FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2
FAR 52.216-15 Predetermined Indirect Cost Rates.
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 requires the contractor to submit a final indirect cost rate proposal within six months after each fiscal year, supported by actual cost data. The parties then agree on predetermined indirect cost rates for future periods, which are used to reimburse allowable indirect costs instead of the usual allowable cost and payment process.
Applies to: Contractors with this clause in their contract
What it requires
- Submit an adequate final indirect cost rate proposal to the Contracting Officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) and auditor within 6 months after each fiscal year.
- Support the proposal with adequate supporting data.
- Base proposed rates on actual cost experience for that period.
- Negotiate and execute a written indirect cost rate agreement for subsequent periods.
Key terms: predetermined indirect cost rates · final indirect cost rate proposal · Allowable Cost and Payment clause · indirect cost rate agreement · bases
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 16.307(g), insert the following clause:
Predetermined Indirect Cost Rates (APR 1998)
(a) Notwithstanding the Allowable Cost and Payment clause of this contract, the allowable indirect costs under this contract shall be obtained by applying predetermined indirect cost rates to bases agreed upon by the parties, as specified below.
(b)(1) The Contractor shall submit an adequate final indirect cost rate proposal to the Contracting Officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) and auditor within the 6-month period following the expiration of each of its fiscal years. Reasonable extensions, for exceptional circumstances only, may be requested in writing by the Contractor and granted in writing by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor shall support its proposal with adequate supporting data.
(2) The proposed rates shall be based on the Contractor's actual cost experience for that period. The appropriate Government representative and the Contractor shall establish the final indirect cost rates as promptly as practical after receipt of the Contractor's proposal.
(c) Allowability of costs and acceptability of cost allocation methods shall be determined in accordance with FAR subpart 31.3 in effect on the date of this contract.
(d) Predetermined rate agreements in effect on the date of this contract shall be incorporated into the contract Schedule. The Contracting Officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) and Contractor shall negotiate rates for subsequent periods and execute a written indirect cost rate agreement setting forth the results. The agreement shall specify (1) the agreed-upon predetermined indirect cost rates, (2) the bases to which the rates apply, (3) the period for which the rates apply, and (4) the specific items treated as direct costs or any changes in the items previously agreed to be direct costs. The indirect cost rate agreement shall not change any monetary ceiling, contract obligation, or specific cost allowance or disallowance provided for in this contract. The agreement is incorporated into this contract upon execution.
(e) Pending establishment of predetermined indirect cost rates for any fiscal year (or other period agreed to by the parties), the Contractor shall be reimbursed either at the rates fixed for the previous fiscal year (or other period) or at billing rates acceptable to the Contracting Officer (or cognizant Federal agency official), subject to appropriate adjustment when the final rates for that period are established.
(f) Any failure by the parties to agree on any predetermined indirect cost rates under this clause shall not be considered a dispute within the meaning of the Disputes clause. If for any fiscal year (or other period specified in the Schedule) the parties fail to agree to predetermined indirect cost rates, the allowable indirect costs shall be obtained by applying final indirect cost rates established in accordance with the Allowable Cost and Payment clause.
(g) Allowable indirect costs for the period from the beginning of performance until the end of the Contractor's fiscal year (or other period specified in the Schedule) shall be obtained using the predetermined indirect cost rates and the bases shown in the Schedule.
(End of clause)
Sections it refers to
- 16.307 Contract clauses.
← 52.216-13-52.216-14 [Reserved] · 52.216-16 Incentive Price Revision—Firm Target. →
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.