1
See References in Text note below.
of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930 (In the section, before clause (1), the words “The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall prescribe regulations to carry out section 3902 of this title” are added because of the restatement. In clause (1)(A), the words “the terms of” are omitted as surplus. In clause (1)(B), the words “of the payment” are omitted as surplus.
References in Text
The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 1930, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), is [act June 10, 1930, ch. 436], [46 Stat. 531], which is classified generally to chapter 20A (§ 499a et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. Section 1(4) of the Act was redesignated section 1(b)(4) by [Pub. L. 102–237, title X, § 1011(1)(A)], Dec. 13, 1991, [105 Stat. 1898], and is classified to section 499a(b)(4) of Title 7. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 499r of Title 7 and Tables.
Section 3903(c) of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(9), was redesignated section 3903(d) by [Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title X, § 1009(1)], Oct. 5, 1999, [113 Stat. 738].
Amendments
2019—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). [Pub. L. 116–92, § 873(1)], inserted “except as provided in paragraphs (10) and (11),” before “30 days”.
Subsec. (a)(10), (11). [Pub. L. 116–92, § 873(2)]–(4), added pars. (10) and (11).
1999—Subsecs. (c), (d). [Pub. L. 106–65] added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).
1991—Subsec. (a)(2). [Pub. L. 102–190] inserted provisions relating to fresh or frozen fish as defined in 16 U.S.C. 4003(3) and substituted “meat, meat food product, or fish” for “meat or meat food product”.
1988—Subsec. (a). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 6(1)], designated existing provisions as subsec. (a).
Subsec. (a)(2). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 13(a)], included any edible fresh or frozen poultry meat, any perishable poultry meat food product, fresh eggs, and any perishable egg product.
Subsec. (a)(4). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 4], amended par. (4) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (4) read as follows: “provide separate required payment dates for a contract under which property or service is provided in a series of partial executions or deliveries to the extent the contract provides for separate payments for partial execution or delivery; and”.
Subsec. (a)(5). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 5(2)], added par. (5). Former par. (5) redesignated (7).
Subsec. (a)(6). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 6(2)], added par. (6).
Subsec. (a)(7). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 7], added par. (7) and struck out former par. (7), which read as follows: “require that, within 15 days after an invoice is received, the head of an agency notify the business concern of a defect or impropriety in the invoice that would prevent the running of the time period specified in clause (1)(B) of this section.”
[Pub. L. 100–496, § 5(1)], redesignated par. (5) as (7).
Subsec. (a)(8), (9). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 7], added pars. (8) and (9).
Subsecs. (b), (c). [Pub. L. 100–496, § 6(3)], added subsecs. (b) and (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
Amendment by [Pub. L. 100–496] applicable to payments under contracts awarded, contracts renewed, and contract options exercised during or after the first fiscal quarter which begins more than 90 days after Oct. 17, 1988, see [section 14(a) of Pub. L. 100–496], set out as a note under section 3902 of this title.
Implementation Through Federal Acquisition Regulation
[Pub. L. 100–496, § 11], Oct. 17, 1988, [102 Stat. 2463], provided that:“(a)
The Federal Acquisition Regulation shall be modified to provide appropriate solicitation provisions and contract clauses that implement chapter 39 of title 31, United States Code, as amended by this Act [see Short Title of 1988 Amendment note set out under
section 3901 of this title], and the regulations prescribed under section 3903 of such title (as amended).
“(b)
The solicitation provisions and contract clauses required by subsection (a) of this section shall include (but not be limited to) the following matters:
“(1)
Authority for a contracting officer to specify for a contract or class of contracts a specific payment period, which—
“(A)
in the case of payments for commercial items or services, is similar to the payment period or periods permitted in prevailing private industry contracting practices;
“(B)
in the case of payments for noncommercial items and services, does not exceed 30 days unless the circumstances of the procurement action is determined to require a longer period for payment and such determination is approved above the level of the contracting officer;
“(C)
in the case of payments for items of property or services in an amount less than the amount specified as a small purchase in section 303(g)(2) of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 ([former]
41 U.S.C. 253(g)(2)) [now
41 U.S.C. 3305(b)], does not exceed 15 days after the date of receipt of the invoice, if—
“(i)
the contract provides for such ‘fast payment’ terms;
“(ii)
title to any property will vest in the Government upon delivery (including delivery to a common carrier); and
“(iii)
the business concern offers appropriate warranties to furnish property or services conforming to the requirements of the contract or purchase order, if payment will be due prior to acceptance of the items or services; and
“(D)
in the case of progress payments under construction contracts, does not exceed 14 days, unless the solicitation specifies a longer period which the contracting officer has determined is required to afford the Government a practicable opportunity to adequately inspect the work and to evaluate the adequacy of the contractor’s performance under the contract.
“(2)
Requirements to make periodic payments, in the case of a property or service contract which does not prohibit periodic payments for partial deliveries or other contract performance during the contract period, upon—
“(A)
submission of an invoice for property delivered or services performed during the contract period, if an invoice is required by the contract; and
“(B)
either—
“(i)
acceptance of the property or services by an employee of the contracting agency authorized to accept the property or services; or
“(ii)
the making of a determination by such an employee, that the performance covered by the payment conforms to the terms and conditions of the contract.
“(3)
A conclusive presumption, exclusively for the purposes of determining when an agency becomes obligated to pay a late payment interest penalty (other than under construction contracts), that the Federal Government has accepted property or services by the 7th day after the date on which, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract, the property is delivered or final performance of the services is completed, unless the solicitation specifies a longer period which is determined by the contracting officer to be required to afford the agency a practicable opportunity to inspect and test the property furnished or evaluate the services performed.
“(4)
The limitation that the Federal Government may take a discount offered by a contractor for early payment by the Federal Government only in accordance with the time limits specified by the contractor, determined in accordance with the second sentence of
section 3904 of title 31, United States Code.
“(c)
The regulations required by subsection (a) of this section shall be published as proposed regulations for public comment as provided in section 22 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act ([former]
41 U.S.C. 418b) [now
41 U.S.C. 1707] within 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [
Oct. 17, 1988].”
Edible Fresh or Frozen Poultry Meat, Perishable Poultry Meat Food Products, Fresh Eggs, and Perishable Egg Products
[Pub. L. 98–181, title II, § 2002], Nov. 30, 1983, [97 Stat. 1297], to the extent that it provided that the terms “meat” and “meat food products” as used in 31 U.S.C. 3903(2) also included edible fresh or frozen poultry meat, perishable poultry meat food products, fresh eggs and perishable egg products, was stricken by [Pub. L. 100–496, § 13(b)], Oct. 17, 1988, [102 Stat. 2465], applicable to payments under contracts awarded, contracts renewed, and contract options exercised during or after the first fiscal quarter which begins more than 90 days after Oct. 17, 1988.