Report of the Commission on Government ... - Bayhdolecentral
Report of the Commission on Government ... - Bayhdolecentral
Report of the Commission on Government ... - Bayhdolecentral
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2<br />
ment c<strong>on</strong>tracts, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tracting <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer is required<br />
to c<strong>on</strong>sider each dispute c<strong>on</strong>cerning a<br />
questi<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> fact presented by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractor<br />
and render a decisi<strong>on</strong> as to what c<strong>on</strong>tract adjustment<br />
(time or m<strong>on</strong>ey), if any, should be<br />
made.<br />
The disputes clause is not required by statute,<br />
but is a creati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> executive branch.<br />
Its purpose is to provide and initially require<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> use <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> administrative disputes-resolving<br />
procedures and instituti<strong>on</strong>s in an effort to<br />
avoid <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> delays and expense <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> judicial litigati<strong>on</strong>.<br />
C<strong>on</strong>tractors are usually required by its<br />
terms to c<strong>on</strong>tinue work pending resoluti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
a dispute.<br />
If a mutually agreeable resoluti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> dispute<br />
cannot be achieved through negotiati<strong>on</strong>s,<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tracting <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer is required to make a<br />
unilateral decisi<strong>on</strong>. Then, under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> disputes<br />
clause, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractor is usually required to<br />
proceed with c<strong>on</strong>tract performance in accordance<br />
with that decisi<strong>on</strong>.<br />
The c<strong>on</strong>tracting <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer's unilateral decisi<strong>on</strong><br />
<strong>on</strong> a c<strong>on</strong>tract dispute for which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract<br />
provides an administrative remedy may be appealed<br />
by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractor to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> head <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
agency or to a designated agency board <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract<br />
appeals. An appeal must be made within<br />
a stated time (usually 30 days), or <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tracting<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer's decisi<strong>on</strong> generally becomes<br />
final <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractor.<br />
If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> dispute involves an alleged <strong>Government</strong><br />
breach <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract for which <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract<br />
provides no administrative remedy, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Court<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Claims or a U.S. district court (for claims<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> $10,000 or less), not a board <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract appeals<br />
or o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r agency representative, has jurisdicti<strong>on</strong><br />
over <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> appeal.<br />
BOARDS OF CONTRACT APPEALS<br />
If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractor's claim is <strong>on</strong>e for which<br />
an administrative remedy is available, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> first<br />
level <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> appeal from a c<strong>on</strong>tracting <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer's decisi<strong>on</strong><br />
is <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> agency head, or, more <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten, his<br />
designated board <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract appeals. The c<strong>on</strong>tracting<br />
agencies originally established such<br />
boards to review disputes, as representatives<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> agency heads, at a level above <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tracting<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer. The present agency boards <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract<br />
appeals have <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir legal basis in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Part G<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tract disputes clause and in agency regulati<strong>on</strong>s<br />
ra<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r than in c<strong>on</strong>gressi<strong>on</strong>al enabling<br />
acts. Most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>se boards now functi<strong>on</strong>, under<br />
delegated authority to act for <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> head <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
agency, as independent, quasi-judicial tribunals.<br />
At present, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>re are 11 boards <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract<br />
appeals in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> executive branch, a drop from 19<br />
boards in July 1966. The reducti<strong>on</strong> to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present<br />
number is attributable to c<strong>on</strong>solidati<strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> boards within some agencies, aboliti<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
boards by some agencies with assignment <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
appeals to boards in o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r agencies, and reorganizati<strong>on</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> some agencies. The boards <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
c<strong>on</strong>tract appeals in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> executive branch had<br />
nearly 2,000 appeals <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir dockets as <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
July 1972.<br />
When a c<strong>on</strong>tractor appeals an adverse c<strong>on</strong>tracting<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer's decisi<strong>on</strong> to a board <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract<br />
appeals, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> board rules generally require that<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tracting <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer transmit to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> board<br />
and to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> assigned <strong>Government</strong> attorney<br />
all informati<strong>on</strong> that relates to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> dispute. This<br />
informati<strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>stitutes <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> appeal file. The<br />
board usually assigns <strong>on</strong>e or more members to<br />
hold hearings and examine witnesses if determined<br />
by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> board to be necessary or if requested<br />
by at least <strong>on</strong>e party. In additi<strong>on</strong> to<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> material submitted by <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tracting<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ficer, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> board c<strong>on</strong>siders <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> pleadings, records<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> prehearing c<strong>on</strong>ferences, evidence presented<br />
in open hearings by both parties,<br />
pre- and post-hearing briefs, and such depositi<strong>on</strong>s<br />
and interrogatories that are permitted.<br />
THE COURTS<br />
If a c<strong>on</strong>tractor's claim is denied by a board<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tract appeals, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractor may file a<br />
suit in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Court <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Claims or, if <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> claim is<br />
less than $10,000, in a U.S. district court. The<br />
scope <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> judicial review is set forth in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
Wunderlich Act. Approximately five percent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> board cases decided in recent years have<br />
been sent to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> Court <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Claims by c<strong>on</strong>tractors<br />
for judicial review.<br />
If <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> board sustains <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>tractor's appeal,<br />
ei<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r in whole or in part, <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> procuring<br />
agencies have, as a rule, complied with <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> decisi<strong>on</strong>,<br />
although it is not entirely clear whe<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>Government</strong>, under <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> present statutes,<br />
-:7,*