(a) In addition to recipient and subrecipient responsibilities relative to access to records specified in §§ 600.153, 600.242 and 600.342, for any negotiated contract or subcontract in excess of $10,000 under a grant or cooperative agreement, DOE, the Comptroller General of the United States, the recipient and the subrecipient (if the contract was awarded under a financial assistance subaward), or any of their authorized representatives shall have the right of access to any books, documents, papers, or other records of the contractor or subcontractor which are pertinent to that contract or subcontract, in order to make audit, examination, excerpts, and copies.

(b) The right of access may be exercised for as long as the applicable records are retained by the recipient, subrecipient, contractor, or subcontractor.