Subpart 204.8 - CONTRACT FILES

(a) Any document posted to the Electronic Data Access (EDA) system is part of the contract file and is accessible by multiple parties, including the contractor. Do not include in EDA contract documents that are classified, too sensitive for widespread distribution (e.g., personally identifiable information and Privacy Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), or attachments that cannot be practicably converted to electronic format (e.g., samples, drawings, and models). Inclusion of any document in EDA other than contracts, modifications, and orders is optional.

(f) A photocopy, facsimile, electronic, mechanically-applied and printed signature, seal, and date are considered to be an original signature, seal, and date.

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this section, contracting officers shall close out contracts in accordance with the procedures at PGI 204.804 . The closeout date for file purposes shall be determined and documented by the procuring contracting officer.

(2) The head of the contracting activity shall assign the highest priority to close out of contracts awarded for performance in a contingency area. Heads of contracting activities shall monitor and assess on a regular basis the progress of contingency contract closeout activities and take appropriate steps if a backlog occurs. For guidance on the planning and execution of closing out such contracts, see PGI 207.105 (b)(20)(C)(8) and PGI 225.373 (e).

(3)(i) In accordance with section 836 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Pub. L. 114-328), section 824 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Pub. L. 115-91), and section 820 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Pub. L. 116-283), contracting officers may close out contracts or groups of contracts through issuance of one or more modifications to such contracts without completing a reconciliation audit or other corrective action in accordance with FAR 4.804-5(a)(3) through (15), as appropriate, if each contract—

(A)( 1 ) For military construction (as defined at 10 U.S.C. 2801) or shipbuilding, was awarded at least 10 fiscal years before the current fiscal year; or

( 2 ) For a ll other contracts, was awarded at least 7 fiscal years before the current fiscal year;

(B) The performance or delivery was completed at least 4 years prior to the current fiscal year; and

(C) Has been determined by a contracting official, at least one level above the contracting officer, to be not otherwise reconcilable, because—

(1) The contract or related payment records have been destroyed or lost; or

(2) Although contract or related payment records are available, the time or effort required to establish the exact amount owed to the U.S. Government or amount owed to the contractor is disproportionate to the amount at issue.

(ii) Any contract or group of contracts meeting the requirements of paragraph (3)(i) of this section may be closed out through a negotiated settlement with the contractor. Except as provided in paragraph (3)(ii)(B) of this section, the contract closeout process shall include a bilateral modification of the affected contract, including those contracts that are closed out in accordance with a negotiated settlement.

(A) For a contract or groups of contracts, the contracting officer shall prepare a negotiation settlement memorandum that describes how the requirements of paragraph (3)(i) of this section have been met.

(B) For a group of contracts, a bilateral modification of at least one contract shall be made to reflect the negotiated settlement for a group of contracts, and unilateral modifications may be made, as appropriate, to other contracts in the group to reflect the negotiated settlement.

(iii) For contract closeout actions under paragraph (3) of this section, remaining contract balances—

(A) May be offset with balances in other contract line items within the same contract, regardless of the year or type of appropriation obligated to fund each contract line item and regardless of whether the appropriation obligated to fund such contract line item has closed; and

(B) May be offset with balances on other contracts, regardless of the year or type of appropriations obligated to fund each contract and regardless of whether such appropriations have closed.

(iv) USD(A&S) is authorized to waive any provision of acquisition law or regulation in order to carry out the closeout procedures authorized in paragraph (3)(i) of this section (see procedures at PGI 204.804 (3)(iv)).

(4) When using the clause at 252.204-7022, Expediting Contract Closeout, to expedite contract closeout, determine the residual dollar amount upon completion of all applicable closeout requirements of FAR 4.804.

(1) The sources of the period for which contract files must be retained are General Records Schedule 3 (Procurement, Supply, and Grant Records) and General Records Schedule 6 (Accountable Officers' Accounts Records). Copies of the General Records Schedule may be obtained from the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408.

(2) Deviations from the periods cannot be granted by the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council. Forward requests for deviations to both the Government Accountability Office and the National Archives and Records Administration.

(3) Hold completed contract files in the office responsible for maintaining them for a period of 12 months after completion. After the initial 12 month period, send the records to the local records holding or staging area until they are eligible for destruction. If no space is available locally, transfer the files to the General Services Administration Federal Records Center that services the area.

(4) Duplicate or working contract files should contain no originals of materials that properly belong in the official files. Destroy working files as soon as practicable once they are no longer needed.

(5) Retain pricing review files, containing documents related to reviews of the contractor's price proposals, subject to certified cost or pricing data (see FAR 15.403-4), for six years. If it is impossible to determine the final payment date in order to measure the six-year period, retain the files for nine years.