[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 48, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 48CFR42.202]

[Page 760-761]
 
            TITLE 48--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM
 
                CHAPTER 1--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION
 
PART 42_CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
              Subpart 42.2_Contract Administration Services
 
Sec.  42.202  Assignment of contract administration.

    (a) Delegating functions. As provided in agency procedures, 
contracting officers may delegate contract administration or specialized 
support services, either through interagency agreements or by direct 
request to the cognizant CAO listed in the Federal Directory of Contract 
Administration Services

[[Page 761]]

Components. The delegation should include--
    (1) The name and address of the CAO designated to perform the 
administration (this information also shall be entered in the contract);
    (2) Any special instructions, including any functions withheld or 
any specific authorization to perform functions listed in 42.302(b);
    (3) A copy of the contract to be administered; and
    (4) Copies of all contracting agency regulations or directives that 
are--
    (i) Incorporated into the contract by reference; or
    (ii) Otherwise necessary to administer the contract, unless copies 
have been provided previously.
    (b) Special instructions. As necessary, the contracting officer also 
shall advise the contractor (and other activities as appropriate) of any 
functions withheld from or additional functions delegated to the CAO.
    (c) Delegating additional functions. For individual contracts or 
groups of contracts, the contracting office may delegate to the CAO 
functions not listed in 42.302: Provided that--
    (1) Prior coordination with the CAO ensures the availability of 
required resources;
    (2) In the case of authority to issue orders under provisioning 
procedures in existing contracts and under basic ordering agreements for 
items and services identified in the schedule, the head of the 
contracting activity or designee approves the delegation; and
    (3) The delegation does not require the CAO to undertake new or 
follow-on acquisitions.
    (d) Rescinding functions. The contracting officer at the requesting 
agency may rescind or recall a delegation to administer a contract or 
perform a contract administration function, except for functions 
pertaining to cost accounting standards and negotiation of forward 
pricing rates and indirect cost rates (also see 42.003). The requesting 
agency must coordinate with the CAO to establish a reasonable transition 
period prior to rescinding or recalling the delegation.
    (e) Secondary delegations of contract administration. (1) A CAO that 
has been delegated administration of a contract under paragraph (a) or 
(c) of this section, or a contracting office retaining contract 
administration, may request supporting contract administration from the 
CAO cognizant of the contractor location where performance of specific 
contract administration functions is required. The request shall--
    (i) Be in writing;
    (ii) Clearly state the specific functions to be performed; and
    (iii) Be accompanied by a copy of pertinent contractual and other 
necessary documents.
    (2) The prime contractor is responsible for managing its 
subcontracts. The CAO's review of subcontracts is normally limited to 
evaluating the prime contractor's management of the subcontracts (see 
Part 44). Therefore, supporting contract administration shall not be 
used for subcontracts unless--
    (i) The Government otherwise would incur undue cost;
    (ii) Successful completion of the prime contract is threatened; or
    (iii) It is authorized under paragraph (f) of this section or 
elsewhere in this regulation.
    (f) Special surveillance. For major system acquisitions (see Part 
34), the contracting officer may designate certain high risk or critical 
subsystems or components for special surveillance in addition to 
requesting supporting contract administration. This surveillance shall 
be conducted in a manner consistent with the policy of requesting that 
the cognizant CAO perform contract administration functions at a 
contractor's facility (see 42.002).
    (g) Refusing delegation of contract administration. An agency may 
decline a request for contract administration services on a case-by-case 
basis if resources of the agency are inadequate to accomplish the tasks. 
Declinations shall be in writing.