FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2
FAR 52.214-26 Audit and Records—Sealed Bidding.
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 gives the government the right to audit and examine the contractor's records related to certified cost or pricing data submitted for contract modifications. It also requires the contractor to keep those records available for a specified period and to include this clause in certain subcontracts.
Applies to: Contractors under sealed bidding contracts that involve certified cost or pricing data for modifications
What it requires
- Make records available at its office at all reasonable times for examination, audit, or reproduction until 3 years after final payment, or longer if required by FAR Subpart 4.7.
- If the contract is terminated, make records relating to the terminated work available for 3 years after final termination settlement.
- Make records pertaining to appeals, litigation, or claims available until disposition of such appeals, litigation, or claims.
- Insert a clause containing all the provisions of this clause, including paragraph (e), in all subcontracts expected to exceed the threshold for submission of certified cost or pricing data in FAR 15.403-4(a)(1) on the date of subcontract award.
Key terms: records · certified cost or pricing data · Contracting Officer · Comptroller General · subcontracts
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 14.201-7(a)(1), insert the following clause:
Audit and Records—Sealed Bidding (JUN 2020)
(a) As used in this clause, records includes books, documents, accounting procedures and practices, and other data, regardless of type and regardless of whether such items are in written form, in the form of computer data, or in any other form.
(b) Certified cost or pricing data. If the Contractor has been required to submit certified cost or pricing data in connection with the pricing of any modification to this contract, the Contracting Officer, or an authorized representative of the Contracting Officer, in order to evaluate the accuracy, completeness, and currency of the certified cost or pricing data, shall have the right to examine and audit all of the Contractor's records, including computations and projections, related to—
(1) The proposal for the modification;
(2) The discussions conducted on the proposal(s), including those related to negotiating;
(3) Pricing of the modification; or
(4) Performance of the modification.
(c) Comptroller General. In the case of pricing any modification, the Comptroller General of the United States, or an authorized representative, shall have the same rights as specified in paragraph (b) of this clause and also the right to interview any current employee regarding such transactions.
(d) Availability. The Contractor shall make available at its office at all reasonable times the materials described in paragraph (b) of this clause, for examination, audit, or reproduction, until 3 years after final payment under this contract, or for any other period specified in subpart 4.7 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). FAR Subpart 4.7, Contractor Records Retention, in effect on the data of this contract, is incorporated by reference in its entirety and made a part of this contract.
(1) If this contract is completely or partially terminated, the records relating to the work terminated shall be made available for 3 years after any resulting final termination settlement.
(2) Records pertaining to appeals under the Disputes clause or to litigation or the settlement of claims arising under or relating to the performance of this contract shall be made available until disposition of such appeals, litigation, or claims.
(e) Subcontracts. The Contractor shall insert a clause containing all the provisions of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts expected to exceed the threshold for submission of certified cost or pricing data in FAR 15.403-4(a)(1) on the date of subcontract award.
(End of clause)
Alternate I (MAR 2009). As prescribed in 14.201-7(a)(2),substitute the following paragraphs (c) and (e) for paragraphs (c) and (e) of the basic clause:
(c) The Comptroller General of the United States, an appropriate Inspector General appointed under section 3 or 8G of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), or an authorized representative of either of the foregoing officials, shall have access to and the right to—
(1) Examine any of the Contractor's or any subcontractors' records that pertain to, and involve transactions relating to, this contract or a subcontract hereunder; and
(2) Interview any officer or employee regarding such transactions.
(e)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2), the Contractor shall insert a clause containing the provisions of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts.
(2) The authority of the Inspector General under paragraph (c)(2) of this clause does not flow down to subcontracts.
Sections it refers to
← 52.214-25 Step Two of Two-Step Sealed Bidding. · 52.214-27 Price Reduction for Defective Certified Cost or Pricing Data—Modifications—Sealed Bidding. →
Rule changes for FAR Part 52
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Parts 8, 12, 13, 15, 38, 44, and 51 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 16, 17, and 35 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 9, 27, and 47 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 14, 28, 36, and 52 ↗ · proposed 2026-09-18 · comments due 2026-10-19
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 3 and 49 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 5, 24, and 29 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 6, 7, 10, 18, 26, 37, and 41 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
- Federal Acquisition Regulation: Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 1, 2, 4, 33, 39, 40, and 53 ↗ · proposed 2026-06-23 · comments due 2026-07-23
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.