for
use on other than a rent-free basis.
(5) Require contractors to justify retaining Government property
not needed for contract performance and to declare property as excess
when no longer needed for contract performance.
(b) Agencies will not generally require contractors to establish
property management systems that are separate from a contractor's
established procedures, practices, and systems used to account for and
manage contractor-owned property.
45.104 Responsibility and liability for Government property.
(a) Generally, contractors are not held liable for loss, damage,
destruction, or theft of Government property under the following types
of contracts:
(1) Cost reimbursement contracts.
(2) Time and material contracts.
(3) Labor hour contracts.
(4) Negotiated fixed price contracts for which the price is not
based upon an exception at 15.403-1.
(b) However, the contracting officer may revoke the Government's
assumption of risk when the property administrator determines that the
contractor's property management practices are inadequate and/or
present an undue risk to the Government. A prime contractor that
provides Government property to a subcontractor shall not be relieved
of any responsibility to the Government that the prime contractor may
have under the terms of the prime contract.
45.105 Analysis of contractors' property management system.
(a) The agency responsible for contract administration shall
conduct an analysis of the contractor's property management policies,
procedures, practices, and systems. This analysis shall be accomplished
as frequently as conditions warrant, in accordance with agency
procedures.
(b) The property administrator shall notify the contractor in
writing when the contractor's property management system does not
comply with contractual requirements, (i.e., is inadequate, not
acceptable and/or presents an undue risk to the Government), and shall
request prompt correction of deficiencies and shall provide a schedule
for their completion. If the contractor does not correct the
deficiencies in accordance with the schedule, the contracting officer
shall notify the contractor, in writing, that failure to take the
required corrective action(s) may result in--
(1) Contract price adjustment;
(2) Withdrawal of the Government's assumption of risk for loss,
damage, destruction, or theft; and/or
(3) Other such action as determined by the contracting officer.
(c) If the contractor fails to take the required corrective
action(s) in response to the notification provided by the contracting
officer in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section, the
contracting officer shall notify the contractor in writing of any
Government decision to apply the remedies described in paragraphs
(b)(1) through (b)(3) of this section.
45.106 Transferring accountability.
Government property shall be transferred from one contract to
another only when firm requirements exist under the gaining contract
(see 45.102). Such transfers shall be documented by modifications to
both gaining and losing contracts. Once transferred, all property shall
be considered Government-furnished property to the gaining contract.
45.107 Contract clauses.
(a)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, the
contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-1, Government
Property, in--
(i) All cost reimbursement, time-and-material, and labor hour type
solicitations and contracts; and
(ii) Fixed-price solicitations and contracts when the Government
will provide Government property.
(2) The contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate
I in contracts other than those identified in 45.104(a).
(3) The contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate
II when a contract for the conduct of basic or applied research at
nonprofit institutions of higher education or at nonprofit
organizations whose primary purpose is the conduct of scientific
research (see 35.014) is contemplated.
(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-2,
Government Property (Installation Operations for
[[Page 54884]]
Services), in service contracts to be performed on a Government
installation when Government-furnished property will be provided for
initial provisioning only and the Government is not responsible for
repair or replacement.
(c) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-9,
Use and Charges, in solicitations and contracts when rental of
Government property is contemplated.
(d) When the acquisition cost of the item to be repaired does not
exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, purchase orders for
property repair need not include a Government property clause.
Subpart 45.2--Solicitation and Evaluation Procedures
45.201 General.
(a) The contracting officer shall insert a listing of the
Government property to be offered in all solicitations where
Government-furnished property is anticipated (see 45.102). The listing
shall include at a minimum--
(1) The name, commercial part number and description, manufacturer,
bulk identifier, model number, and National Stock Number (if needed for
additional item identification tracking and/or disposition);
(2) Quantity/unit of measure;
(3) Unit acquisition cost; and
(4) Unique-item identifier or equivalent (if available and
necessary for individual item tracking).
(b) When Government property is offered for use in a competitive
acquisition, solicitations will ordinarily require that the contractor
assume all costs related to making the property available for use, such
as payment of all transportation, installation or rehabilitation costs.
(c) The solicitation shall describe the evaluation procedures to be
followed, including rental charges or equivalents and other costs or
savings to be evaluated, and shall require all offerors to submit the
following information with their offers:
(1) A list or description of all Government property that the
offeror or its subcontractors propose to use on a rent-free basis. The
list shall identify the accountable contract under which the property
is held and the authorization for its use (from the contracting officer
having cognizance of the property).
(2) The dates during which the property will be available for use
(including the first, last, and all intervening months) and, for any
property that will be used concurrently in performing two or more
contracts, the amounts of the respective uses in sufficient detail to
support prorating the rent.
(3) The amount of rent that would otherwise be charged in
accordance with the clause at 52.245-9, Use and Charges.
(4) The voluntary consensus standard or industry leading practices
and standards to be used in the management of Government property, or
existing property management plans, methods, practices, or procedures
for accounting for property.
(d) The contracting officer shall consider any potentially unfair
competitive advantage that may result from the contractor possessing
Government property. At a minimum, this shall be done by--
(1) Adjusting the offers by applying, for evaluation purposes only,
a rental equivalent evaluation factor; or
(2) By charging the offeror rent for using the property when
adjusting the offer is not practical.
(e) The contracting officer shall ensure the offeror's property
management plans, methods, practices, or procedures for accounting for
property are consistent with the requirements of the solicitation.
Subpart 45.3--Authorizing the Use and/or Rental of Government
Property
45.301 Use and rental.
This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for contractor use
and rental of Government Property.
(a) Government property shall normally be provided on a rent-free
basis in performance of the contract under which it is accountable or
otherwise authorized.
(b) Rental charges, to the extent authorized do not apply to the
following:
(1) Government property that is located in Government-owned,
contractor-operated plants operated on a cost-plus-fee basis.
(2) Government property that is left in place or installed on
contractor-owned property for mobilization or future Government
production purposes; however, rental charges shall apply to that
portion of property or its capacity used for non-government commercial
purposes or otherwise authorized for use.
(c) The contracting officer cognizant of the Government property
may authorize the rent-free use of property in the possession of
nonprofit organizations when used for research, development, or
educational work and--
(1) The use of the property is in the national interest;
(2) The property will not be used for the direct benefit of a
profit-making organization; and
(3) The Government receives some direct benefit, such as rights to
use the results of the work without charge, from its use.
(d) In exchange for consideration as determined by the cognizant
contracting officer(s), the contractor may use Government property
under fixed-price contracts other than the contract to which it is
accountable. When, after contract award, a contractor requests the use
of Government property, the contracting officer shall obtain a fair
rental or other adequate consideration if use is authorized.
(e) The cognizant contracting officer(s) may authorize the use of
Government property on a rent-free basis on a cost-type Government
contract other than the contract to which it is accountable.
(f) In exchange for consideration as determined by the cognizant
contracting officer, the contractor may use Government property for
commercial use. Prior approval of the Head of the Contracting Activity
is required where non-Government use is expected to exceed 25 percent
of the total use of Government and commercial work performed.
45.302 Contracts with foreign Governments or international
organizations.
Requests by, or for the benefit of, foreign governments or
international organizations to use Government property shall be
processed in accordance with agency procedures.
45.303 Use of Government property on independent research and
development programs.
The contracting officer may authorize a contractor to use the
property on an independent research and development (IR&D) program,
if--
(a) Such use will not conflict with the primary use of the property
or enable the contractor to retain property that could otherwise be
released;
(b) The contractor agrees not to include as a charge against any
Government contract the rental value of the property used on its IR&D
program; and
(c) A rental charge for the portion of the contractor's IR&D
program cost allocated to commercial work is deducted from any agreed-
upon Government share of the contractor's IR&D costs.
[[Page 54885]]
Subpart 45.4--Title to Government Property
45.401 Title to Government property.
(a) The Government retains title to all Government-furnished
property until properly disposed of, as authorized by law or
regulation. Property that is leased by the Government and subsequently
furnished to the contractor for use shall be considered Government-
furnished property under the clause at 52.245-1, Government Property.
(b) Under fixed price type contracts, the contractor retains title
to all property acquired by the contractor for use on the contract,
except for property identified as a deliverable end item. If a
deliverable item is to be retained by the contractor for use after
inspection and acceptance by the Government, it shall be made
accountable to the contract through a contract modification listing the
item as Government-furnished property.
(c) Under cost-type and time-and-material contracts, the Government
acquires title to all property to which the contractor is entitled to
reimbursement as a direct item of cost, provided the property acquired
is reasonable, allocable, and allowable (see Part 31). If the
contractor is covered by Cost Accounting Standards, its disclosure
statement may affect the charging, and consequently, the title vesting
provisions.
Subpart 45.5--Support Government Property Administration
45.501 Support Government property administration.
(a) To ensure subcontractor compliance with Government property
administration requirements, the property administrator assigned to the
prime contract may request support property administration from another
contract administration office, provided the contractor has agreed to
allow such property administration.
(b) In instances where the prime contractor does not agree to allow
the support property administrator to provide support property
administration, the prime property administrator shall immediately
refer the matter to the contracting officer.
(c) In instances where the prime contractor does not concur with
the findings of the support Property Administrator, the prime property
administrator shall immediately refer the matter to the contracting
officer.
(d) The prime property administrator shall accept the findings of
the delegated support property administrator and advise the prime
contractor of any deficiencies within the subcontractor's property
management system.
45.600 [Amended]
12. Amend section 45.600 by removing ``Government property'' and
``or progress'' and adding ``contractor inventory'' and ``, progress,
or performance-based'' in their places, respectively.
45.601 [Removed and Reserved]
13. Remove and reserve section 45.601.
PART 49--TERMINIATION OF CONTRACTS
14. Amend section 49.108-3 by revising paragraph (b)(1) to read as
follows:
49.108-3 Settlement procedure.
* * * * *
(b) * * *
(1) All subcontractor termination inventory be disposed of and
accounted for in accordance with the procedures contained in paragraph
(j) of the clause at 52.245-1, Government Property; and
* * * * *
PART 51--USE OF GOVERNMENT SOURCES BY CONTRACTORS
51.106 [Amended]
15. Amend section 51.106 by removing from paragraph (b) ``52.245-
2'' and adding ``52.245-1'' in its place, and removing ``, or 52.245-5,
Alternate I''.
51.107 [Amended]
16. Amend section 51.107 by removing the last sentence.
51.200 [Amended]
17. Amend section 51.200 by removing ``45.304'' and adding
``45.102'' in its place.
PART 52--SOLICIATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES
18. Revise sections 52.245-1 and 52.245-2 to read as follows:
52.245-1 Government Property.
As prescribed in 45.107(a), insert the following clause:
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY (DATE)
(a) Definitions. As used in this clause--
Acquisition cost means--
(1) For Contractor acquired property, the full cost determined
in accordance with the system established by the Contractor in
conformance with consistently applied sound accounting principles.
(2) For Government furnished property, the amount identified in
the contract, or in the absence of such identification, the fair
market value attributed to the item by the Contractor.
Common item means material that is common to the applicable
Government contract and the contractor's other work.
Contractor-acquired property means property acquired,
fabricated, or otherwise provided by the Contractor for performing a
contract, and to which the Government has title.
Contractor's managerial personnel means the Contractor's
directors, officers, managers, superintendents, or equivalent
representatives who have supervision or direction of all or
substantially all of the Contractor's business; all or substantially
all of the Contractor's operation at any one plant or separate
location.
Contractor inventory means--
(1) Any property acquired by and in the possession of a
Contractor or subcontractor under a contract for which title is
vested in the Government and which exceeds the amounts needed to
complete full performance under the entire contract;
(2) Any property that the Government is obligated or has the
option to take over under any type of contract, e.g., as a result
either of any changes in the specifications or plans thereunder or
of the termination of the contract (or subcontract thereunder),
before completion of the work, for the convenience or at the option
of the Government; and
(3) Government-furnished property that exceeds the amounts
needed to complete full performance under the entire contract.
Demilitarization means rendering a product designated for
demilitarization unusable for and not restorable to, the purpose for
which it was designed or is customarily used.
Discrepancies incident to shipment means all deficiencies
incident to shipment of Government property to or from a
Contractor's facility whereby differences exist between the property
purported to have been shipped and property actually received.
Equipment means a tangible article of personal property that is
complete in-and-of itself, durable, nonexpendable, and needed for
the performance of a contract. Equipment generally has an expected
service life of one year or more, and does not ordinarily lose its
identity or become a component part of another article when put into
use.
Government-furnished property means property in the possession
of, or directly acquired by, the Government and subsequently
furnished to the Contractor for performance of a contract.
Government property means all property owned or leased by the
Government. Government property includes both Government-furnished
and contractor-acquired property.
Material means property that may be consumed or expended during
the performance of a contract, component parts of a higher assembly,
or items that lose their individual identity through incorporation
into an end-item. Material does not include equipment, special
tooling, special test equipment, or unique Federal property.
Nonseverable means property that cannot be removed after
erection or installation without substantial loss of value or damage
[[Page 54886]]
to the installed property or to the premises where installed.
Precious metals means silver, gold, platinum, palladium,
iridium, osmium, rhodium, and ruthenium.
Property means all tangible property, both real and personal.
Property Administrator means an authorized representative of the
Contracting Officer assigned the responsibility of administering the
contract requirements and obligations relating to Government
property in the possession of a Contractor.
Provide means to furnish existing Government property or to
allow the Contractor to acquire property on behalf of the Government
under this contract.
Real property means land, land rights, buildings, structures,
utility systems, steam-generation systems, and equipment attached to
and made part of buildings and structures (such as heating systems).
As such, land rights are considered real property. It does not
include foundations and other work necessary for installing special
tooling, special test equipment, or equipment.
Sensitive property means property potentially dangerous to the
public safety or security if stolen, lost, or misplaced, or that
shall be subject to exceptional physical security, protection,
control, and accountability such as classified property, weapons,
ammunition, explosives, controlled substances, radioactive
materials, hazardous materials or wastes, or precious metals.
Surplus property means excess personal property not required by
any Federal agency as determined by the Administrator of the General
Services Administration (GSA).
Unique Federal Property means Government-owned personal property
that is peculiar to the mission of an agency, e.g., military or
space property. Unique Federal property excludes material, special
test equipment, special tooling, real property and equipment.
(b) Property management. (1) The Contractor shall have a system
to manage (control, use, preserve, protect, repair and maintain)
Government property in its possession. The system shall be adequate
to satisfy the requirements of this clause. In doing so, the
Contractor shall initiate and maintain the processes, systems,
records, and methodologies necessary for effective control of
Government property, consistent with voluntary consensus standards
and/or industry-leading practices and standards for Government
property management.
(2) The Contractor's responsibility extends from the initial
acquisition and receipt of property, through stewardship, custody,
and use until formally relieved of responsibility by authorized
means, including delivery, consumption, expending, disposition, or
via a completed investigation, evaluation, and final determination
for lost, damaged, or destroyed property. This requirement applies
to all Government property under the Contractor's accountability,
stewardship, possession or control, including its vendors or
subcontractors (see paragraph (f)(1)(v) of this clause).
(3) The Contractor shall include the requirements of this clause
in all subcontracts under which Government property is acquired or
furnished for subcontract performance.
(c) Use of Government property. The Contractor shall use
Government property, either furnished or acquired under this
contract, only for performing this contract, unless otherwise
provided for in this contract or approved by the Contracting
Officer. The Contractor shall not modify, cannibalize, or make
alterations to Government property unless this contract specifically
identifies the modifications, alterations or improvements as work to
be performed.
(d) Government-furnished property. (1) The Government shall
deliver to the Contractor the Government-furnished property
described in this contract. The Government shall furnish related
data and information needed for the intended use of the property.
(2) The Government shall retain title to all Government-
furnished property; title shall not be affected by incorporation
into, or attachment to, any property not owned by the Government.
Government-furnished property shall not lose its identity as
Government property by its attachment to real property.
(3) The delivery and/or performance dates specified in this
contract are based upon the expectation that the Government-
furnished property will be suitable for contract performance and
will be delivered to the Contractor by the dates stated in the
contract.
(i) If the property is not delivered to the Contractor by the
dates stated in the contract, the Contracting Officer shall, upon
the Contractor's timely written request, consider an equitable
adjustment to the contract.
(ii) In the event property is received by the Contractor in a
condition not suitable for its intended use, the Contracting Officer
shall, upon the Contractor's timely written request, advise the
Contractor on a course of action to remedy the problem. Such action
may include repairing, replacing, modifying, returning, or otherwise
disposing of the property at the Government's expense. Upon
completion of the required action(s) the Contracting Officer shall
consider an equitable adjustment to the contract (see also paragraph
(f)(1)(ii)(A) of this clause).
(iii) The Government may, at its option, furnish property in an
``as is'' condition. In such cases, the Government makes no warranty
with respect to the serviceability and/or suitability of the
property for contract performance. Any repairs, replacement, and/or
refurbishment shall be at the Contractor's expense.
(4)(i) The Contracting Officer may by written notice, at any
time--
(A) Increase or decrease the amount of Government-furnished
property under this contract;
(B) Substitute other Government-furnished property for the
property previously furnished, to be furnished, or to be acquired by
the Contractor for the Government under this contract; or
(C) Withdraw authority to use property.
(ii) Upon completion of any action(s) under paragraph (d)(4)(i)
of this clause, and the Contractor's timely written request, the
Contracting Officer shall consider an equitable adjustment to the
contract.
(e) Title to Contractor-acquired property. Title to all property
purchased by the Contractor, for which the Contractor is entitled to
be reimbursed as a direct item of cost, under this contract, shall
pass to and vest in the Government upon--
(1) A vendor's or supplier's initial delivery of such property
to the Contractor;
(2) Issuance of the property for use in contract performance,
including the installation of parts through normal maintenance;
(3) Commencement of processing of the property for use in
contract performance; or
(4) Reimbursement by the Government for the cost of the
property, whichever occurs first.
(f) Contractor plans and systems. (1) Contractors shall develop
property management plans and systems, at the contract, program,
site or entity level to enable the following outcomes:
(i) Acquisition of property. The Contractor shall document that
all property was acquired consistent with its engineering,
production planning, material control operations, and/or cost
accounting disclosure statement.
(ii) Receipt of Government property. The Contractor shall
receive Government property (document the receipt), record (the
information necessary to meet the record requirements of paragraphs
(f)(1)(iii)(A)(1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) of this clause), identify
(as Government-owned), and manage any discrepancies incident to
shipment.
(A) Government-furnished property. The Contractor shall furnish
a written statement to the Property Administrator containing all
relevant facts, such as cause or condition and a recommended
course(s) of action, if overages, shortages, or damages and/or other
discrepancies are discovered upon receipt of Government-furnished
property.
(B) Contractor-acquired property. The Contractor shall take all
actions necessary to adjust for overages, shortages, damage and/or
other discrepancies discovered upon receipt, in shipment of
Contractor-acquired property from a vendor or supplier, so as to
ensure the proper allocability and allowability of associated costs.
(iii) Records of Government property. The Contractor shall
create and maintain records of all Government property accountable
to the contract, including Government-furnished and Contractor-
acquired property.
(A) Property records shall enable a complete, current, auditable
record of all transactions and shall, unless otherwise approved by
the Property Administrator, contain the following data:
(1) The name, commercial part number and description,
manufacturer, bulk identifier, model number, and National Stock
Number (if needed for additional item identification tracking and/or
disposition).
(2) Quantity received (or fabricated), issued, and balance-on-
hand.
(3) Unit acquisition cost.
(4) Unique-item identifier or equivalent (if available and
necessary for individual item tracking).
(5) Unit of measure.
(6) Accountable contract number or equivalent code designation.
(7) Location.
(8) Disposition.
[[Page 54887]]
(9) Posting reference and date of transaction.
(10) Date placed in service.
(B) When approved by the Property Administrator, the Contractor
may maintain, in lieu of formal property records, a file of
appropriately cross-referenced documents evidencing receipt, issue,
and use of material that is issued for immediate consumption.
(iv) Physical inventory. The Contractor shall periodically
perform, record, and report physical inventories during contract
performance. A final physical inventory shall be performed upon
contract completion or termination. The Property Administrator may
waive this final inventory requirement, depending on the
circumstances, e.g., overall reliability of the Contractor's system
or the property is to be transferred to a follow-on contract.
(v) Subcontractor control. (A) The Contractor shall award
subcontracts that clearly identify assets to be provided and shall
ensure appropriate flow down of contract requirements, including any
cost savings achieved as a result of its prime contract relationship
with the Government.
(B) The Contractor shall assure its subcontracts are properly
administered and reviews are periodically performed to determine the
adequacy of the subcontractor's property management system.
(vi) Reports. The Contractor shall have a process to create and
provide reports including: reports of discrepancies; loss, damage
and destruction; physical inventory results; audits and self-
assessments; corrective actions; and other reports as directed by
the Contracting Officer.
(A) Loss, damage, destruction, and theft. Unless otherwise
directed by the Property Administrator, the Contractor shall
investigate and promptly furnish to the Property Administrator, a
written narrative of all incidents of loss, damage, destruction, or
theft, as soon as the facts become known or when requested by the
Government. Such reports shall, at a minimum, contain the following
information:
(1) Date of incident (if known).
(2) The name, commercial description, manufacturer, model
number, and National Stock Number (if applicable).
(3) Quantity.
(4) Unique Item Identifier (if available).
(5) Accountable Contract number.
(6) A statement indicating current or future need.
(7) Acquisition cost, or if applicable, estimated scrap
proceeds, estimated repair or replacement costs.
(8) All known interests in commingled property of which the
Government property is a part.
(9) Cause and corrective action taken or to be taken to prevent
recurrence.
(10) A statement that the Government will receive any
reimbursement covering the loss, damage, destruction, or theft, in
the event the Contractor was or will be reimbursed or compensated.
(11) Copies of all supporting documentation.
(B) The Contractor shall take all reasonable actions necessary
to protect the Government property from further loss, damage,
destruction, or theft. The Contractor shall separate the damaged and
undam