Award Fee for End Item Contracts (AUG 2016)

(a) The contractor can earn award fee, or base fee, if any, from a minimum of zero dollars to the maximum stated in NASA FAR Supplement clause 1852.216-85, “Estimated Cost and Award Fee” in this contract. All award fee evaluations, with the exception of the last evaluation, will be interim evaluations. At the last evaluation, which is final, the Contractor's performance for the entire contract will be evaluated to determine total earned award fee. No award fee or base fee will be paid to the Contractor if the final award fee evaluation is “poor/unsatisfactory.”

(b) Beginning 6* months after the effective date of this contract, the Government will evaluate the Contractor's interim performance every 6* months to monitor Contractor performance prior to contract completion and to provide feedback to the Contractor. The evaluation will be performed in accordance with [identify performance evaluation plan] to this contract. The Contractor may submit a self-evaluation of performance for each period under consideration. These self-evaluations will be considered by the Government in its evaluation. The Government will advise the Contractor in writing of the evaluation results. The plan may be revised unilaterally by the Government prior to the beginning of any rating period to redirect emphasis.

(c)(1) Base fee, if applicable, will be paid in [Insert “monthly”, or less frequent period] installments based on the percent of completion of the work as determined by the Contracting Officer.

(2) Interim award fee payments will be made to the Contractor based on each interim evaluation. The amount of the interim award fee payment is limited to the lesser of the interim evaluation score or 80 percent of the fee allocated to that period less any provisional payments made during the period. All interim award fee payments will be superseded by the final award fee determination.

(3) Provisional award fee payments will [insert “not” if applicable] be made under this contract pending each interim evaluation. If applicable, provisional award fee payments will be made to the Contractor on a [insert the frequency of provisional payments (not more often than monthly)] basis. The amount of award fee which will be provisionally paid in each evaluation period is limited to [Insert a percent not to exceed 80 percent] of the prior interim evaluation score (see [insert applicable cite]), except for the first evaluation period which is limited to [insert a percent not to exceed 80 percent] of the available award fee for that evaluation period. Provisional award fee payments made each evaluation period will be superseded by the interim award fee evaluation for that period. If provisional payments made exceed the interim evaluation score, the Contractor will either credit the next payment voucher for the amount of such overpayment or refund the difference to the Government, as directed by the Contracting Officer. If the Government determines that (i) the total amount of provisional fee payments will apparently substantially exceed the anticipated final evaluation score, or (ii) the prior interim evaluation is “poor/unsatisfactory,” the Contracting Officer will direct the suspension or reduction of the future payments and/or request a prompt refund of excess payments as appropriate. Written notification of the determination will be provided to the Contractor with a copy to the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (Finance).

(4) All interim (and provisional, if applicable) fee payments will be superseded by the fee determination made in the final award fee evaluation. The Government will then pay the Contractor, or the Contractor will refund to the Government the difference between the final award fee determination and the cumulative interim (and provisional, if applicable) fee payments. If the final award fee evaluation is “poor/unsatisfactory”, any base fee paid will be refunded to the Government.

(5) Payment of base fee, if applicable, will be made based on submission of an invoice by the Contractor. Payment of award fee will be made by the [insert payment office] based on [Insert method of making award fee payment, e.g., issuance of a unilateral modification by the Contracting Officer].

(d) The Contracting Officer may direct the withholding of interim award fee payments until a reserve is set aside in an amount that the Contracting Officer considers necessary to protect the Government's interest relative to an orderly and timely closeout of the contract. This reserve shall not exceed 15 percent of the contracts total potential award fee or $100,000, whichever is less.

(e) Award fee determinations are unilateral decisions made solely at the discretion of the Government.

* [A period of time greater or lesser than 6 months may be substituted in accordance with 1816.405-272(a).]