41 U.S.C. § 4304 Specific Costs Not Allowable

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 41 U.S.C. § 4304

(a) SPECIFIC COSTS.-The following costs are not allowable under a covered contract:

(1) Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities, and any costs directly associated with those costs (such as tickets to shows or sports events, meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities).

(2) Costs incurred to influence (directly or indirectly) legislative action on any matter pending before Congress, a State legislature, or a legislative body of a political subdivision of a State.

(3) Costs incurred in defense of any civil or criminal fraud proceeding or similar proceeding (including filing of any false certification) brought by the Federal Government where the contractor is found liable or had pleaded nolo contendere to a charge of fraud or similar proceeding (including filing of a false certification).

(4) Payments of fines and penalties resulting from violations of, or failure to comply with, Federal, State, local, or foreign laws and regulations, except when incurred as a result of compliance with specific terms and conditions of the contract or specific written instructions from the contracting officer authorizing in advance those payments in accordance with applicable provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(5) Costs of membership in any social, dining, or country club or organization.

(6) Costs of alcoholic beverages.

(7) Contributions or donations, regardless of the recipient.

(8) Costs of advertising designed to promote the contractor or its products.

(9) Costs of promotional items and memorabilia, including models, gifts, and souvenirs.

(10) Costs for travel by commercial aircraft that exceed the amount of the standard commercial fare.

(11) Costs incurred in making any payment (commonly known as a "golden parachute payment") that is-

(A) in an amount in excess of the normal severance pay paid by the contractor to an employee on termination of employment; and

(B) paid to the employee contingent on, and following, a change in management control over, or ownership of, the contractor or a substantial portion of the contractor's assets.

(12) Costs of commercial insurance that protects against the costs of the contractor for correction of the contractor's own defects in materials or workmanship.

(13) Costs of severance pay paid by the contractor to foreign nationals employed by the contractor under a service contract performed outside the United States, to the extent that the amount of severance pay paid in any case exceeds the amount paid in the industry involved under the customary or prevailing practice for firms in that industry providing similar services in the United States, as determined under the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

(14) Costs of severance pay paid by the contractor to a foreign national employed by the contractor under a service contract performed in a foreign country if the termination of the employment of the foreign national is the result of the closing of, or the curtailment of activities at, a Federal Government facility in that country at the request of the government of that country.

(15) Costs incurred by a contractor or subcontractor, or personal service ¹ contractor in connection with any criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding commenced by the Federal Government or a State, to the extent provided in section 4310 of this title.

(16) ² Costs of compensation of any contractor employee for a fiscal year, regardless of the contract funding source, to the extent that such compensation exceeds $625,000 adjusted annually for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index for total compensation for private industry workers, by occupational and industry group not seasonally adjusted, except that the executive agency may establish exceptions for positions in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, medical, and cybersecurity fields and other fields requiring unique areas of expertise upon a determination that such exceptions are needed to ensure that the executive agency has continued access to needed skills and capabilities.