A community resource for the acquisition workforce not a .gov website
part52.dev Federal Acquisition Clause Monitor
FAR Clause

52.246-4

Inspection of Services—Fixed-Price.
View on acquisition.gov · View on eCFR.gov
Effective Date
AUG 1996
Active Deviations
Versions
1 (since 2017-01-01)
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
52.246-4 Inspection of Services—Fixed-Price.

As prescribed in 46.304, insert the following clause:

Inspection of Services—Fixed-Price (AUG 1996)

(a)
Definitions.

Services,
as used in this clause, includes services performed, workmanship, and material furnished or utilized in the performance of services.

(b) The Contractor shall provide and maintain an inspection system acceptable to the Government covering the services under this contract. Complete records of all inspection work performed by the Contractor shall be maintained and made available to the Government during contract performance and for as long afterwards as the contract requires.

(c) The Government has the right to inspect and test all services called for by the contract, to the extent practicable at all times and places during the term of the contract. The Government shall perform inspections and tests in a manner that will not unduly delay the work.

(d) If the Government performs inspections or tests on the premises of the Contractor or a subcontractor, the Contractor shall furnish, and shall require subcontractors to furnish, at no increase in contract price, all reasonable facilities and assistance for the safe and convenient performance of these duties.

(e) If any of the services do not conform with contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount. When the defects in services cannot be corrected by reperformance, the Government may (1) require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements and (2) reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed.

(f) If the Contractor fails to promptly perform the services again or to take the necessary action to ensure future performance in conformity with contract requirements, the Government may (1) by contract or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the Contractor any cost incurred by the Government that is directly related to the performance of such service or (2) terminate the contract for default.

(End of clause)

[48 FR 42478, Sept. 19, 1983, as amended at 56 FR 67136, Dec. 27, 1991; 61 FR 31665, June 20, 1996]
46.304
The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.246-4, Inspection of Services-Fixed-Price, in solicitations and contracts for services, or supplies that involve the furnishing of services, when a fixed-price contract is contemplated and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The contracting officer may insert the clause in such solicitations and contracts when the contract amount is expected to be at or below the simplified acquisition threshold and inclusion is in the Government's interest.
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.

Search on acquisition.gov

FAR FAR Prescription 46.304
The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.246-4, Inspection of Services-Fixed-Price, in solicitations and contracts for services, or supplies that involve the furnishing of services, when a fixed-price contract is contemplated and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The contracting officer may insert the clause in such solicitations and contracts when the contract amount is expected to be at or below the simplified acquisition threshold and inclusion is in the Government's interest.

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.

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
52.246-4 Inspection of Services-Fixed-Price.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
21 added, 1 removed
(a)
(a) Definitions.
(a)
(a) Definition. "Services," as used in this clause, includes services performed, workmanship, and material furnished or utilized in the performance of services.
20 removed
Services, as used in this clause, includes services performed, workmanship, and material furnished or utilized in the performance of services.
1 added, 33 removed
(e)
(e) If any of the services do not conform with contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount. When the defects in services cannot be corrected by reperformance, the Government may (1) require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements and (2) reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed.
(e)
(e) If any of the services do not conform with contract requirements, the Government may require the Contractor to perform the services again in conformity with contract requirements, at no increase in contract amount. When the defects in services cannot be corrected by reperformance, the Government may-
6 added, 53 removed
(f)
(f) If the Contractor fails to promptly perform the services again or to take the necessary action to ensure future performance in conformity with contract requirements, the Government may (1) by contract or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the Contractor any cost incurred by the Government that is directly related to the performance of such service or (2) terminate the contract for default.
(f)
(1) Require the Contractor to take necessary action to ensure that future performance conforms to contract requirements; and
14 added
(2)
(2)
(2) Reduce the contract price to reflect the reduced value of the services performed.
29 added
(f)
(f)
(f) If the Contractor fails to promptly perform the services again or to take the necessary action to ensure future performance in conformity with contract requirements, the Government may-
30 added
(1)
(1)
(1) By contract or otherwise, perform the services and charge to the Contractor any cost incurred by the Government that is directly related to the performance of such service; or
6 added
(2)
(2)
(2) Terminate the contract for default.
21 removed
[48 FR 42478, Sept. 19, 1983, as amended at 56 FR 67136, Dec. 27, 1991; 61 FR 31665, June 20, 1996]

Prescription

Minor revisions. The RFO prescription has formatting or editorial changes from the eCFR prescription.
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
Unchanged
52.246-4 Inspection of Services-Fixed-Price.: Prescription
eCFR (codified)
RFO (implemented)
2 added, 2 removed
The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.246-4, Inspection of Services-Fixed-Price, in solicitations and contracts for services, or supplies that involve the furnishing of services, when a fixed-price contract is contemplated and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The contracting officer may insert the clause in such solicitations and contracts when the contract amount is expected to be at or below the simplified acquisition threshold and inclusion is in the Government's interest.
The contracting officer must insert the clause at 52.246-4, Inspection of Services-Fixed-Price, in solicitations and contracts for services, or supplies that involve the furnishing of services, when a fixed-price contract is contemplated and the contract amount is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The contracting officer may insert the clause in such solicitations and contracts when the contract amount is expected to be at or below the simplified acquisition threshold and inclusion is in the Government’s interest.

Source: acquisition.gov RFO Part 52 · Prescribing Part 46

Use with AI assistant
Copy a link and prompt for use with Gemini or another AI assistant.