CLAUSE I.5 – ANTI-KICKBACK PROCEDURES (JUN 2020)
(a) Definitions.
Kickback, as used in this clause, means any money, fee, commission, credit, gift, gratuity, thing of value, or compensation of any kind which is provided to any prime Contractor, prime Contractor employee, subcontractor, or subcontractor employee for the purpose of improperly obtaining or rewarding favorable treatment in connection with a prime contract or in connection with a subcontract relating to a prime contract.
Person, as used in this clause, means a corporation, partnership, business association of any kind, trust, joint-stock company, or individual.
Prime contract, as used in this clause, means a contract or contractual action entered into by the United States for the purpose of obtaining supplies, materials, equipment, or services of any kind.
Prime Contractor as used in this clause, means a person who has entered into a prime contract with the United States.
Prime Contractor employee, as used in this clause, means any officer, partner, employee, or agent of a prime Contractor.
Subcontract, as used in this clause, means a contract or contractual action entered into by a prime Contractor or subcontractor for the purpose of obtaining supplies, materials, equipment, or services of any kind under a prime contract.
Subcontractor, as used in this clause, (1) means any person, other than the prime Contractor, who offers to furnish or furnishes any supplies, materials, equipment, or services of any kind under a prime contract or a subcontract entered into in connection with such prime contract, and (2) includes any person who offers to furnish or furnishes general supplies to the prime Contractor or a higher tier subcontractor.
Subcontractor employee, as used in this clause, means any officer, partner, employee, or agent of a subcontractor.
(b) 41 U.S.C. chapter 87, Kickbacks, prohibits any person from-
(1) Providing or attempting to provide or offering to provide any kickback;
(2) Soliciting, accepting, or attempting to accept any kickback; or
(3) Including, directly or indirectly, the amount of any kickback in the contract price charged by a prime Contractor to the United States or in the contract price charged by a subcontractor to a prime Contractor or higher tier subcontractor.
(c) (1) The Contractor shall have in place and follow reasonable procedures designed to prevent and detect possible violations described in paragraph (b) of this clause in its own operations and direct business relationships.
(2) When the Contractor has reasonable grounds to believe that a violation described in paragraph (b) of this clause may have occurred, the Contractor shall promptly report in writing the possible violation. Such reports shall be made to the inspector general of the contracting agency, the head of the contracting agency if the agency does not have an inspector general, or the Attorney General.
(3) The Contractor shall cooperate fully with any Federal agency investigating a possible violation described in paragraph (b) of this clause.
(4) The Contracting Officer may (i) offset the amount of the kickback against any monies owed by the United States under the prime contract and/or (ii) direct that the Prime Contractor withhold from sums owed a subcontractor under the prime contract the amount of the kickback. The Contracting Officer may order that monies withheld under subdivision (c)(4)(ii) of this clause be paid over to the Government unless the Government has already offset those monies under subdivision (c)(4)(i) of this clause. In either case, the Prime Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer when the monies are withheld.
(5) The Contractor agrees to incorporate the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (c)(5) but excepting paragraph (c)(1) of this clause, in all subcontracts under this contract that exceed the threshold specified in Federal Acquisition Regulation 3.502-2(i) on the date of subcontract award.