Administering Trafficking in Persons Regulations (DFARS Case 2011-D051)

Summary:

DCN 20111118 includes a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to add to the list of contract administration functions a requirement to maintain surveillance over >contractor compliance with duties and responsibilities pertaining to trafficking in persons when they are incorporated in contracts.

Supplementary Information:

Background

The current FAR, at section 22.1705, entitled "Contract clause," prescribes use of the clause at FAR 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons, in all solicitations and contracts. When the contract will be performed outside the United States, the clause must be used with its Alternate I, as prescribed in FAR 22.1705(b). The clause requires contractors to inform employees of the Government's zero-tolerance policy and the actions that will be taken against them for violations of the policy. In addition, contractors are required to notify the contracting officer immediately of any information received about an employee's conduct that violates this policy and also of actions taken against an employee as a result of the violation.

While the clause at FAR 52.222-50, Combating Trafficking in Persons, has been in effect since February 2009, the listing of Government contract administration functions was not modified at that time to add surveillance of a contractor's compliance with the clause requirements. Because the addition of this contract administration function is internal to DoD and will not impact current contract requirements or contract clauses, this is not a significant revision as defined at FAR 1.501-1. Therefore, under the authority at FAR 1.501-3(a), this rule can be published as a final rule without first obtaining public comment.

Dates:

The Effective Date for this final rule is 18 November 2011.

Click here to read the entire Federal Register notice for this rule.