96-18498. Federal Acquisition Regulation; Contingent Fee Representation  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 145 (Friday, July 26, 1996)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 39188-39189]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-18498]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
    
    GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
    
    NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    
    48 CFR Parts 1, 3, 4, 13, 31, 52, and 53
    
    [FAC 90-40; FAR Case 93-009; Item I]
    RIN 9000-AG83
    
    
    Federal Acquisition Regulation; Contingent Fee Representation
    
    AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
    (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense 
    Acquisition Regulations Council have agreed on a final rule amending 
    the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to delete the provision 
    requiring an offeror to provide a contingent fee representation and 
    agreement and to submit a statement of contingent or other fees. This 
    regulatory action was not subject to Office of Management and Budget 
    review under Executive Order 12866, dated September 30, 1993, and is 
    not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: September 24, 1996.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ralph DeStefano at (202) 501-1758 
    in reference to this FAR case. For general information, contact the FAR 
    Secretariat, Room 4037, GS Building, Washington, DC 20405 (202) 501-
    4755. Please cite FAC 90-40, FAR case 93-009.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    A. Background
    
        FAR 3.404(b) requires the contracting officer to insert the 
    provision at 52.203-4, Contingent Fee Representation and Agreement, in 
    all solicitations, with six exceptions. The provision requires offerors 
    to provide a contingent fee representation as requested by the 
    contracting officer. When the representation is answered affirmatively, 
    the offeror must also provide a completed Standard Form (SF) 119, 
    Statement of Contingent or Other Fees, or a signed statement indicating 
    the SF 119 was previously submitted to the same contracting office. A 
    proposed rule was published in the Federal Register at 60 FR 57140, 
    November 13, 1995. This final rule revises FAR 3.404 to remove the 
    requirement for the solicitation provision and removes the accompanying 
    sections 3.405 through 3.408 which deal with the SF 119. FAR 3.409 and 
    3.410 have been renumbered.
    
    B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        The Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and 
    the National Aeronautics and Space Administration certify that this 
    final rule will not 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 there is a slight 
    beneficial impact on small entities since offerors will no longer be 
    required to provide contingent fee representations and agreements or to 
    submit statements of contingent or other fees. However, the underlying 
    policy pertaining to contingent fee arrangements has not changed.
    
    C. Paperwork Reduction Act
    
        The Paperwork Reduction Act (Pub. L. 96-511) is deemed to apply 
    because the final rule eliminates a previously approved information 
    collection requirement under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
    number 9000-0003, Statement of Contingent or Other Fees (SF 119). 
    Accordingly, a request for elimination of the information collection 
    requirement is being submitted to OMB.
    
    List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 1, 3, 4, 13, 31, 52, and 53
    
        Government procurement.
    
        Dated: July 16, 1996.
    Edward C. Loeb,
    Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.
    
        Therefore, 48 CFR Parts 1, 3, 4, 13, 31, 52, and 53 are amended as 
    set forth below:-
        1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Parts 1, 3, 4, 13, 31, 52, and 
    53 continues to read as follows:
    
        Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 137; and 42 
    U.S.C. 2473(c).
    
    PART 1--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
    
    
    1.106  [Amended]-
    
        2. Section 1.106 is amended in the list of ``FAR Segments'' and 
    ``OMB Control Numbers'' following the introductory text by removing 
    ``52.203-4'' and ``9000-0003'', and ``SF 119'' and ``9000-0003''.
    
    PART 3--IMPROPER BUSINESS PRACTICES AND PERSONAL CONFLICTS OF 
    INTEREST-
    
        3. Section 3.404 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    3.404  Contract clause.-
    
        The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.203-5, 
    Covenant Against Contingent Fees, in all solicitations and contracts 
    exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold, other than those for 
    commercial items (see parts 2 and 12).
    
    
    3.405 through 3.408-2  [Removed]-
    
        4. Sections 3.405 through 3.408-2 are removed.
    
    
    3.409 and 3.410  [Redesignated as 3.405 and 3.406]-
    
        5. Sections 3.409 and 3.410 are redesignated as 3.405 and 3.406.-
        6. The newly designated 3.406 is amended by revising the first 
    sentence to read as follows:
    
    
    3.406  Records.-
    
        For enforcement purposes, agencies shall preserve any specific 
    evidence of one or more of the violations in 3.405(a), together with 
    all other pertinent data, including a record of actions taken. * * *
    
    PART 4--ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS-
    
        7. Section 4.803 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(11) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    4.803  Contents of contract files.
    
    * * * * *-
        (a) * * *-
        (11) Contractor's certifications and representatives.
    * * * * *
    
    PART 13--SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES
    
    
    13.111  [Amended]-
    
        8. Section 13.111 is amended by removing paragraph (c) and 
    redesignating paragraphs (d) through (j) as (c) through (i).
    
    [[Page 39189]]
    
    PART 31--CONTRACT COST PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES
    
    
    31.205-38  [Amended]-
    
        9. Section 31.205-38 is amended at the end of paragraph (f) by 
    removing the parenthetical ``(see 3.408-2)''.
    
    PART 52--SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES
    
    
    52.203-4  [Reserved]-
    
        10. Section 52.203-4 is removed and reserved.
    
    
    52.203-5  [Amended]-
    
        11. Section 52.203-5 is amended in the introductory paragraph by 
    removing ``3.404(c)'' and inserting ``3.404''.
    
    PART 53--FORMS
    
    
    53.203  [Amended]-
    
        12. Section 53.203 is amended by removing paragraph (a) and the 
    designation of paragraph (b).
    
    
    53.301-119  [Removed]-
    
        13. Section 53.301-119 is removed.
    
    [FR Doc. 96-18498 Filed 7-25-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
9/24/1996
Published:
07/26/1996
Department:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
96-18498
Dates:
September 24, 1996.
Pages:
39188-39189 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
FAC 90-40, FAR Case 93-009, Item I
RINs:
9000-AG83
PDF File:
96-18498.pdf
CFR: (7)
48 CFR 1
48 CFR 3
48 CFR 4
48 CFR 13
48 CFR 31
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