Activities by Own Employees

20 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart B
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

20 C.F.R. § 438.200 Agency and legislative liaison.

(a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in § 438.100(a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if the payment is for agency and legislative liaison activities not directly related to a covered Federal action. (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, providing any information specifically requested by SSA or Congress is allowable at any time. (c) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following agency and legislative liaison activities are allowable at any time only where they are not related to a specific solicitation for any covered Federal action: (1) Discussing with SSA (including individual demonstrations) the qualities and characteristics of the person's products or services, conditions or terms of sale, and service capabilities; and, (2) Technical discussions and other activities regarding the application or adaptation of the person's products or services for SSA's use. (d) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, the following agency and legislative liaison activities are allowable only where they are prior to formal solicitation of any covered Federal action: (1) Providing any information not specifically requested but necessary for SSA to make an informed decision about initiation of a covered Federal action; (2) Technical discussions regarding the preparation of an unsolicited proposal prior to its official submission; and, (3) Capability presentations by persons seeking awards from SSA pursuant to the provisions of the Small Business Act, as amended by Public Law 95-507 and other subsequent amendments. (e) Only those activities expressly authorized by this section are allowable under this section.

20 C.F.R. § 438.205 Professional and technical services.

(a) The prohibition on the use of appropriated funds, in § 438.100(a), does not apply in the case of a payment of reasonable compensation made to an officer or employee of a person requesting or receiving a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or an extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of a Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement if payment is for professional or technical services rendered directly in the preparation, submission, or negotiation of any bid, proposal, or application for that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement or for meeting requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for receiving that Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement. (b) For purposes of paragraph (a) of this section, professional and technical services are limited to advice and analysis directly applying any professional or technical discipline. For example, drafting of a legal document accompanying a bid or proposal by a lawyer is allowable. Similarly, technical advice provided by an engineer on the performance or operational capability of a piece of equipment rendered directly in the negotiation of a contract is allowable. However, communications with the intent to influence made by a professional (such as a licensed lawyer) or a technical person (such as a licensed accountant) are not allowable under this section unless they provide advice and analysis directly applying their professional or technical expertise and unless the advice or analysis is rendered directly and solely in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a covered Federal action. Thus, for example, communications with the intent to influence made by a lawyer that do not provide legal advice or analysis directly and solely related to the legal aspects of his or her client's proposal, but generally advocate one proposal over another are not allowable under this section because the lawyer is not providing professional legal services. Similarly, communications with the intent to influence made by an engineer providing an engineering analysis prior to the preparation or submission of a bid or proposal are not allowable under this section since the engineer is providing technical services but not directly in the preparation, submission or negotiation of a covered Federal action. (c) Requirements imposed by or pursuant to law as a condition for receiving a covered Federal award include those required by law or regulation, or reasonably expected to be required by law or regulation, and any other requirements in the actual award documents. (d) Only those services expressly authorized by this section are allowable under this section.

20 C.F.R. § 438.210 Reporting.

No reporting is required with respect to payments of reasonable compensation made to regularly employed officers or employees of a person.

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