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52.242-3Penalties for Unallowable Costs.

Researched by the BidStride Research Team

What This Clause Requires

FAR 52.242-3 — Penalties for Unallowable Costs.. This clause is part of the Federal Acquisition Regulation and may be included in government contracts as a solicitation provision or contract clause.

Official Regulation Text

52.242-3 Penalties for Unallowable Costs. As prescribed in 42.709-7, use the following clause: Penalties for Unallowable Costs (DEC 2022) (a) Definition. Proposal, as used in this clause, means either— (1) A final indirect cost rate proposal submitted by the Contractor after the expiration of its fiscal year which— (i) Relates to any payment made on the basis of billing rates; or (ii) Will be used in negotiating the final contract price; or (2) The final statement of costs incurred and estimated to be incurred under the Incentive Price Revision clause (if applicable), which is used to establish the final contract price. (b) Contractors which include unallowable indirect costs in a proposal may be subject to penalties. The penalties are prescribed in 10 U.S.C. 3748 or 41 U.S.C. chapter 43, as applicable, which is implemented in section 42.709 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). (c) The Contractor shall not include in any proposal any cost that is unallowable, as defined in subpart 2.1 of the FAR, or an executive agency supplement to the FAR. (d) If the Contracting Officer determines that a cost submitted by the Contractor in its proposal is expressly unallowable under a cost principle in the FAR, or an executive agency supplement to the FAR, that defines the allowability of specific selected costs, the Contractor shall be assessed a penalty equal to— (1) The amount of the disallowed cost allocated to this contract; plus (2) Simple interest, to be computed— (i) On the amount the Contractor was paid (whether as a progress or billing payment) in excess of the amount to which the Contractor was entitled; and (ii) Using the applicable rate effective for each six-month interval prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to Pub. L. 92-41 (85 Stat. 97). (e) If the Contracting Officer determines that a cost submitted by the Contractor in its proposal includes a cost previously determined to be unallowable for that Contractor, then the Contractor will be ass

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR 52.242-3 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-48/section-52.242-3)

Compliance Checklist

  • (c) The Contractor shall not include in any proposal any cost that is unallowable, as defined in subpart 2.1 of the FAR, or an executive agency supplement to the FAR.
  • (d) If the Contracting Officer determines that a cost submitted by the Contractor in its proposal is expressly unallowable under a cost principle in the FAR, or an executive agency supplement to the FAR, that defines the allowability of specific selected costs, the Contractor shall be assessed a penalty equal to— (1) The amount of the disallowed cost allocated to this contract; plus (2) Simple interest, to be computed— (i) On the amount the Contractor was paid (whether as a progress or billing payment) in excess of the amount to which the Contractor was entitled; and (ii) Using the applicable rate effective for each six-month interval prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant to Pub.

Flow-Down to Subcontractors

No flow-down required

This clause applies only to the prime contract and does not need to be flowed down to subcontractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

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This summary is for informational purposes only and reflects the BidStride Research Team's plain-English interpretation of the regulation. It is not legal advice and does not constitute an attorney-client relationship. Always consult the official Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) or Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) text and qualified legal counsel for compliance decisions.