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FAR and DFARS › FAR Part 52: Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses › Subpart 52.2

FAR 52.242-17 Government Delay of Work.

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 lets a contractor request a cost adjustment, excluding profit, when the Contracting Officer delays or interrupts work through an unauthorized act or a failure to act on time. It also allows delivery or performance dates and other affected terms to be adjusted. The clause sets notice and claim deadlines that a contractor must meet to recover.

Applies to: Contractors whose work is delayed or interrupted by certain Contracting Officer acts or failures to act under this contract

What it requires

  • Notify the Contracting Officer in writing of the act or failure to act involved
  • Assert the claim in writing, in a stated amount, as soon as practicable after the delay or interruption ends, but no later than the day of final payment

Key terms: Contracting Officer · adjustment (excluding profit) · delay or interruption · final payment · claim

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

The text

As prescribed in 42.1305(c), insert the following clause:

Government Delay of Work (APR 1984)

(a) If the performance of all or any part of the work of this contract is delayed or interrupted (1) by an act of the Contracting Officer in the administration of this contract that is not expressly or impliedly authorized by this contract, or (2) by a failure of the Contracting Officer to act within the time specified in this contract, or within a reasonable time if not specified, an adjustment (excluding profit) shall be made for any increase in the cost of performance of this contract caused by the delay or interruption and the contract shall be modified in writing accordingly. Adjustment shall also be made in the delivery or performance dates and any other contractual term or condition affected by the delay or interruption. However, no adjustment shall be made under this clause for any delay or interruption to the extent that performance would have been delayed or interrupted by any other cause, including the fault or negligence of the Contractor, or for which an adjustment is provided or excluded under any other term or condition of this contract.

(b) A claim under this clause shall not be allowed (1) for any costs incurred more than 20 days before the Contractor shall have notified the Contracting Officer in writing of the act or failure to act involved, and (2) unless the claim, in an amount stated, is asserted in writing as soon as practicable after the termination of the delay or interruption, but not later than the day of final payment under the contract.

(End of clause)

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 52.242-16 [Reserved] · 52.243-1 Changes—Fixed-Price. →

Rule changes for FAR Part 52

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

FAR 52.242-17 Government Delay of Work · SpendQuery