Contract Disputes Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
Contract Disputes Act - Provides, with special exceptions, that this Act applies to any contract entered into by an executive agency for the procurement of: (1) property other than real property in being, (2) services, or (3) construction, alteration, repair, or maintenance of real property. Authorizes any executive agency to settle claims relating to a contract entered into by it or another agency on its behalf, including claims initiated after award of a contract, based on mistake, misrepresentation, or other cause for contract modification or recission. Excludes claims for penalties or forfeitures prescribed by statute which another agency is specifically authorized to administer. Provides that when a claim is not resolved by mutual agreement, the contracting officer shall issue a decision in writing and furnish a copy of it to the contractor. Sets forth the required content of any such decision. Requires that a waivable conference be held to review the decision. Establishes in the executive branch of the Government a Small Claims Board of Contract Appeals. Sets forth the composition and compensation of Board members. Provides that the Small Claims Board shall have jurisdiction to decide any appeal from a final decision of a contracting officer on a claim or dispute where the amount involved is $25,000 or less. Empowers an agency head to establish within his agency a board of contract appeals when the volume of procurement by the agency justifies a full-time board of at least three members who will have no other duties. Provides that each agency board of contract appeals shall have jurisdiction to decide any appeal from a final decision of a contracting officer under specified circumstances. Sets forth the powers of members of the Small Claims Board of Contract Appeals and of an agency board of contract appeals. Provides that interest at the rate of 6 percent on the amount finally determined to be payable to a contractor under this Act shall be paid to the contractor. Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on June 28, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on June 28, 1973: Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
CHET HOLIFIELD (D-CA) introduced it on June 28, 1973, and 1 member has since signed on as a cosponsor.
They are 1 Republican.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on June 28, 1973, 19432 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19432 days ago, on June 28, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers