FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 42: Contract Administration and Audit Services › Subpart 42.1

FAR 42.101 Contract audit responsibilities.

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 section outlines the responsibilities of auditors when examining a contractor's financial and accounting records. It also specifies which government agency typically handles audits for different types of contractors, such as the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) for most contractors, and special provisions for educational and nonprofit organizations.

Applies to: Government contractors and auditing agencies

Key terms: Contract audit · Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) · Educational institutions · Nonprofit organizations · OMB Uniform Guidance

Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.

The text

(a) The auditor is responsible for—

(1) Submitting information and advice to the requesting activity, based on the auditor's analysis of the contractor's financial and accounting records or other related data as to the acceptability of the contractor's incurred and estimated costs;

(2) Reviewing the financial and accounting aspects of the contractor's cost control systems; and

(3) Performing other analyses and reviews that require access to the contractor's financial and accounting records supporting proposed and incurred costs.

(b) Normally, for contractors other than educational institutions and nonprofit organizations, the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) is the responsible Government audit agency. However, there may be instances where an agency other than DCAA desires cognizance of a particular contractor. In those instances, the two agencies shall agree on the most efficient and economical approach to meet contract audit requirements. For educational institutions (defined as institutions of higher education in the OMB Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR part 200, subpart A, and 20 U.S.C. 1001) and nonprofit organizations (as defined in the OMB Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR part 200), audit cognizance will be determined according to the provisions of the OMB Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR part 200, subpart F.

← 42.003 Cognizant Federal agency. · 42.102 Assignment of contract audit services. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 42

Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.

FAR 42.101 Contract audit responsibilities · SpendQuery