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Title 41, Public ContractsRelease 119-110

§7104 Contractor’s Right of Appeal From Decision by Contracting Officer

Title 41 › Subtitle III — Contract Disputes › CHAPTER 71 — CONTRACT DISPUTES › § 7104

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

A contractor who gets a contracting officer’s decision has two choices. They may appeal that decision to the agency board within 90 days after they receive it. Instead of that appeal, the contractor may sue the claim in the United States Court of Federal Claims, or if the claim is against the Tennessee Valley Authority, in a U.S. district court under 28 U.S.C. 1337. The lawsuit must be filed within 12 months of receiving the decision. The court will hear the case fresh, following its own rules, and contract terms cannot stop these options.

Full Legal Text

Title 41, §7104

Public Contracts, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Appeal to Agency Board.—
A contractor, within 90 days from the date of receipt of a contracting officer’s decision under section 7103 of this title, may appeal the decision to an agency board as provided in section 7105 of this title.
(b)Bringing an Action De Novo in Federal Court.—
(1)In general.—
Except as provided in paragraph (2), and in lieu of appealing the decision of a contracting officer under section 7103 of this title to an agency board, a contractor may bring an action directly on the claim in the United States Court of Federal Claims, notwithstanding any contract provision, regulation, or rule of law to the contrary.
(2)Tennessee valley authority.—
In the case of an action against the Tennessee Valley Authority, the contractor may only bring an action directly on the claim in a district court of the United States pursuant to section 1337 of title 28, notwithstanding any contract provision, regulation, or rule of law to the contrary.
(3)Time for filing.—
A contractor shall file any action under paragraph (1) or (2) within 12 months from the date of receipt of a contracting officer’s decision under section 7103 of this title.
(4)De novo.—
An action under paragraph (1) or (2) shall proceed de novo in accordance with the rules of the appropriate court.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 7104(a)41:606.Pub. L. 95–563, § 7, Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2385. 7104(b)41:609(a).Pub. L. 95–563, § 10(a), Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2388; Pub. L. 97–164, title I, § 161(10), Apr. 2, 1982, 96 Stat. 49. In subsection (a), the words “of contract appeals” are omitted as unnecessary because of the definition of “agency board” in section 7101 of the revised title. In subsection (b)(1), the words “United States Court of Federal Claims” are substituted for “United States Claims Court” because of section 902(b)(1) of the Federal Courts Administration Act of 1992 (Pub. L. 102–572, 106 Stat. 4516, 28 U.S.C. 171 note).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

41 U.S.C. § 7104

Title 41, Public Contracts

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110