FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2
FAR 52.216-26 Payments of Allowable Costs Before Definitization.
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 governs how the Government reimburses a contractor for allowable costs incurred under a letter contract before a definitive contract is placed. It sets reimbursement rates for different cost types, caps total reimbursement at 85 percent of the Government's maximum liability, and describes invoicing, allowable cost definitions, and audit rights. It matters because it controls how much and how often a contractor can be paid during this interim period.
Applies to: Contractors operating under a letter contract that incorporates this clause
What it requires
- Submit invoices or vouchers supported by a statement of claimed allowable costs, in the form and detail the Contracting Officer's representative requires
- Except for small business concerns, request payments no more often than every 2 weeks
- Ensure payments determined due to subcontractors are made in accordance with subcontract or invoice terms and ordinarily within 30 days of the payment request to the Government
- Accept that payments may be reduced for amounts found not to be allowable costs or adjusted for overpayments or underpayments
Key terms: letter contract · definitization · allowable costs · financing payments · small business concern
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As prescribed in 16.603-4(c), insert the following clause:
Payments of Allowable Costs Before Definitization (DEC 2002)
(a) Reimbursement rate. Pending the placing of the definitive contract referred to in this letter contract, the Government will promptly reimburse the Contractor for all allowable costs under this contract at the following rates:
(1) One hundred percent of approved costs representing financing payments to subcontractors under fixed-price subcontracts, provided that the Government's payments to the Contractor will not exceed 80 percent of the allowable costs of those subcontractors.
(2) One hundred percent of approved costs representing cost-reimbursement subcontracts; provided, that the Government's payments to the Contractor shall not exceed 85 percent of the allowable costs of those subcontractors.
(3) Eighty-five percent of all other approved costs.
(b) Limitation of reimbursement. To determine the amounts payable to the Contractor under this letter contract, the Contracting Officer shall determine allowable costs in accordance with the applicable cost principles in part 31 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The total reimbursement made under this paragraph shall not exceed 85 percent of the maximum amount of the Government's liability, as stated in this contract.
(c) Invoicing. Payments shall be made promptly to the Contractor when requested as work progresses, but (except for small business concerns) not more often than every 2 weeks, in amounts approved by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor may submit to an authorized representative of the Contracting Officer, in such form and reasonable detail as the representative may require, an invoice or voucher supported by a statement of the claimed allowable cost incurred by the Contractor in the performance of this contract.
(d) Allowable costs. For the purpose of determining allowable costs, the term costs includes—
(1) Those recorded costs that result, at the time of the request for reimbursement, from payment by cash, check, or other form of actual payment for items or services purchased directly for the contract;
(2) When the Contractor is not delinquent in payment of costs of contract performance in the ordinary course of business, costs incurred, but not necessarily paid, for—
(i) Supplies and services purchased directly for the contract and associated financing payments to subcontractors, provided payments determined due will be made—
(A) In accordance with the terms and conditions of a subcontract or invoice; and
(B) Ordinarily within 30 days of the submission of the Contractor's payment request to the Government;
(ii) Materials issued from the Contractor's stores inventory and placed in the production process for use on the contract;
(iii) Direct labor;
(iv) Direct travel;
(v) Other direct in-house costs; and
(vi) Properly allocable and allowable indirect costs as shown on the records maintained by the Contractor for purposes of obtaining reimbursement under Government contracts; and
(3) The amount of financing payments that the Contractor has paid by cash, check, or other forms of payment to subcontractors.
(e) Small business concerns. A small business concern may receive more frequent payments than every 2 weeks.
(f) Audit. At any time before final payment, the Contracting Officer may have the Contractor's invoices or vouchers and statements of costs audited. Any payment may be (1) reduced by any amounts found by the Contracting Officer not to constitute allowable costs or (2) adjusted for overpayments or underpayments made on preceding invoices or vouchers.
(End of clause)
Sections it refers to
- 16.603-4 Contract clauses.
Sections that refer to it
- 16.603-4 Contract clauses.
- 217.7404-3 Definitization schedule.
- 252.217-7027 Contract Definitization.
← 52.216-25 Contract Definitization. · 52.216-27 Single or Multiple Awards. →
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.