(a) Test Program. In accordance with 15 U.S.C. 637 note, DoD has established a test program to determine whether comprehensive subcontracting plans on a corporate, division, or plant-wide basis will reduce administrative burdens while enhancing subcontracting opportunities for small and small disadvantaged business concerns. This program is referred to as the Test Program for Negotiation of Comprehensive Small Business Subcontracting Plans (Test Program).

(b) Eligibility requirements. To become and remain eligible to participate in the Test Program, a business concern is required to have furnished supplies or services (including construction) under at least three DoD contracts during the preceding fiscal year, having an aggregate value of at least $100 million.

(c) Comprehensive subcontracting plans. (1) The Defense Contract Management Agency will designate the contracting officer who shall negotiate and approve comprehensive subcontracting plans with eligible participants on an annual basis.

(2) Test Program participants use their comprehensive subcontracting plans, in lieu of individual subcontracting plans, when performing any DoD contract or subcontract that requires a subcontracting plan.

(d) Assessment. The contracting officer designated to manage the comprehensive subcontracting plan shall conduct a compliance review during the fiscal year after the close of the fiscal year for which the plan is applicable. The contracting officer shall compare the approved percentage or dollar goals to the total, actual subcontracting dollars covered by the comprehensive subcontracting plan.

(1) If the contractor has failed to meet its approved subcontracting goal(s), the contracting officer shall give the contractor written notice specifying the failure, advising of the potential for assessment of liquidated damages, permitting the contractor to demonstrate what good faith efforts have been made, and providing a period of 15 working days (or longer period at the contracting officer's discretion) within which to respond. The contracting officer may take the contractor's failure to respond to the notice as an admission that no valid explanation exists.

(2) The contracting officer shall review all available information to determine whether the contractor has failed to make a good faith effort to comply with the plan.

(3) If, after consideration of all relevant information, the contracting officer determines that the contractor failed to make a good faith effort to comply with the comprehensive subcontracting plan, the contracting officer shall issue a final decision. The contracting officer's final decision shall include the right of the contractor to appeal under the Disputes clause. The contracting officer shall distribute a copy of the final decision to all cognizant contracting officers for the contracts covered under the plan.

(e) Liquidated damages. The amount of liquidated damages shall be the amount of anticipated damages sustained by the Government, including but not limited to additional expenses of administration, reporting, and contract monitoring, and shall be identified in the comprehensive subcontracting plan. Liquidated damages shall be in addition to any other remedies the Government may have.

(f) Expiration date. The Test Program expires on December 31, 2017.

[83 FR 15998, Apr. 13, 2018]