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This subpart prescribes policies and procedures for providing Government property to contractors.
“Agency-peculiar property,” as used in this subpart, means Government-owned personal property that is peculiar to the mission of one agency (e.g., military or space property). It excludes Government material, special test equipment, special tooling, and facilities.
“Facilities,” as used in this subpart and when used in other than a facilities contract, means property used for production, maintenance, research, development, or testing. It includes plant equipment and real property (see 45.101). It does not include material, special test equipment, special tooling, or agency-peculiar property.
“Facilities contract,” as used in this subpart, means a contract under which Government facilities are provided to a contractor or subcontractor by the Government for use in connection with performing one or more related contracts for supplies or services. It is used occasionally to provide special tooling or special test equipment. Facilities contracts may take any of the following forms:
(a) A facilities acquisition contract providing for the acquisition, construction, and installation of facilities.
(b) A facilities use contract providing for the use, maintenance, accountability, and disposition of facilities.
(c) A consolidated facilities contract, which is a combination of a facilities acquisition and a facilities use contract.
“Government production and research property,” as used in this subpart, means Government-owned facilities, Government-owned special test equipment, and special tooling to which the Government has title or the right to acquire title.
“Material,” as used in this subpart, means property that may be incorporated into or attached to a deliverable end item or that may be consumed or expended in performing a contract. It includes assemblies, components, parts, raw and processed materials, and small tools and supplies that may be consumed in normal use in performing a contract.
“Nonprofit organization,” as used in this subpart, means any corporation, foundation, trust, or institution operated for scientific, educational, or medical purposes, not organized for profit, and no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.
“Nonseverable,” as used in this subpart, when related to Government production and research property, means property that cannot be removed after erection or installation without substantial loss of value or damage to the property or to the premises where installed.
(a) Contractors shall furnish all facilities required for performing Government contracts except as provided in this subsection. Government facilities provided to contractors shall be individually identified in the solicitation, if possible, and contract. Agencies shall not furnish facilities to contractors for any purpose, including restoration, replacement, or modernization, except as follows:
(1) For use in a Government-owned, contractor-operated plant operated on a cost-plus-fee basis.
(2) For support of industrial preparedness programs.
(3) As components of special tooling or special test equipment acquired or fabricated at Government expense.
(4) When, as a result of the prospective contractor’s written statement asserting inability to obtain facilities, the agency head or designee issues a Determination and Finding (see Subpart 1.7) that the contract cannot be fulfilled by any other practical means or that it is in the public interest to provide the facilities.
(i) If the contractor’s inability to provide facilities is due to insufficient lead time, the Government may provide existing facilities until the contractor’s facilities can be installed.
(ii) Mere assertion by a contractor that it is unable to provide facilities is not, in itself, sufficient to justify approval. Appropriate Government officials must determine that providing Government facilities is justified.
(iii) The determination shall include findings that private financing of the facilities was sought but not available or that private financing was determined not advantageous to the Government. The determination shall also state that the contract cannot be accomplished without Government facilities being provided.
(iv) The original determination shall be included in the contract file.
(v) No determination is required when the facilities are provided as components of special tooling or special test equipment acquired or fabricated at Government expense.
(5) As otherwise authorized by law or regulation.
(b) Agencies shall not—
(1) Furnish new facilities to contractors unless existing Government-owned facilities are either inadequate or cannot be economically furnished;
(2) Use research and development funds to provide contractors with new construction or improvements of general utility, unless authorized by law; or
(3) Provide facilities to contractors solely for non-Government use, unless authorized by law.
(c) Competitive solicitations shall not include an offer by the Government to provide new facilities, nor shall solicitations offer to furnish existing Government facilities that must be moved into a contractor’s plant, unless adequate price competition cannot be otherwise obtained. Such solicitations shall require contractors to identify the Government-owned facilities desired to be moved into their plants.
(d) Government facilities with a unit cost of less than $10,000 shall not be provided to contractors unless—
(1) The contractor is a nonprofit institution of higher education or other nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is the conduct of scientific research;
(2) A contractor is operating a Government-owned plant on a cost-plus-fee basis;
(3) A contractor is performing on a Government establishment or installation;
(4) A contractor is performing under a contract specifying that it may acquire or fabricate special tooling, special test equipment, and components thereof subsequent to obtaining the approval of the contracting officer; or
(5) The facilities are unavailable from other than Government sources.
(a) Facilities shall be provided to a contractor or subcontractor only under a facilities contract using the appropriate clauses required by 45.302-6, except as provided in 45.302-3.
(b) All facilities provided by a contracting activity for use by a contractor at any one plant or general location shall be governed by a single facilities contract, unless the contracting officer determines this to be impractical. Each agency should consolidate, to the maximum practical extent, its facility contracts covering specific contractor locations.
(c) No fee shall be allowed under a facilities contract. Profit or fee (plus or minus) shall be considered in awarding any related supply or service contract, consistent with the profit guidelines of 15.404-4.
(d) Special tooling and special test equipment will normally be provided to a contractor under a supply contract, but may be provided under a facilities contract when administratively desirable.
(e) Agencies shall ensure that facility projects involving real property transactions comply with applicable laws (e.g., 10 U.S.C. 2676 and 41 U.S.C. 12 and 14).
(a) Facilities may be provided to a contractor under a contract other than a facilities contract when one of the following exceptions applies—
(1) The actual or estimated cumulative acquisition cost of the facilities provided by the contracting activity to the contractor at one plant or general location does not exceed $1,000,000;
(2) The number of items of plant equipment provided is ten or fewer;
(3) The contract performance period is twelve months or less;
(4) The contract is for construction;
(5) The contract is for services and the facilities are to be used in connection with the operation of a Government-owned plant or installation; or
(6) The contract is for work within an establishment or installation operated by the Government.
(b) When a facilities contract is not used, the Government’s interest shall normally be protected by using the appropriate Government property clause or, in the case of paragraph (a)(5) of this subsection, by appropriate portions of the facilities clauses.
(c) No profit or fee shall be allowed on the cost of the facilities when purchased for the account of the Government under other than a facilities contract. General purpose components of special tooling or special test equipment are not facilities.
(a) Agencies may authorize onsite use by contractors of existing Government-owned and -operated test facilities in connection with Government contracts only when—
(1) No adequate commercial test capability is available;
(2) Substantial cost savings will result from using the Government-owned test facilities; or
(3) Otherwise authorized by law.
(b) When such use is authorized, the contracting officer shall obtain adequate consideration comparable to commercial rates.
A facilities contract may include requirements for maintenance and storage of Government production and research property in standby or layaway status. The contract shall include appropriate specifications for the care and maintenance of the property. If the Government is required to pay the contractor for maintenance and storage, the contract shall define what constitutes standby or lay-away and specify when payments will begin and end. The contract may provide for reimbursing the contractor for any State or local property tax it is required to pay because of its possession of or interest in such property (see 31.205-41).
(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-7, Government Property (Consolidated Facilities), in solicitations and contracts when a consolidated facilities contract is contemplated (see 45.301).
(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-8, Liability for the Facilities, in solicitations and contracts when a consolidated facilities contract, a facilities acquisition contract, or a facilities use contract is contemplated (see 45.301).
(c) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-10, Government Property (Facilities Acquisition), in solicitations and contracts when a facilities acquisition contract is contemplated (see 45.301).
(d)(1) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-11, Government Property (Facilities Use), in solicitations and contracts when a facilities use contract is contemplated (see 45.301).
(2) If the contract is for the conduct of basic or applied research at nonprofit institutions of higher education, or is awarded to a nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is the conduct of scientific research (see 35.014), the contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate I.
(a) The contracting officer may insert the clause at 52.245-12, Contract Purpose (Nonprofit Educational Institutions), in solicitations and contracts when a facilities use contract is contemplated and award may be made to a nonprofit educational institution (also see 45.302-6).
(b) The contracting officer may insert the clause at 52.245-13, Accountable Facilities (Nonprofit Educational Institutions), in solicitations and contracts when a facilities contract is contemplated and award may be made to a nonprofit educational institution (also see 45.302-6).
(c) The contracting officer may insert the clause at 52.245-14, Use of Government Facilities, in solicitations and contracts when a facilities use contract is contemplated and award may be made to a nonprofit educational institution (also see 45.302-6).
(d) The contracting officer may, under a proper delegation of authority, insert the clause at 52.245-15, Transfer of Title to the Facilities, in solicitations and contracts when a consolidated facilities contract, a facilities acquisition contract, or a facilities use contract is contemplated for the conduct of basic or applied research at nonprofit institutions of higher education, or at nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is the conduct of scientific research (see 35.015 and 45.302-6).
(e) The contracting officer may insert the clause at 52.245-16, Facilities Equipment Modernization, in solicitations and contracts when a consolidated facilities contract, a facilities acquisition contract, or a facilities use contract is contemplated under which the Government will provide modernized or replacement facilities.
Contractors shall ordinarily furnish all material for performing Government contracts. However, agencies should provide material to a contractor when necessary to achieve significant economy, standardization, or expedited production, or when it is otherwise in the Government’s interest.
Solicitations shall specify material that the Government will furnish in sufficient detail (including requisitioning procedures) to enable offerors to evaluate it accurately. The contracting officer shall insert the appropriate Government property clause prescribed in 45.106, in all solicitations when the Government will provide material.
(a) Contractors shall ordinarily furnish any motor vehicles needed in performing Government contracts. Agencies may provide contractors with motor vehicles only when—
(1) The number of vehicles required for use by contractor personnel is predictable and expected to remain fairly constant;
(2) The proposed contract will bear the entire cost of the vehicle program;
(3) The motor vehicles will not be used on any contract other than that for which the vehicles were provided, unless approved by the appropriate department or agency official;
(4) Prospective contractors do not have or would not be expected to have an existing and continuing capability for providing the vehicles from their own resources; and
(5) Substantial savings are expected.
(b) Agencies that provide contractors with Government-owned-or-leased motor vehicles are responsible for ensuring that such vehicles are used only for the performance of the contract. Under 41 CFR 101-38.301-1, contractors are prohibited from using such vehicles for home-to-work transportation consistent with Pub. L. 99-550 amending 31 U.S.C. 1344. (See Subpart 51.2, Contractor Use of Interagency Fleet Management System (IFMS) Vehicles.)
(a) The contracting officer shall offer existing Government special tooling to prospective contractors for use in Government work if it will not disrupt programs of equal or higher priority, it is otherwise advantageous to the Government, and use of the special tooling is authorized under 45.402(a). (See also 45.308 and 45.309.)
(b) Contracts authorizing the furnishing of existing special tooling shall contain a description of the special tooling, the terms and conditions of shipment, and the terms covering the cost of adapting and installing the tooling.
Title to special tooling under cost-reimbursement contracts is acquired by the Government in all cases. The clause used for this purpose is 52.245-5, Government Property (Cost-Reimbursement, Time-and-Material, or Labor-Hour Contracts).
(a) Criteria for acquisition. In deciding whether or not to acquire title to special tooling, or rights to title, under fixed-price contracts, the contracting officer shall consider the following factors:
(1) The current or probable future need of the Government for the items involved (including in-house use) and the estimated cost of producing them if not acquired.
(2) The estimated residual value of the items.
(3) The administrative burden and other expenses incident to reporting, recordkeeping, preparation, handling, transportation, and storage.
(4) The feasibility and probable cost of making the items available to other offerors in the event of future acquisitions.
(5) The amount offered by the contractor for the right to retain the items.
(6) The effect on future competition and contract pricing.
(b) Decision not to acquire special tooling. In contracts in which the Government will not acquire title to special tooling, or rights to title, special requirements may be included in the Schedule of the contract (e.g., requirement governing the contractor’s capitalization of special tooling costs).
The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-17, Special Tooling, in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price contract is contemplated, and either the contract will include special tooling provided by the Government or the Government will acquire title or right to title in special tooling to be acquired or fabricated by the contractor for the Government, other than special tooling to be delivered as an end item under the contract. The Special Tooling clause shall apply to all special tooling accountable to the contract.
(a) Contracting officers shall offer existing Government-owned special test equipment to contractors, consistent with the conditions in 45.306-1(a). (See also 45.308 and 45.309.)
(b) Contracting officers may also authorize contractors to acquire special test equipment for the Government when it is advantageous to the Government under the criteria in 45.306-3(a) and existing special test equipment is not available.
(a) When special test equipment or components are known, the solicitation (and the contract) shall separately identify each item to be furnished by the Government or acquired or fabricated by the contractor for the Government. Individual items of less than $5,000 may be grouped by category.
(b) Notice and approval. Under negotiated contracts containing the clause at 52.245-18, Special Test Equipment, the contractor must notify the contracting officer if it intends to acquire or fabricate special test equipment. Within 30 days of receipt of the notice, the contracting officer shall—
(1) Review the proposed items for necessity and proper classification as “special” test equipment;
(2) Screen the availability of existing Government-owned test equipment in accordance with agency procedures; and
(3) Notify the contractor, approving or disapproving the acquisition or fabrication and, if it is disapproved, state whether the equipment will be furnished by the Government.
The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-18, Special Test Equipment, in solicitations and contracts when contracting by negotiation and the contractor will acquire or fabricate special test equipment for the Government but the exact identification of the special test equipment to be acquired or fabricated is unknown.
(a) The contracting officer may provide Government production and research property on an “as is” basis for performing fixed-price, time-and-material, and labor-hour contracts. It may also be furnished under a facilities contract, in which case the contract shall state that the contractor will not be reimbursed for transporting, installing, modifying, repairing, or otherwise making the property ready for use.
(b) When the property is provided under other than a facilities contract, the solicitation shall state that—
(1) Offerors may inspect the property before submitting offers and the conditions under which it may be inspected;
(2) The property is offered in its current condition, f.o.b. present location (provide specific locations);
(3) Offerors must satisfy themselves that the property is suitable for their use;
(4) The successful offeror shall bear the cost of transporting, installing, modifying, repairing, or otherwise making the property suitable for use; and
(5) Evaluations will be made in accordance with Subpart 45.2 to eliminate any competitive advantage resulting from using the property.
The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.245-19, Government Property Furnished “As Is,” in solicitations and contracts when a contract other than a consolidated facilities contract, a facilities acquisition contract, or a facilities use contract is contemplated and Government production and research property is to be furnished “as is” (see 45.106 for additional clauses that may be required).
(a) Government production and research property, other than foundations and similar improvements necessary for installing special tooling, special test equipment, or plant equipment, shall not be installed or constructed on land not owned by the Government in such fashion as to be nonseverable, unless the head of the contracting activity determines that the location is necessary, and the contract under which the property is provided contains—
(1) A requirement for the contractor to reimburse the Government for the fair value of the property at contract completion or termination or within a reasonable time thereafter (for example, the provision may require the contractor to purchase the property at a value determined by appraisal or at a price equal to its acquisition cost less depreciation at a specified rate);
(2) An option for the Government to acquire the underlying land; or
(3) An alternative provision that the agency head considers adequate to protect the Government’s interests.
(b) If patent or other proprietary rights of a contractor may restrict the disposal of Government production and research property, the condition in either paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(3) of this section shall be satisfied before the property is provided.
(c) If Government production and research property is not available to all offerors, the solicitation shall identify the offerors to whom the property is available.
(a) Agency-peculiar property may be furnished to contractors when necessary for use as a standard or model, for testing the contractor’s end item where suitable commercial equipment is not available, to establish equipment compatibility, or for other reasons that the contracting officer determines to be in the Government’s interest.
(b) Agency-peculiar property may be furnished under a facilities contract, a supply or service contract containing the appropriate Government Property clause, or a special bailment agreement.
(c) Contracting officers shall provide special instructions for security, liability, maintenance, and/or property control, when agency-peculiar property requires special handling or safeguards.
Government property shall be transferred only if there is a requirement under the gaining contract. Transfers of Government property, as Government-furnished property, shall be documented by a modification to the gaining contract. A modification or other documentation listing all items of property transferred is required for the losing contract.
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