FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 252: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 252.2
DFARS 252.216-7004 Award Fee Reduction or Denial for Jeopardizing the Health or Safety of Government Personnel.
The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.
In plain English
This clause allows the Government to reduce or deny an award fee if the contractor or its subcontractor causes serious bodily injury or death of Government personnel through gross negligence or reckless disregard for safety. It also permits recovery of award fees already paid for any period in which the incident occurred. Contractors should be aware that such incidents can directly affect their award fee.
Applies to: Contractors and subcontractors performing contracts that include this clause
Key terms: Covered incident · Serious bodily injury · Award fee · Gross negligence · Reckless disregard
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 216.406(e) use the following clause:
Award Fee Reduction or Denial for Jeopardizing the Health or Safety of Government Personnel (SEP 2011)
(a) Definitions. As used in this clause—
Covered incident—
(i) Means any incident in which the Contractor, through a criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding that results in a disposition listed in paragraph (a)(ii) of this definition—
(A) Has been determined in the performance of this contract to have caused serious bodily injury or death of any civilian or military personnel of the Government through gross negligence or with reckless disregard for the safety of such personnel; or
(B) Has been determined to be liable for actions of a subcontractor of the Contractor that caused serious bodily injury or death of any civilian or military personnel of the Government through gross negligence or with reckless disregard for the safety of such personnel.
(ii) Includes those incidents that have resulted in any of the following dispositions:
(A) In a criminal proceeding, a conviction.
(B) In a civil proceeding, a finding of fault or liability that results in the payment of a monetary fine, penalty, reimbursement, restitution, or damage of $5,000 or more.
(C) In an administrative proceeding, a finding of fault and liability that results in—
(1) The payment of a monetary fine or penalty of $5,000 or more; or
(2) The payment of a reimbursement, restitution, or damages in excess of $100,000.
(D) In a criminal, civil, or administrative proceeding, a disposition of the matter by consent or compromise with an acknowledgment of fault by the Contractor if the proceeding could have led to any of the outcomes specified in subparagraphs (a)(ii)(A), (a)(ii)
(B), or (a)(ii)(C).
(E) In a DoD investigation of the Contractor or its subcontractors at any tier not subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts, a final determination by the Secretary of Defense of Contractor or subcontractor fault (see DFARS 216.405-2-70.
Serious bodily injury means a grievous physical harm that results in a permanent disability.
(b) If, in the performance of this contract, the Contractor's or its subcontractor's actions cause serious bodily injury or death of civilian or military Government personnel, the Government may reduce or deny the award fee for the period in which the covered incident occurred, including the recovery of all or part of any award fees paid for any previous period during which the covered incident occurred.
(End of clause)
Sections that refer to it
- 216.405-2-70 Award fee reduction or denial for jeopardizing the health or safety of Government personnel.
- 216.406 Contract clauses.
← 252.216-7003 Economic price adjustment—wage rates or material prices controlled by a foreign government. · 252.216-7006 [Reserved] →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 252
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Modifications to Printed Circuit Board Acquisition Restrictions (DFARS Case 2022-D011) ↗ · proposed 2026-07-02 · comments due 2026-08-31
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Certification Requirement for Military Recruitment Advertising (DFARS Case 2024-D022) ↗ · proposed 2026-06-25 · comments due 2026-08-24
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Small Purchase Exception for the Acquisition of U.S. Flags (DFARS Case 2024-D013) ↗ · proposed 2026-06-25 · comments due 2026-08-24
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Mitigating Risks Related to Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (DFARS Case 2021-D011) ↗ · proposed 2026-05-07 · comments due 2026-07-06
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Assessing Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041) ↗ · final rule 2025-09-10 · effective 2025-11-10
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Limitation on Certain Institutes of Higher Education (DFARS Case 2024-D023); Correction ↗ · final rule 2025-08-28 · effective 2025-08-28
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Disclosure of DoD Funding in Technical Publications (DFARS Case 2024-D003) ↗ · proposed 2025-08-25 · comments due 2025-10-24
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Limitation on Certain Institutes of Higher Education (DFARS Case 2024-D023) ↗ · final rule 2025-08-25 · effective 2025-08-25
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.