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

FAR 52.247-16 Contractor Responsibility for Returning Undelivered Freight.

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 explains what a transportation contractor must do when a shipment cannot be delivered. If the failure is not the contractor's fault, the contractor contacts the shipper for instructions and any return trip is charged at the same rate as the outbound trip. If the failure is the contractor's fault, the contractor must return the shipment to the origin at no cost to the Government and cover excess redelivery charges.

Applies to: Transportation and transportation-related services contractors responsible for returning undelivered freight

What it requires

  • Contact the shipper for disposition instructions when a shipment cannot be delivered through no fault of the Contractor
  • Return the shipment to the origin point at no charge to the Government when the delivery failure is the Contractor's fault
  • Cover any redelivery charges that exceed what would have been incurred under the contract when the failure is the Contractor's fault

Key terms: undelivered freight · disposition instructions · origin point · outbound trip · Default clause

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

The text

As prescribed in 47.207-5(f), insert the following clause in solicitations and contracts for transportation or for transportation-related services when the contractor is responsible for returning undelivered freight:

Contractor Responsibility for Returning Undelivered Freight (APR 1984)

(a) When, through no fault of the Contractor, a shipment cannot be delivered, the Contractor shall contact the shipper for disposition instructions. If the shipment is ordered returned to the origin point, the charges assessed for the return trip shall be the same as the charges assessed for the outbound trip. The shipper shall maintain a record of the goods that, through no fault of the Contractor, could not be delivered and are returned to the shipper. If, at a future date, the returned goods are determined to be related to a claim against the Contractor, the claim will be adjusted accordingly.

(b) When, through the fault of the Contractor, a shipment cannot be delivered, the Contractor shall return the shipment to the origin point at no charge to the Government. Any charges incurred for redelivery, which are in excess of the charges that would have been incurred under this contract, shall be for the Contractor's account in accordance with the Default clause of the contract.

(End of clause)

Sections it refers to

Sections that refer to it

← 52.247-15 Contractor Responsibility for Loading and Unloading. · 52.247-17 Charges. →

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 52.247-16 Contractor Responsibility for Returning Undelivered Freight · SpendQuery