§ 608. — Small claims.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 41USC608]
TITLE 41--PUBLIC CONTRACTS
CHAPTER 9--CONTRACT DISPUTES
Sec. 608. Small claims
(a) Accelerated disposition of appeals
The rules of each agency board shall include a procedure for the
expedited disposition of any appeal from a decision of a contracting
officer where the amount in dispute is $50,000 or less. The small claims
procedure shall be applicable at the sole election of the contractor.
(b) Simplified rules of procedure
The small claims procedure shall provide for simplified rules of
procedure to facilitate the decision of any appeal thereunder. Such
appeals may be decided by a single member of the agency board with such
concurrences as may be provided by rule or regulation.
(c) Time of decision
Appeals under the small claims procedure shall be resolved, whenever
possible, within one hundred twenty days from the date on which the
contractor elects to utilize such procedure.
(d) Finality of decision
A decision against the Government or the contractor reached under
the small claims procedure shall be final and conclusive and shall not
be set aside except in cases of fraud.
(e) Effect of decision
Administrative determinations and final decisions under this section
shall have no value as precedent for future cases under this chapter.
(f) Review of requisite amount in controversy
The Administrator is authorized to review at least every three
years, beginning with the third year after November 1, 1978, the dollar
amount defined in subsection (a) of this section as a small claim, and
based upon economic indexes selected by the Administrator adjust that
level accordingly.
(Pub. L. 95-563, Sec. 9, Nov. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 2387; Pub. L. 103-355,
title II, Sec. 2351(d), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3322.)
Amendments
1994--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103-355 substituted ``$50,000'' for
``$10,000''.
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
For effective date and applicability of amendment by Pub. L. 103-
355, see section 10001 of Pub. L. 103-355, set out as a note under
section 251 of this title.
