1. The Truth In Negotiations Act (TINA) Defective Pricing
National Contract Management Association – Cape Canaveral Chapter
The Truth In Negotiations Act (TINA) Defective Pricing
K. D. “Ken” Bricker, CPA, DABFA
Partner-In-Charge , Government Contractor Consulting Services
Goodman & Company, LLP
Worldwide Consulting
(757) or (703)

2. TINA Basics Statutory Provisions: FAR Provisions: Covers:
41 U.S.C. 254b
10 U.S.C. 2306a
FAR Provisions:
15.4
Covers:
Submission of Cost or Pricing Data
Certification of Cost or Pricing Data
Pricing Policy
Proposal Analysis
Price Reduction Clause

3. Required Cost or Pricing Data
The head of an executive agency shall require offerors, contractors, and subcontractors to make cost or pricing data available as follows:
41 U.S.C. 254b and 10 U.S.C. 2306a both state that: in the case of a prime contract entered into after October 13, 1994, the price of a contract to the United States is expected to exceed $500,000.
The FAR states that the contracting officer must obtain cost or pricing data only if the contracting officer concludes that none of the exceptions in (b) applies… …The threshold for obtaining cost or pricing data is $650,000.
But, the laws also state that, effective on October 1 of each year that is divisible by 5, each amount set forth in paragraph (1) shall be adjusted to the amount that is equal to the fiscal year 1994 constant dollar value of the amount set forth. Any amount, as so adjusted, that in not evenly divisible by $50,000 shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $50,000, the amount shall be rounded to the next higher multiple of $50,000.

4. Pricing Policy and Obtaining Cost or Pricing Data
FAR (a) The Contracting Officer Must purchase supplies and services from responsible sources at fair and reasonable prices. In establishing the reasonableness of the offered prices, the contracting officer must not obtain more information than is necessary.
When the prices are set by law
When a commercial item is being acquired
The exercise of an option at the price established at contract award or initial negotiation does not require submission of cost or pricing data
When a waiver has been granted
When the prices are based upon adequate price competition

5. Price Set by Law Federal State Statute, Regulation, or Rule
Any Authoritative governmental, regulatory or adjudicative body
Utilities
Anthrax

6. Commercial Items “Commercial item” means --
(1) Any item, other than real property, that is of a type customarily used by the general public or by non-governmental entities for purposes other than governmental purposes, and--
(i) Has been sold, leased, or licensed to the general public; or,
(ii) Has been offered for sale, lease, or license to the general public;
(2) Any item that evolved from an item described in paragraph (1) of this definition through advances in technology or performance and that is not yet available in the commercial marketplace, but will be available in the commercial marketplace in time to satisfy the delivery requirements under a Government solicitation;
(3) Any item that would satisfy a criterion expressed in paragraphs (1) or (2) of this definition, but for --
(i) Modifications of a type customarily available in the commercial marketplace; or
(ii) Minor modifications of a type not customarily available in the commercial marketplace made to meet Federal Government requirements. Minor modifications means modifications that do not significantly alter the nongovernmental function or essential physical characteristics of an item or component, or change the purpose of a process. Factors to be considered in determining whether a modification is minor include the value and size of the modification and the comparative value and size of the final product. Dollar values and percentages may be used as guideposts, but are not conclusive evidence that a modification is minor;
(4) Any combination of items meeting the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), (3), or (5) of this definition that are of a type customarily combined and sold in combination to the general public;

7. Commercial Items (Continued)
(5) Installation services, maintenance services, repair services, training services, and other services if--
(i) Such services are procured for support of an item referred to in paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) of this definition, regardless of whether such services are provided by the same source or at the same time as the item; and
(ii) The source of such services provides similar services contemporaneously to the general public under terms and conditions similar to those offered to the Federal Government;
(6) Services of a type offered and sold competitively in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace based on established catalog or market prices for specific tasks performed or specific outcomes to be achieved and under standard commercial terms and conditions. For purposes of these services—
(i) “Catalog price” means a price included in a catalog, price list, schedule, or other form that is regularly maintained by the manufacturer or vendor, is either published or otherwise available for inspection by customers, and states prices at which sales are currently, or were last, made to a significant number of buyers constituting the general public; and
(ii) “Market prices” means current prices that are established in the course of ordinary trade between buyers and sellers free to bargain and that can be substantiated through competition or from sources independent of the offerors.
(7) Any item, combination of items, or service referred to in paragraphs (1) through (6) of this definition, notwithstanding the fact that the item, combination of items, or service is transferred between or among separate divisions, subsidiaries, or affiliates of a contractor; or
(8) A nondevelopmental item, if the procuring agency determines the item was developed exclusively at private expense and sold in substantial quantities, on a competitive basis, to multiple State and local governments.

8. Commercial Items (Continued)
(1) At a minimum, the contracting officer must use price analysis to determine whether the price is fair and reasonable whenever the contracting officer acquires a commercial item (see (b)). The fact that is price is included in a catalog does not in and of itself, make it fair and reasonable. If the contracting officer cannot determine whether an offered price is fair and reasonable, even after obtaining additional information from sources other than the offeror, then the contracting officer must require the offeror to submit information other than cost or pricing data to support further analysis (see ).

9. Exercise of an Option What constitutes an option? Multiple Award
Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity

10. Granting a Waiver
(4) Waivers. The head of the contracting activity (HCA) may, without power of delegation, waive the requirement for submission of cost or pricing data in exceptional cases. The authorization for the waiver and the supporting rationale shall be in writing. The HCA may consider waiving the requirement if the price can be determined to be fair and reasonable without submission of cost or pricing data. For example, if cost or pricing data were furnished on previous production buys and the contracting officer determines such data are sufficient, when combined with updated information, a waiver may be granted. If the HCA has waived the requirement for submission of cost or pricing data, the contractor or higher-tier subcontractor to whom the waiver relates shall be considered as having been required to provide cost or pricing data. Consequently, award of any lower-tier subcontract expected to exceed the cost or pricing data threshold requires the submission of cost or pricing data unless--
(i) An exception otherwise applies to the subcontract; or
(ii) The waiver specifically includes that subcontract and the rationale supporting the waiver for that subcontract.

11. Adequate Price Competition
(1) Adequate price competition. A price is based on adequate price competition if --
(i) Two or more responsible offerors, competing independently, submit priced offers that satisfy the Government’s expressed requirement and if --
(A) Award will be made to the offeror whose proposal represents the best value (see 2.101) where price is a substantial factor in source selection; and
(B) There is no finding that the price of the otherwise successful offeror is unreasonable. Any finding that the price is unreasonable must be supported by a statement of the facts and approved at a level above the contracting officer;

12. Adequate Price Competition (Continued)
(ii) There was a reasonable expectation, based on market research or other assessment, that two or more responsible offerors, competing independently, would submit priced offers in response to the solicitation’s expressed requirement, even though only one offer is received from a responsible offeror and if --
(A) Based on the offer received, the contracting officer can reasonably conclude that the offer was submitted with the expectation of competition, e.g., circumstances indicate that --
(1) The offeror believed that at least one other offeror was capable of submitting a meaningful offer; and
(2) The offeror had no reason to believe that other potential offerors did not intend
to submit an offer; and (B) The determination that the proposed price is based on adequate price competition, is reasonable, and is approved at a level above the contracting officer; or

13. Adequate Price Competition (Continued)
(iii) Price analysis clearly demonstrates that the proposed price is reasonable in comparison with current or recent prices for the same or similar items, adjusted to reflect changes in market conditions, economic conditions, quantities, or terms and conditions under contracts that resulted from adequate price competition
U.S.C

14. Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data
(a) When cost or pricing data are required, the contracting officer must require the contractor to execute a Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data, using the format in this paragraph, and must include the executed certificate in the contract file.
Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data
This is to certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the cost or pricing data (as defined in section of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and required under FAR subsection ) submitted, either actually or by specific identification in writing, to the Contracting Officer or to the Contracting Officer’s representative in support of ____* are accurate, complete, and current as of ____**. This certification includes the cost or pricing data supporting any advance agreements and forward pricing rate agreements between the offeror and the Government that are part of the proposal.
Firm ____________________________________________________ Signature ________________________________________________ Name ___________________________________________________ Title ____________________________________________________ Date of execution*** _______________________________________
* Identify the proposal, request for price adjustment, or other submission involved, giving the appropriate identifying number (e.g., RFP No.).
** Insert the day, month, and year when price negotiations were concluded and price agreement was reached or, if applicable, an earlier date agreed upon between the parties that is as close as practicable to the date of agreement on price.
*** Insert the day, month, and year of signing, which should be as close as practicable to the date when the price negotiations were concluded and the contract price was agreed to.
(End of certificate)

15. Certificate of Cost or Pricing Data (Continued)
(b) The certificate does not constitute a representation as to the accuracy of the contractor’s judgment on the estimate of future costs or projections. It applies to the data upon which the judgment or estimate was based. This distinction between fact and judgment should be clearly understood. If the contractor had information reasonably available at the time of agreement showing that the negotiated price was not based on accurate, complete, and current data, the contractor’s responsibility is not limited by any lack of personal knowledge of the information on the part of its negotiators.
(c) The contracting officer and contractor are encouraged to reach a prior agreement on criteria for establishing closing or cutoff dates when appropriate in order to minimize delays associated with proposal updates. Closing or cutoff dates should be included as part of the data submitted with the proposal and, before agreement on price, data should be updated by the contractor to the latest closing or cutoff dates for which the data are available. Use of cutoff dates coinciding with reports is acceptable, as certain data may not be reasonably available before normal periodic closing dates (e.g., actual indirect costs). Data within the contractor’s or a subcontractor’s organization on matters significant to contractor management and to the Government will be treated as reasonably available. What is significant depends upon the circumstances of each acquisition.
(d) Possession of a Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data is not a substitute for examining and analyzing the contractor’s proposal.
(e) If cost or pricing data are requested by the Government and submitted by an offeror, but an exception is later found to apply, the data shall not be considered cost or pricing data and shall not be certified in accordance with this subsection.

16. Cost or Pricing Data
…all facts that, as of the date of price agreement or, if applicable, an earlier date agreed upon between the parties that is as close to practicable to the date of the agreement on price, prudent buyers and sellers would reasonably expect to affect price negotiations significantly…
FAR 2.101

17. Cost or Pricing Data Examples
Vendor quotes
Nonrecurring costs
Changes in production
Data supporting business projections
Unit cost trends
Make/buy decisions
Estimated resources
Management decisions
Labor rates
Materials
Overhead
Profit
Mobilization and demobilization
Transportation
Testing

18. When required… …the contractor must provide data that is: Factual
Verifiable
Relevant to determining:
Validity of costs previously incurred
Soundness of estimates of future costs
The contractor is not required to submit judgmental matters

19. Defective Pricing

20. Defective Pricing Before agreement on Price
the contracting officer learns that any cost or pricing data submitted are inaccurate, incomplete, or noncurrent, the contracting officer shall immediately bring the matter to the attention of the prospective contractor, whether the defective data increase or decrease the contract price. The contracting officer shall consider any new data submitted to correct the deficiency, or consider the inaccuracy, incompleteness, or non-currency of the data when negotiating the contract price. The price negotiation memorandum shall reflect the adjustments made to the data or the corrected data used to negotiate the contract price.

21. Defective Pricing (Continued)
If After Award
(1)cost or pricing data are found to be inaccurate, incomplete, or noncurrent as of the date of final agreement on price or an earlier date agreed upon by the parties given on the contractor’s or subcontractor’s Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data, the Government is entitled to a price adjustment, including profit or fee, of any significant amount by which the price was increased because of the defective data. This entitlement is ensured by including in the contract one of the clauses prescribed in (b) and (c) and is set forth in the clauses at , Price Reduction for Defective Cost or Pricing Data, and , Price Reduction for Defective Cost or Pricing Data -- Modifications. The clauses give the Government the right to a price adjustment for defects in cost or pricing data submitted by the contractor, a prospective subcontractor, or an actual subcontract
(2) In arriving at a price adjustment, the contracting officer shall consider the time by which the cost or pricing data became reasonably available to the contractor, and the extent to which the Government relied upon the defective data.
(3) The clauses referred to in paragraph (b)(1) of this subsection recognize that the Government’s right to a price adjustment is not affected by any of the following circumstances:
(i) The contractor or subcontractor was a sole source supplier or otherwise was in a superior bargaining position;
(ii) The contracting officer should have known that the cost or pricing data in issue were defective even though the contractor or subcontractor took no affirmative action to bring the character of the data to the attention of the contracting officer;
(iii) The contract was based on an agreement about the total cost of the contract and there was no agreement about the cost of each item procured under such contract; or
(iv) Cost or pricing data were required; however, the contractor or subcontractor did not submit a Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data relating to the contract.

22. Defective Pricing (Continued)
(4) Subject to paragraphs (b)(5) and (6) of this subsection, the contracting officer shall allow an offset for any understated cost or pricing data submitted in support of price negotiations, up to the amount of the Government’s claim for overstated pricing data arising out of the same pricing action (e.g., the initial pricing of the same contract or the pricing of the same change order).
(5) An offset shall be allowed only in an amount supported by the facts and if the contractor --
(i) Certifies to the contracting officer that, to the best of the contractor’s knowledge and belief, the contractor is entitled to the offset in the amount requested; and
(ii) Proves that the cost or pricing data were available before the “as of” date specified on the Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data but were not submitted. Such offsets need not be in the same cost groupings (e.g., material, direct labor, or indirect costs).
(6) An offset shall not be allowed if --
(i) The understated data were known by the contractor to be understated before the “as of” date specified on the Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data; or
(ii) The Government proves that the facts demonstrate that the price would not have increased in the amount to be offset even if the available data had been submitted before the “as of” date specified on the Certificate of Current Cost or Pricing Data.

23. Defective Pricing (Continued)
(7)
(i) In addition to the price adjustment, the Government is entitled to recovery of any overpayment plus interest on the overpayments. The Government is also entitled to penalty amounts on certain of these overpayments. Overpayment occurs only when payment is made for supplies or services accepted by the Government. Overpayments do not result from amounts paid for contract financing, as defined in
(ii) In calculating the interest amount due, the contracting officer shall --
(A) Determine the defective pricing amounts that have been overpaid to the contractor;
(B) Consider the date of each overpayment (the date of overpayment for this interest calculation shall be the date payment was made for the related completed and accepted contract items; or for subcontract defective pricing, the date payment was made to the prime contractor, based on prime contract progress billings or deliveries, which included payments for a completed and accepted subcontract item); and
(C) Apply the underpayment interest rate(s) in effect for each quarter from the time of overpayment to the time of repayment, utilizing rate(s) prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury under 26 U.S.C. 6621(a)(2).
(iii) In arriving at the amount due for penalties on contracts where the submission of defective cost or pricing data was a knowing submission, the contracting officer shall obtain an amount equal to the amount of overpayment made. Before taking any contractual actions concerning penalties, the contracting officer shall obtain the advice of counsel.
(iv) In the demand letter, the contracting officer shall separately include --
(A) The repayment amount;
(B) The penalty amount (if any);
(C) The interest amount through a specified date; and
(D) A statement that interest will continue to accrue until repayment is made.

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25. Questions