Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 25, 2024

Title 48 - Federal Acquisition Regulations System last revised: Nov 15, 2024
852.232-71 - 852.232-71 Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (Including NAS-CPM).

As prescribed in 832.111-70, insert the following clause in contracts that contain a section entitled “Network Analysis System—Critical Path Method (NAS-CPM).”

Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (Including NAS-CPM) (NOV 2018)

The clause FAR 52.232-5, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts, is implemented as follows:

(a) Retainage. (1) The Contracting Officer may retain funds—

(i) Where performance under the contract has been determined to be deficient or the Contractor has performed in an unsatisfactory manner in the past; or

(ii) As the contract nears completion, to ensure that deficiencies will be corrected and that completion is timely.

(2) Examples of deficient performance justifying a retention of funds include, but are not restricted to, the following—

(i) Unsatisfactory progress as determined by the Contracting Officer;

(ii) Failure to meet schedule in Schedule of Work Progress;

(iii) Failure to present submittals in a timely manner; or

(iv) Failure to comply in good faith with approved subcontracting plans, certifications, or contract requirements.

(3) Any level of retention shall not exceed 10 percent either where there is determined to be unsatisfactory performance, or when the retainage is to ensure satisfactory completion. Retained amounts shall be paid promptly upon completion of all contract requirements, but nothing contained in this paragraph (a)(3) shall be construed as limiting the Contracting Officer's right to withhold funds under other provisions of the contract or in accordance with the general law and regulations regarding the administration of Government contracts.

(b) The Contractor shall submit a schedule of costs in accordance with the requirements of section “Network Analysis System—Critical Path Method (NAS-CPM)” to the Contracting Officer for approval within 90 calendar days after date of receipt of notice to proceed. The approved cost schedule will be one of the bases for determining progress payments to the Contractor for work completed.

(1) Costs as shown on this schedule must be true costs and the resident engineer may require the Contractor to submit its original estimate sheets or other information to substantiate the detailed makeup of the cost schedule.

(2) The total costs of all work activities/events shall equal the contract price.

(3) Insurance and similar items shall be prorated and included in each work activity/event cost of the critical path method (CPM).

(4) The CPM shall include a separate cost loaded activity for adjusting and testing of the systems listed in the table in paragraph (b)(5) of this clause. The percentages listed in paragraph (b)(5) will be used to determine the cost of adjust and test work activities/events and identify, for payment purposes, the value of the work to adjust, correct and test systems after the material has been installed.

(5) Payment for adjust and test activities will be made only after the Contractor has demonstrated that each of the systems is substantially complete and operates as required by the contract.

Value of Adjusting, Correcting, and Testing System

System Percent
Pneumatic tube system10
Incinerators (medical waste and trash)5
Sewage treatment plant equipment5
Water treatment plant equipment5
Washers (dish, cage, glass, etc.)5
Sterilizing equipment5
Water distilling equipment5
Prefab temperature rooms (cold, constant temperature)5
Entire air-conditioning system (Specified under 600 Sections)5
Entire boiler plant system (Specified under 700 Sections)5
General supply conveyors10
Food service conveyors10
Pneumatic soiled linen and trash system10
Elevators and dumbwaiters10
Materials transport system10
Engine-generator system5
Primary switchgear5
Secondary switchgear5
Fire alarm system5
Nurse call system5
Intercom system5
Radio system5
TV (entertainment) system5

(c) In addition to this cost schedule, the Contractor shall submit such unit costs as may be specifically requested. The unit costs shall be those used by the Contractor in preparing its bid and will not be binding as pertaining to any contract changes.

(d) The Contracting Officer will consider for monthly progress payments material and/or equipment procured by the Contractor and stored on the construction site, as space is available, or at a local approved location off the site, under such terms and conditions as the Contracting Officer approves, including but not limited to the following—

(1) The materials or equipment are in accordance with the contract requirements and/or approved samples and shop drawings;

(2) The materials and/or equipment are approved by the resident engineer;

(3) The materials and/or equipment are stored separately and are readily available for inspection and inventory by the resident engineer;

(4) The materials and/or equipment are protected against weather, theft and other hazards and are not subjected to deterioration; and

(5) The Contractor obtains the concurrence of its surety for off-site storage.

(e) The Government reserves the right to withhold payment until samples, shop drawings, engineer's certificates, additional bonds, payrolls, weekly statements of compliance, proof of title, nondiscrimination compliance reports, or any other requirements of this contract, have been submitted to the satisfaction of the Contracting Officer.

(f) The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor in writing within 10 calendar-days of exercising retainage against any payment in accordance with FAR clause 52.232-5(e). The notice shall disclose the amount of the retainage in value and percent retained from the payment, and provide explanation for the retainage.

(End of clause)

Alternate I (Nov 2018). If the specifications include guarantee period services, the Contracting Officer shall include the following paragraphs as additions to paragraph (b) of the basic clause:

(6)(i) The Contractor shall show on the critical path method (CPM) the total cost of the guarantee period services in accordance with the guarantee period service section(s) of the specifications. This cost shall be priced out when submitting the CPM cost loaded network. The cost submitted shall be subject to the approval of the Contracting Officer. The activity on the CPM shall have money only and not activity time.

(ii) The Contractor shall submit with the CPM a guarantee period performance program which shall include an itemized accounting of the number of work-hours required to perform the guarantee period service on each piece of equipment. The Contractor shall also submit the established salary costs, including employee fringe benefits, and what the Contractor reasonably expects to pay over the guarantee period, all of which will be subject to the Contracting Officer's approval.

(iii) The cost of the guarantee period service shall be prorated on an annual basis and paid in equal monthly payments by VA during the period of guarantee. In the event the installer does not perform satisfactorily during this period, all payments may be withheld and the Contracting Officer shall inform the Contractor of the unsatisfactory performance, allowing the Contractor 10 days to correct and comply with the contract. The guarantee period service is subject to those provisions as set forth in the Payments and Default clauses.

[83 FR 49309, Oct. 1, 2018]
authority: 38 U.S.C. 8127-8128 and 8151-8153; 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 41 U.S.C. 1121(c)(3); 41 U.S.C. 1303; 41 U.S.C. 1702; and 48 CFR 1.301 through 1.304
source: 73 FR 2717, Jan. 15, 2008, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 48 CFR 852.232-71