(a) This clause applies to Additional Item Requirements (AIR), also known as growth and emergent work ordered by the Contracting Officer pursuant to the Changes—Ship Repair clause or mutually agreed upon by the parties. The contractor shall perform AIR at the labor billing rates designated in the Schedule, as described in paragraph (c) of this clause. The AIR handling fee designated in the Schedule shall be the sole fee used for direct material purchases and subcontractor handling. The estimated quantity of labor hours and handling fees represent the Government's best estimate for growth that may be required throughout the contract performance period. All growth work shall be paid at the prices stated in the Schedule.

(b) The contractor shall take into account the potential for ordering all estimated AIR quantities in developing the Production Schedule. The ordering of any portion of the AIR quantities does not in itself warrant an extension to the original contract completion date; however, for planning purposes, the Government anticipates ordering AIR in accordance with the following schedule:

(1) No more than 75% of the hours during the first half of the contract period of performance.

(2) No more than 50% of the hours during the third quarter of the contract period of performance.

(3) No more than 30% of the hours during the fourth quarter of the contract period of performance.

(c) The AIR labor rate shall be a flat, hourly rate to cover the entire effort and shall be burdened to include:

(1) Direct production labor hour functions only. Direct production labor hours are hours of skilled labor at the journeyman level expended in direct production. Direct production is defined as work performed by a qualified craftsman that is directly related to the alteration, modification, or repair of the item or system identified as needing alteration, modification, or repair. The following functions are identified as direct production: Abrasive Cleaning/Water Blasting, Tank Cleaning, Welding, Burning, Brazing, Blacksmithing, Machining (inside and outside), Carpentry, Electrical/Electronic Work, Crane Operation, Shipfitting, Lagging/Insulating, Painting, Boilermaking, Pipe Fitting, Engineering (Production), Sheetmetal Work, Staging/Scaffolding, and Rigging.

(2) Non-production labor hours (whether charged directly or indirectly by contractor's accounting system) shall be for labor in support of production functions. For purposes of this clause, support functions are defined as functions that do not directly contribute to the alteration, modification, or repair of the item or system identified as needing alteration, modification, or repair. Necessary support functions should be priced into the burdened rate for production labor hours. Examples of support functions include: Testing, Quality Assurance (inspection), Engineering (support), Planning (including involvement of craft foreman/journeyman in planning a task), Estimating (including determination of necessary materials and equipment needed to perform a task), Material Handling, Set-up (moving tools and equipment from shop to ship to perform a task), Fire Watch, General Labor (including general support of journeyman tasks), Cleaning (including debris pickup and removal), Surveying, Security, Transportation, Supervision, and Lofting (sail/pattern making).

(d) Additional Item Requirements do not include replacement work performed pursuant to the Inspection and Manner of Doing Work or Guarantees clauses.

(e) It is the Government's intention to award any growth work identified during the repair to the contractor, if a fair and reasonable price can be negotiated for such work, based upon Schedule rates. If a fair and reasonable price cannot be negotiated, the Government may, at its discretion, obtain services outside of the contract. Such services may be performed while the ship is undergoing repair in the contractor's facility pursuant to the Access to Vessels clause.

(f) The contractor shall submit to the Contracting Officer the following information in all AIR proposals:

(1) Number of labor hours estimated; broken down by specific direct production labor category.

(2) Material estimates, individually broken out and priced. When requested by the Contracting Officer, material quotes shall be provided.

(3) Subcontractor estimates, individually broken out and priced along with the actual subcontractor quotes. The requirement to submit subcontractor quotes may be waived if deemed appropriate by the Contracting Officer.

(4) Material/subcontractor handling fee and the basis for the fee.

(g) The contractor shall not be entitled to payment for any hours ordered pursuant to this clause until such time as a written contract modification is executed.