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part52.dev Federal Acquisition Clause Monitor
FAR Clause

52.214-26

Audit and Records—Sealed Bidding.
View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov
Effective Date
JUN 2020
Active Deviations
Versions
2 (since 2020-05-06)
RFO
RFO Version Available

The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul has published a revised version of this clause. The RFO version supersedes the eCFR text below for contracts using the RFO model; see the RFO deviation for applicability.

View RFO version
52.214-26 Audit and Records—Sealed Bidding.

As prescribed in 14.201-7(a)(1), insert the following clause:

Audit and Records—Sealed Bidding (JUN 2020)

(a) As used in this clause,
records
includes books, documents, accounting procedures and practices, and other data, regardless of type and regardless of whether such items are in written form, in the form of computer data, or in any other form.

(b)
Certified cost or pricing data.
If the Contractor has been required to submit certified cost or pricing data in connection with the pricing of any modification to this contract, the Contracting Officer, or an authorized representative of the Contracting Officer, in order to evaluate the accuracy, completeness, and currency of the certified cost or pricing data, shall have the right to examine and audit all of the Contractor's records, including computations and projections, related to—

(1) The proposal for the modification;

(2) The discussions conducted on the proposal(s), including those related to negotiating;

(3) Pricing of the modification; or

(4) Performance of the modification.

(c)
Comptroller General.
In the case of pricing any modification, the Comptroller General of the United States, or an authorized representative, shall have the same rights as specified in paragraph (b) of this clause and also the right to interview any current employee regarding such transactions.

(d)
Availability.
The Contractor shall make available at its office at all reasonable times the materials described in paragraph (b) of this clause, for examination, audit, or reproduction, until 3 years after final payment under this contract, or for any other period specified in subpart 4.7 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). FAR Subpart 4.7, Contractor Records Retention, in effect on the data of this contract, is incorporated by reference in its entirety and made a part of this contract.

(1) If this contract is completely or partially terminated, the records relating to the work terminated shall be made available for 3 years after any resulting final termination settlement.

(2) Records pertaining to appeals under the Disputes clause or to litigation or the settlement of claims arising under or relating to the performance of this contract shall be made available until disposition of such appeals, litigation, or claims.

(e)
Subcontracts.
The Contractor shall insert a clause containing all the provisions of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts expected to exceed the threshold for submission of certified cost or pricing data in FAR 15.403-4(a)(1) on the date of subcontract award.

(End of clause)

Alternate I
(MAR 2009). As prescribed in 14.201-7(a)(2),substitute the following paragraphs (c) and (e) for paragraphs (c) and (e) of the basic clause:

(c) The Comptroller General of the United States, an appropriate Inspector General appointed under section 3 or 8G of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), or an authorized representative of either of the foregoing officials, shall have access to and the right to—

(1) Examine any of the Contractor's or any subcontractors' records that pertain to, and involve transactions relating to, this contract or a subcontract hereunder; and

(2) Interview any officer or employee regarding such transactions.

(e)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2), the Contractor shall insert a clause containing the provisions of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts.

(2) The authority of the Inspector General under paragraph (c)(2) of this clause does not flow down to subcontracts.

[60 FR 42651, Aug. 16, 1995; 60 FR 44548, Aug. 28, 1995; 62 FR 51271, Sept. 30, 1997; 74 FR 14649, 14651, Mar. 31, 2009; 75 FR 34281, June 16, 2010; 75 FR 53150, Aug. 30, 2010; 85 FR 27093, May 6, 2020]
14.201-7(a)
(a) When contracting by sealed bidding, the contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.214-26, Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding, in solicitations and contracts as follows:

(1) Use the basic clause if-

(i) The acquisition will not use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5); and

(ii) The contract amount is expected to exceed the threshold at 15.403-4(a)(1) for submission of certified cost or pricing data.

(2)
(i) If the acquisition will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, use the clause with its Alternate I in all solicitations and contracts.

(ii) (A)

In the case of a bilateral contract modification that will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the contracting officer shall specify applicability of Alternate I to that modification.

(B)

In the case of a task- or delivery-order contract in which not all orders will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the contracting officer shall specify the task or delivery orders to which Alternate I applies.
Prescription data sourced from eCFR as of 2026-06-10 03:16 UTC. Cross-references within the prescription are not resolved automatically.

Regulatory Stack

The layers of regulation that govern this clause, from the FAR prescription through agency-specific supplements and any active deviations.

RFO RFO Version Overhauled clause text
The Revolutionary FAR Overhaul publishes a revised version of this clause. See the RFO Version tab for the controlling authority under the RFO model.

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FAR FAR Prescription 14.201-7(a)
(a) When contracting by sealed bidding, the contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.214-26, Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding, in solicitations and contracts as follows:

(1) Use the basic clause if-

(i) The acquisition will not use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5); and

(ii) The contract amount is expected to exceed the threshold at 15.403-4(a)(1) for submission of certified cost or pricing data.

(2)
(i) If the acquisition will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, use the clause with its Alternate I in all solicitations and contracts.

(ii) (A)

In the case of a bilateral contract modification that will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the contracting officer shall specify applicability of Alternate I to that modification.

(B)

In the case of a task- or delivery-order contract in which not all orders will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the contracting officer shall specify the task or delivery orders to which Alternate I applies.

View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov

Version History

Version history is sourced from the codified eCFR. Changes published only as class deviations or by the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul do not appear here until they are incorporated into the eCFR. For RFO-driven changes see the RFO Version tab and any active deviations cited above.

2 versions tracked from 2020-05-06 to 2020-06-05.
JUN 2020 June 5, 2020 CURRENT
Removed in this version
Added in this version
Unchanged
MAY 2020 (previous)
JUN 2020 (current)
11 added, 4 removed
(e)
(e) The Contractor shall insert a clause containing all the provisions of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts expected to exceed the threshold in FAR 15.403-4(a)(1) for submission of certified cost or pricing data. (End of clause) Alternate I (MAR 2009).
(e)
(e) Subcontracts. The Contractor shall insert a clause containing all the provisions of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts expected to exceed the threshold for submission of certified cost or pricing data in FAR 15.403-4(a)(1) on the date of subcontract award. (End of clause) Alternate I (MAR 2009).
MAY 2020 May 6, 2020 SUBSTANTIVE
Earliest version available from the eCFR

RFO Version

Comparison of the codified eCFR text against the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul revision. Highlights show additions (green) and deletions (red, struck through).

Clause Text

Substantive changes. The RFO version differs materially from the eCFR text.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.214-26 Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
1 added, 1 removed
As prescribed in 14.201-7(a)(1), insert the following clause:
As prescribed in 14.208(a), insert the following clause:
3 added, 3 removed
Audit and Records—Sealed Bidding (JUN 2020)
Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding (Deviation Date)
23 removed
Alternate I (MAR 2009). As prescribed in 14.201-7(a)(2),substitute the following paragraphs (c) and (e) for paragraphs (c) and (e) of the basic clause:
46 removed
(c)
(c) The Comptroller General of the United States, an appropriate Inspector General appointed under section 3 or 8G of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.), or an authorized representative of either of the foregoing officials, shall have access to and the right to—
(c)
25 removed
(1)
(1) Examine any of the Contractor's or any subcontractors' records that pertain to, and involve transactions relating to, this contract or a subcontract hereunder; and
(1)
9 removed
(2)
(2) Interview any officer or employee regarding such transactions.
(2)
26 removed
(e)(1)
(e)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (e)(2), the Contractor shall insert a clause containing the provisions of this clause, including this paragraph (e), in all subcontracts.
(e)(1)
19 removed
(2)
(2) The authority of the Inspector General under paragraph (c)(2) of this clause does not flow down to subcontracts.
(2)
43 removed
[60 FR 42651, Aug. 16, 1995; 60 FR 44548, Aug. 28, 1995; 62 FR 51271, Sept. 30, 1997; 74 FR 14649, 14651, Mar. 31, 2009; 75 FR 34281, June 16, 2010; 75 FR 53150, Aug. 30, 2010; 85 FR 27093, May 6, 2020]

Prescription

Substantive changes. The RFO prescription differs materially from the eCFR prescription.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.214-26 Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding.: Prescription
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
21 added, 11 removed
(a)
(a) When contracting by sealed bidding, the contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.214-26, Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding, in solicitations and contracts as follows:
(a)
(a) Insert the clause at 52.214-26, Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding, in solicitations and contracts if the contract amount is expected to exceed the threshold at part 15 for submission of certified cost or pricing data.
6 removed
(1)
(1) Use the basic clause if-
(1)
25 removed
(i)
(i) The acquisition will not use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5); and
(i)
20 removed
(ii)
(ii) The contract amount is expected to exceed the threshold at 15.403-4(a)(1) for submission of certified cost or pricing data.
(ii)
34 removed
(2)
(2) (i) If the acquisition will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, use the clause with its Alternate I in all solicitations and contracts.
(2)
2 removed
(ii)
(ii) (A)
(ii)
38 removed
In the case of a bilateral contract modification that will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the contracting officer shall specify applicability of Alternate I to that modification.
1 removed
(B)
(B)
(B)
46 removed
In the case of a task- or delivery-order contract in which not all orders will use funds appropriated or otherwise made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the contracting officer shall specify the task or delivery orders to which Alternate I applies.

Source: acquisition.gov RFO Part 52 · Prescribing Part 14

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