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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.
52.233-3 Protest After Award.
As prescribed in 33.106(b), insert the following clause:
Protest After Award (AUG 1996)
(a) Upon receipt of a notice of protest (as defined in FAR 33.101) or a determination that a protest is likely (see FAR 33.102(d)), the Contracting Officer may, by written order to the Contractor, direct the Contractor to stop performance of the work called for by this contract. The order shall be specifically identified as a stop-work order issued under this clause. Upon receipt of the order, the Contractor shall immediately comply with its terms and take all reasonable steps to minimize the incurrence of costs allocable to the work covered by the order during the period of work stoppage. Upon receipt of the final decision in the protest, the Contracting Officer shall either—
(1) Cancel the stop-work order; or
(2) Terminate the work covered by the order as provided in the Default, or the Termination for Convenience of the Government, clause of this contract.
(b) If a stop-work order issued under this clause is canceled either before or after a final decision in the protest, the Contractor shall resume work. The Contracting Officer shall make an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule or contract price, or both, and the contract shall be modified, in writing, accordingly, if—
(1) The stop-work order results in an increase in the time required for, or in the Contractor's cost properly allocable to, the performance of any part of this contract; and
(2) The Contractor asserts its right to an adjustment within 30 days after the end of the period of work stoppage;
provided,
that if the Contracting Officer decides the facts justify the action, the Contracting Officer may receive and act upon a proposal submitted at any time before final payment under this contract.
(c) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for the convenience of the Government, the Contracting Officer shall allow reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order in arriving at the termination settlement.
(d) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for default, the Contracting Officer shall allow, by equitable adjustment or otherwise, reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order.
(e) The Government's rights to terminate this contract at any time are not affected by action taken under this clause.
(f) If, as the result of the Contractor's intentional or negligent misstatement, misrepresentation, or miscertification, a protest related to this contract is sustained, and the Government pays costs, as provided in FAR 33.102(b)(2) or 33.104(h)(1), the Government may require the Contractor to reimburse the Government the amount of such costs. In addition to any other remedy available, and pursuant to the requirements of subpart 32.6, the Government may collect this debt by offsetting the amount against any payment due the Contractor under any contract between the Contractor and the Government.
(End of clause)
Alternate I
(JUN 1985). As prescribed in 33.106(b), substitute in paragraph (a)(2) the words "the Termination clause of this contract" for the words "the Default, or the Termination for Convenience of the Government clause of this contract." In paragraph (b) substitute the words "an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule, the estimated cost, the fee, or a combination thereof, and in any other terms of the contract that may be affected" for the words "an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule or contract price, or both."
[50 FR 25681, June 20, 1985, as amended at 54 FR 29284, July 11, 1989; 60 FR 48231, 48276, Sept. 18, 1995; 61 FR 41472, Aug. 8, 1996]
33.106(b)
(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.233-3, Protest After Award, in all solicitations and contracts. If a cost reimbursement contract is contemplated, the contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate I.
Alternate I
33.106(b)
(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.233-3, Protest After Award, in all solicitations and contracts. If a cost reimbursement contract is contemplated, the contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate I.
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.
RFORFO VersionOverhauled 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.
(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.233-3, Protest After Award, in all solicitations and contracts. If a cost reimbursement contract is contemplated, the contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate I.
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.
No version history available from 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
52.233-3 Protest after Award.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
1 added, 1 removed
As prescribed in 33.106(b), insert the following clause:
As prescribed in 33.107(b), insert the following clause:
2 added, 2 removed
Protest After Award (AUG 1996)
Protest after Award (Deviation Date)
5 added, 68 removed
(a)
(a) Upon receipt of a notice of protest (as defined in FAR 33.101) or a determination that a protest is likely (see FAR 33.102(d)), the Contracting Officer may, by written order to the Contractor, direct the Contractor to stop performance of the work called for by this contract. The order shall be specifically identified as a stop-work order issued under this clause. Upon receipt of the order, the Contractor shall immediately comply with its terms and take all reasonable steps to minimize the incurrence of costs allocable to the work covered by the order during the period of work stoppage. Upon receipt of the final decision in the protest, the Contracting Officer shall either—
(a)
(a) Upon receipt of a stop-work order, the Contractor must immediately comply with its terms and take all reasonable steps to minimize incurring costs allocable to the work covered by the order during the period of work stoppage. After receiving the final decision in the protest, the Contracting Officer must either—
(1)
(1) Cancel the stop-work order; or
(1)
(1) Cancel the stop-work order; or
(2)
(2) Terminate the work covered by the order as provided in the Default, or the Termination for Convenience of the Government, clause of this contract.
(2)
(2) Terminate the work covered by the order as provided in the Default, or the Termination for Convenience of the Government, clause of this contract.
3 added, 3 removed
(b)
(b) If a stop-work order issued under this clause is canceled either before or after a final decision in the protest, the Contractor shall resume work. The Contracting Officer shall make an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule or contract price, or both, and the contract shall be modified, in writing, accordingly, if—
(b)
(b) If a stop-work order issued under this clause is canceled either before or after a final decision in the protest, the Contractor must resume work. The Contracting Officer must make an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule or contract price, or both, and the contract must be modified, in writing, accordingly, if—
(1)
(1) The stop-work order results in an increase in the time required for, or in the Contractor's cost properly allocable to, the performance of any part of this contract; and
(1)
(1) The stop-work order results in an increase in the time required for, or in the Contractor's cost properly allocable to, the performance of any part of this contract; and
(2)
(2) The Contractor asserts its right to an adjustment within 30 days after the end of the period of work stoppage;
provided,
that if the Contracting Officer decides the facts justify the action, the Contracting Officer may receive and act upon a proposal submitted at any time before final payment under this contract.
(2)
(2) The Contractor asserts its right to an adjustment within 30 days after the end of the period of work stoppage; provided, that if the Contracting Officer decides the facts justify the action, the Contracting Officer may receive and act upon a proposal submitted at any time before final payment under this contract.
1 added, 1 removed
(c)
(c) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for the convenience of the Government, the Contracting Officer shall allow reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order in arriving at the termination settlement.
(c)
(c) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for the convenience of the Government, the Contracting Officer must allow reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order in arriving at the termination settlement.
1 added, 1 removed
(d)
(d) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for default, the Contracting Officer shall allow, by equitable adjustment or otherwise, reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order.
(d)
(d) If a stop-work order is not canceled and the work covered by the order is terminated for default, the Contracting Officer must allow, by equitable adjustment or otherwise, reasonable costs resulting from the stop-work order.
(e)
(e) The Government's rights to terminate this contract at any time are not affected by action taken under this clause.
(e)
(e) The Government's rights to terminate this contract at any time are not affected by action taken under this clause.
7 removed
(f)
(f) If, as the result of the Contractor's intentional or negligent misstatement, misrepresentation, or miscertification, a protest related to this contract is sustained, and the Government pays costs, as provided in FAR 33.102(b)(2) or 33.104(h)(1), the Government may require the Contractor to reimburse the Government the amount of such costs. In addition to any other remedy available, and pursuant to the requirements of subpart 32.6, the Government may collect this debt by offsetting the amount against any payment due the Contractor under any contract between the Contractor and the Government.
(f)
(f) If, as the result of the Contractor's intentional or negligent misstatement, misrepresentation, or miscertification, a protest related to this contract is sustained, and the Government pays costs, the Government may require the Contractor to reimburse the Government the amount of such costs. In addition to any other remedy available, and pursuant to the requirements of subpart 32.6, the Government may collect this debt by offsetting the amount against any payment due the Contractor under any contract between the Contractor and the Government.
(End of clause)
(End of clause)
11 added, 11 removed
Alternate I (JUN 1985). As prescribed in 33.106(b), substitute in paragraph (a)(2) the words "the Termination clause of this contract" for the words "the Default, or the Termination for Convenience of the Government clause of this contract." In paragraph (b) substitute the words "an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule, the estimated cost, the fee, or a combination thereof, and in any other terms of the contract that may be affected" for the words "an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule or contract price, or both."
Alternate I (Deviation Date). As prescribed in 33.107(b), substitute in paragraph (a)(2) the words “the Termination clause of this contract” for the words “the Default, or the Termination for Convenience of the Government clause of this contract.” In paragraph (b) substitute the words “an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule, the estimated cost, the fee, or a combination thereof, and in any other terms of the contract that may be affected” for the words “an equitable adjustment in the delivery schedule or contract price, or both.”
28 removed
[50 FR 25681, June 20, 1985, as amended at 54 FR 29284, July 11, 1989; 60 FR 48231, 48276, Sept. 18, 1995; 61 FR 41472, Aug. 8, 1996]
Prescription
Substantive changes. The RFO prescription differs materially from the eCFR prescription.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.233-3 Protest after Award.: Prescription
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
26 added, 32 removed
(b)
(b) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.233-3, Protest After Award, in all solicitations and contracts. If a cost reimbursement contract is contemplated, the contracting officer shall use the clause with its Alternate I.
(b)
(i) Require the contractor to reimburse the Government’s costs, where a postaward protest is sustained due to the contractor’s intentional or negligent misstatement, misrepresentation, or miscertification, as described in 52.233-3.