§3744 — Title 10 Armed Forces | U.S. Code

Summary

Lists the kinds of expenses a contractor cannot bill to a covered government contract. Examples include entertainment and related costs; money spent to try to influence lawmakers; costs to defend the contractor in a fraud case if the contractor is found liable or pleads nolo contendere; fines and penalties (unless the contract or a contracting officer specifically allows them under the Federal Acquisition Regulation); social or country club dues; alcohol; donations; advertising that promotes the contractor; promotional gifts and souvenirs; airfare that is more than the standard commercial fare; “golden parachute” payments that are above normal severance and paid only after a change in control; insurance that covers fixing the contractor’s own defective work; certain severance pay to foreign nationals in two situations (outside the U.S. when it exceeds U.S. industry practice, and when caused by closing or cutting back at a U.S. facility abroad at the request of that foreign government); costs tied to certain criminal, civil, or administrative actions as covered by section 3750; and costs for a congressional investigation related to such actions. The law also bars charging employee pay above certain yearly caps. One cap is $625,000 per year, adjusted each year by the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Cost Index for private industry by occupational and industry group, with the Secretary of Defense allowed to make exceptions for key science, technology, engineering, math, medical, cybersecurity, and other special roles. Another listed cap is $487,000 per year, adjusted by the Employment Cost Index for all workers, with agency heads allowed to make narrow exceptions for scientists, engineers, or other specialists. Agency heads may waive the rules about the two types of foreign severance pay in a contract if three conditions are met (it would hurt support for forces overseas, the contractor is trying to minimize such payments, and the payment is needed to follow local law or a bargaining agreement). Solicitations must say whether a waiver exists or will be considered, and the agency must decide before awarding the contract. The Federal Acquisition Regulation may add definitions and limits, and the Secretary of Defense can make a special rule for military banking contracts for mandated foreign severance pay, except for banks owned or controlled by foreign-country citizens under Buy American rules.

Title 10, §3744

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The following costs are not allowable under a covered contract:

(1)Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any costs directly associated with such costs (such as tickets to shows or sports events, meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities).

(2)Costs incurred to influence (directly or indirectly) legislative action on any matter pending before Congress, a State legislature, or a legislative body of a political subdivision of a State.

(3)Costs incurred in defense of any civil or criminal fraud proceeding or similar proceeding (including filing of any false certification) brought by the United States where the contractor is found liable or has pleaded nolo contendere to a charge of fraud or similar proceeding (including filing of a false certification).

(4)Payments of fines and penalties resulting from violations of, or failure to comply with, Federal, State, local, or foreign laws and regulations, except when incurred as a result of compliance with specific terms and conditions of the contract or specific written instructions from the contracting officer authorizing in advance such payments in accordance with applicable provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(5)Costs of membership in any social, dining, or country club or organization.

(6)Costs of alcoholic beverages.

(7)Contributions or donations, regardless of the recipient.

(8)Costs of advertising designed to promote the contractor or its products.

(9)Costs of promotional items and memorabilia, including models, gifts, and souvenirs.

(10)Costs for travel by commercial aircraft which exceed the amount of the standard commercial fare.

(11)Costs incurred in making any payment (commonly known as a “golden parachute payment”) which is—

(i)in an amount in excess of the normal severance pay paid by the contractor to an employee upon termination of employment; and

(ii)is paid to the employee contingent upon, and following, a change in management control over, or ownership of, the contractor or a substantial portion of the contractor’s assets.

(12)Costs of commercial insurance that protects against the costs of the contractor for correction of the contractor’s own defects in materials or workmanship.

(13)Costs of severance pay paid by the contractor to foreign nationals employed by the contractor under a service contract performed outside the United States, to the extent that the amount of severance pay paid in any case exceeds the amount paid in the industry involved under the customary or prevailing practice for firms in that industry providing similar services in the United States, as determined under the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(14)Costs of severance pay paid by the contractor to a foreign national employed by the contractor under a service contract performed in a foreign country if the termination of the employment of the foreign national is the result of the closing of, or the curtailment of activities at, a United States military facility in that country at the request of the government of that country.

(15)Costs incurred by a contractor in connection with any criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding commenced by the United States or a State, to the extent provided in section 3750 of this title.

(16)11 So in original. There are two pars. (16). Costs of compensation of any contractor employee for a fiscal year, regardless of the contract funding source, to the extent that such compensation exceeds $625,000 adjusted annually for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index for total compensation for private industry workers, by occupational and industry group not seasonally adjusted, except that the Secretary of Defense may establish exceptions for positions in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medical, and cybersecurity fields and other fields requiring unique areas of expertise upon a determination that such exceptions are needed to ensure that the Department of Defense has continued access to needed skills and capabilities.

(16)1 Costs of compensation of contractor and subcontractor employees for a fiscal year, regardless of the contract funding source, to the extent that such compensation exceeds $487,000 per year, adjusted annually to reflect the change in the Employment Cost Index for all workers, as calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, except that the head of an executive agency may establish one or more narrowly targeted exceptions for scientists, engineers, or other specialists upon a determination that such exceptions are needed to ensure that the executive agency has continued access to needed skills and capabilities.

(17)Costs incurred by a contractor in connection with a congressional investigation or inquiry into an issue that is the subject matter of a proceeding resulting in a disposition as described in section 3750(c) of this title.

(b)(1)Pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulation and subject to the availability of appropriations, the head of an agency awarding a covered contract (other than a contract to which subsection (d) applies) may waive the application of the provisions of subsections (a)(13) and (a)(14) to that contract if the head of the agency determines that—

(A)the application of such provisions to the contract would adversely affect the continuation of a program, project, or activity that provides significant support services for members of the armed forces stationed or deployed outside the United States;

(B)the contractor has taken (or has established plans to take) appropriate actions within the contractor’s control to minimize the amount and number of incidents of the payment of severance pay by the contractor to employees under the contract who are foreign nationals; and

(C)the payment of severance pay is necessary in order to comply with a law that is generally applicable to a significant number of businesses in the country in which the foreign national receiving the payment performed services under the contract or is necessary to comply with a collective bargaining agreement.

(2)The head of an agency shall include in the solicitation for a covered contract a statement indicating—

(A)that a waiver has been granted under paragraph (1) for the contract; or

(B)whether the head of the agency will consider granting such a waiver, and, if the agency head will consider granting a waiver, the criteria to be used in granting the waiver.

(3)The head of an agency shall make the final determination regarding whether to grant a waiver under paragraph (1) with respect to a covered contract before award of the contract.

(c)The provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation implementing this subchapter may establish appropriate definitions, exclusions, limitations, and qualifications.

(d)(1)The Secretary of Defense may provide in a military banking contract that the provisions of subsections (a)(13) and (a)(14) shall not apply to costs incurred under the contract by the contractor for payment of mandated foreign national severance pay. The Secretary may include such a provision in a military banking contract only if the Secretary determines, with respect to that contract, that the contractor has taken (or has established plans to take) appropriate actions within the contractor’s control to minimize the amount and number of incidents of the payment of severance pay by the contractor to employees under the contract who are foreign nationals.

(2)In paragraph (1):

(A)The term “military banking contract” means a contract between the Secretary and a financial institution under which the financial institution operates a military banking facility outside the United States for use by members of the armed forces stationed or deployed outside the United States and other authorized personnel.

(B)The term “mandated foreign national severance pay” means severance pay paid by a contractor to a foreign national employee the payment of which by the contractor is required in order to comply with a law that is generally applicable to a significant number of businesses in the country in which the foreign national receiving the payment performed services under the contract.

(3)Paragraph (1) does not apply to a contract with a financial institution that is owned or controlled by citizens or nationals of a foreign country, as determined by the Secretary of Defense. Such a determination shall be made in accordance with the criteria set out in paragraph (1) of section 4(g) of the Buy American Act (as added by section 7002(2) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988) and the policy guidance referred to in paragraph (2)(A) of that section.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 4 of the Buy American Act (as added by section 7002(2) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988), referred to in subsec. (d)(3), was section 4 of act Mar. 3, 1933, ch. 212, title III, as added Pub. L. 100–418, title VII, § 7002(2), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1545. section 4, which was classified to section 10b–1 of former Title 41, Public Contracts, was omitted from the Code in view of section 7004 of Pub. L. 100–418 which provided that the amendment by Pub. L. 100–418 which enacted section 4 ceased to be effective on Apr. 30, 1996. section 4 was subsequently repealed by Pub. L. 111–350, § 7(b), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3855, which Act enacted Title 41, Public Contracts. Codification The text of subsec. (e) of section 2324 of this title, which was transferred to this section and amended by Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d), was based on Pub. L. 99–145, title IX, § 911(a)(1), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 683; Pub. L. 99–190, § 101(b) [title VIII, § 8112(a)(1)], Dec. 19, 1985, 99 Stat. 1185, 1223; Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title VIII, § 805(a), Dec. 4, 1987, 101 Stat. 1126; Pub. L. 100–370, § 1(f)(2)(A), July 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 846; Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title III, § 322(a), title VIII, § 832(a), Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 1952, 2023; Pub. L. 100–700, § 8(b)(1), Nov. 19, 1988, 102 Stat. 4636; Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title III, § 311(a)(1), Nov. 29, 1989, 103 Stat. 1411; Pub. L. 101–510, div. A, title XIII, § 1301(10), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1668; Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title III, § 346(a), Dec. 5, 1991, 105 Stat. 1346; Pub. L. 102–484, div. A, title XIII, § 1352(b), Oct. 23, 1992, 106 Stat. 2559; Pub. L. 103–355, title II, § 2101(a)(5), (b), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3307, 3308; Pub. L. 104–106, div. D, title XLIII, § 4321(b)(9)(A), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 672; Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title VIII, § 808(a)(1), Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 1836; Pub. L. 111–350, § 5(b)(19)(C), (D), Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3844; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VIII, § 803(a), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1485; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title VIII, § 811(a), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 806; Pub. L. 113–67, div. A, title VII, § 702(a)(2), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1189; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VIII, § 857, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3460.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 3744 was renumbered section 7274 of this title.

Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(1), transferred subsec. (e) of section 2324 of this title to this section, struck out subsec. (e) designation and heading “Specific Costs Not Allowable” at beginning, and redesignated pars. (1), (3), (4), and (2) as subsecs. (a) to (d), respectively. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(2)(A), (B), after redesignation of par. (1) of section 2324(e) of this title as subsec. (a) of this section, inserted heading and redesignated subpars. (A) to (Q) as pars. (1) to (17), respectively, including two subpars. (P) both redesignated par. (16). Subsec. (a)(15). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(2)(C), substituted “section 3750 of this title” for “subsection (k)”. Subsec. (a)(17). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(2)(D), substituted “section 3750(c) of this title” for “subsection (k)(2)”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(3)(A), (B), after redesignation of par. (3) of section 2324(e) of this title as subsec. (b) of this section, inserted heading and redesignated subpars. (A) to (C) as pars. (1) to (3), respectively. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(3)(A), (C), inserted heading, substituted “subsection (d)” for “paragraph (2)” and “subsections (a)(13) and (a)(14)” for “paragraphs (1)(M) and (1)(N)” in introductory provisions, and redesignated cls. (i) to (iii) of former section 2324(e)(3)(A) as subpars. (A) to (C), respectively. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(3)(D), inserted heading, realigned margin, redesignated cls. (i) and (ii) of former section 2324(e)(3)(B) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, and, in subpar. (A), substituted “paragraph (1)” for “subparagraph (A)”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(3)(E), inserted heading, realigned margin, and substituted “paragraph (1)” for “subparagraph (A)”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(4), after redesignation of par. (4) of section 2324(e)(3) of this title as subsec. (c) of this section, inserted heading and substituted “this subchapter” for “this section”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(5)(A), (B), after redesignation of par. (2) of section 2324(e)(3) of this title as subsec. (d) of this section, inserted heading, redesignated subpars. (A) to (C) as pars. (1) to (3), respectively, and realigned margins. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(5)(A), (C), inserted heading and substituted “subsections (a)(13) and (a)(14)” for “paragraphs (1)(M) and (1)(N)”. Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(5)(D), inserted par. heading, substituted “paragraph (1)” for “subparagraph (A)” in introductory provisions, redesignated cls. (i) and (ii) of former section 2324(e)(2)(B) as subpars. (A) and (B), respectively, and inserted subpar. headings. Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 116–283, § 1832(d)(5)(E), inserted heading and substituted “Paragraph (1)” for “Subparagraph (A)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section and amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as an

Effective Date

of 2021 Amendment note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Regulations

Pub. L. 99–145, title IX, § 911(b), Nov. 8, 1985, 99 Stat. 685, provided that: “(1) Not later than 150 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 8, 1985], the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe the

Regulations

required by subsections (e) and (f) of [former] section 2324 of title 10, United States Code [see 10 U.S.C. 3744, 3745], as added by subsection (a). Such

Regulations

shall be published in accordance with section 22 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act ([former] 41 U.S.C. 418b) [now 41 U.S.C. 1707]. “(2) The Secretary shall review such

Regulations

at least once every five years. The results of each such review shall be made public.”

§3744 Specific costs not allowable

Summary

Title 10, §3744

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Prior Provisions

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Regulations

Regulations

Regulations

Regulations

Citations & Metadata