(a) Notwithstanding 2 CFR part 200 as amended by 2 CFR part 910, a fee may be paid, in appropriate circumstances, to a recipient which is a small business concern as qualified under the criteria and size standards of 13 CFR part 121 in order to permit the concern to participate in the ER Financial Assistance Program. Whether or not it is appropriate to pay a fee shall be determined by the Contracting Officer who shall, at a minimum, apply the following guidelines:

(1) Whether the acceptance of an award will displace other work the small business is currently engaged in or committed to assume in the near future; or

(2) Whether the acceptance of an award will, in the absence of paying a fee, cause substantial financial distress to the business. In evaluating financial distress, the Contracting Officer shall balance current displacement against reasonable future benefit to the company. (If the award will result in the beneficial expansion of the existing business base of the company, then no fee would generally be appropriate.) Fees shall not be paid to other entities except as a exceptionfrom 2 CFR part 200 as amended by 2 CFR part 910, nor shall fees be paid under awards in support of conferences.

(b) To request a fee, a small business concern shall submit with its application a written self certification that it is a small business concern qualified under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR part 121. In addition, the application must state the amount of fee requested for the entire project period and the basis for requesting the amount, and must also state why payment of a fee by DOE would be appropriate.

(c) If the Contracting Officer determines that payment of a fee is appropriate under paragraph (a) of this section, the amount of fee shall be that determined to be reasonable by the Contracting Officer. The Contracting Officer shall, at a minimum, apply the following guidelines in determining the fee amount:

(1) The fee base shall include the estimated allowable cost of direct salaries and wages and allocable fringe benefits. This fee base shall exclude all other direct and indirect costs.

(2) The fee amount expressed as a percentage of the appropriate fee base pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section, shall not exceed the percentage rate of fee that would result if a Federal agency contracted for the same amount of salaries, wages, and allocable fringe benefits under a cost reimbursement contract.

(3) Fee amounts, determined pursuant to paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section, shall be appropriately reduced when:

(i) Advance payments are provided; and/or

(ii) Title to property acquired with DOE funds vests in the recipient (10 CFR part 600).

(d) Notwithstanding 2 CFR part 200 as amended by 2 CFR part 910, any fee awarded shall be a fixed fee and shall be payable on an annual basis in proportion to the work completed, as determined by the Contracting Officer, upon satisfactory submission and acceptance by DOE of the progress report. If the project period is shortened due to termination, or the project period is not fully funded, the fee shall be reduced by an appropriate amount.