§ 2901.603-73 - Contracting officer's representatives.

(a) A contracting officer may designate other Government personnel to act as authorized representatives for such functions as technical monitoring, inspection, approval of shop drawings, testing, approval of samples, and other functions of a technical nature not involving a change in the scope, price, terms or conditions of the contract or order. Such designation shall be in writing and shall contain specific instructions as to the extent to which the representative may take action for the contracting officer, but will not contain authority to sign contract documents. The responsibilities and limitations of the contracting officer's representatives may be set forth in the contract or in a separate letter, a copy of which shall be furnished to the contractor.

(b) A person assigned to a contracting office and performing primary duties in a position within a contracting office, and under the supervision of a contracting officer, does not require written designation as a representative of the contracting officer nor designation in a contractual document to perform assigned duties. Such a person is considered to be an employee of the contracting officer, acting in the latter's behalf and, as such, has the authority and responsibility to perform, under the terms and conditions of employment, and to act as assigned by the contracting officer. The contracting officer, however, shall not authorize such an employee, acting as a representative for the contracting officer, to sign any contractual documents or letter in those instances where the signature of a contracting officer is required.