5203.204 (FAR 3.204) Treatment of violations.

(a) General.

(i) Authority to provide notices, conduct hearings, and make findings of fact and conclusions of law concerning alleged violations of the Gratuities clause, including whether a violation of the Gratuities clause has occurred, has been delegated to the ACG (AI), without power of redelegation.

(ii) The AGC (AI) must make recommendations to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Acquisition and Procurement) (DASN(AP)) with respect to terminating the contractor's right to proceed under the contract and assessing exemplary damages.

(b) If the AGC (AI) has determined that a violation has occurred, authority to determine whether to terminate the contractor's right to proceed under the contract, and, if so, whether to assess exemplary damages and in what amount, has been delegated to DASN(AP).

(c) To the extent practicable, the AGC (AI) will make findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations to DASN(AP) before the initiation of any debarment proceeding against the contractor concerning the same conduct. See FAR Subpart 9.4.

(d) Notification.

(i) If the AGC (AI) determines that there is credible evidence that a violation of the Gratuities clause has occurred, he or she may commence a proceeding pursuant to this Subpart by providing written notice to the contractor alleged to be liable for the purported violation.

(ii) The notification advising the contractor of the alleged Gratuities clause violation must:

(A) Describe the suspected violation in sufficient detail to reasonably apprise the contractor of the alleged violation;

(B) State the potential penalties for a violation of the Gratuities clause;

(C) State that the contractor may obtain a copy of the entire evidentiary record (with the exception of redactions made to protect personally identifiable information, such as social security numbers, dates of birth, and financial account numbers), subject to the payment of the reasonable cost of any transcript, by written request made to the AGC (AI). Upon the contractor's written request, the AGC (AI) must advise the contractor of the general nature of any redacted information;

(D) Inform the contractor that it may refute the allegations set forth in the notice. The contractor may refute the allegations and provide in person, in writing, or through one or more representatives any information the contractor wishes to have considered concerning penalties for a violation of the Gratuities clause. The contractor may submit documentary evidence and arguments. If the contractor requests a hearing, at that hearing, the contractor may confront any person the DON presents on the matter and present witnesses at the contractor's own expense;

(E) State that the contractor has thirty calendar days from receipt of notice to submit written matters refuting the allegations and to request a hearing. Any timely submissions by the contractor will become part of the evidentiary record; and,

(F) Advise the contractor that if a hearing is requested, a list of any witnesses the contractor wishes to present and a concise statement of each witness's relevance to the hearing must be delivered to the AGC (AI) or other person designated by the AGC (AI) no later than five calendar days after the AGC (AI) grants the hearing request.

(iii) The AGC (AI) must ensure that the notice to the contractor is delivered by hand or sent by registered or certified mail, or another, similar commercial means.

(e) Hearing.

(i) The AGC (AI) will schedule any hearing for a date not later than fifteen calendar days after the AGC (AI)'s receipt of the contractor's request, unless the contractor requests a later date not to be more than thirty days after the AGC (AI)'s receipt of the hearing request. The AGC (AI) may grant the request for a later date if the AGC (AI) determines that the request is reasonable. The AGC (AI) will inform the contractor by email of the hearing date, if the contractor so requests and provides an email address for that purpose when requesting a hearing.

(ii) Hearings will be conducted at the offices of the AGC (AI) or other location designated by the AGC (AI) as follows:

(A) Hearings will be as informal as practicable, consistent with principles of fundamental fairness, and non-adversarial in nature.

(B) The DON will be represented by one or more attorneys from the Office of the General Counsel.

(C) The AGC (AI) and the DON representative(s) may ask questions of the contractor or its representatives making the presentation.

(D) The contractor or its representatives and the DON's representatives will have an opportunity to present information relevant to the facts at issue, including witness testimony. If jointly requested by the contractor and the DON, the AGC (AI) may permit a witness to appear by videoconference or other electronic means rather than in person. Witnesses will be sworn in and reminded of the official nature of the proceeding and that they are subject to criminal prosecution for any false testimony. Witnesses are subject to cross-examination. The AGC (AI) may ask questions of any witness.

(E) Documents and testimony not ordinarily admissible under legal rules of evidence may be received subject to the discretion of the AGC (AI) and will be given appropriate weight. The AGC (AI) may exclude from the evidentiary record irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitive information presented by the contractor or the DON.

(iii) A verbatim transcript of the hearing must be made and will become part of the evidentiary record. Additional documentary materials or comments the AGC (AI) permits the contactor or the DON to submit at or following the hearing must become part of the evidentiary record. Any materials permitted to be submitted after the hearing by the contractor or the DON representative(s) must be provided on the same day to the AGC (AI) and the DON representative (s) or the contractor, as applicable. The contractor or the DON, as applicable, must have five business days from receipt to submit comments to the AGC (AI) on any permitted post-hearing submissions made by the other party.

(f) Findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

(i) The AGC (AI) must make all findings of fact and conclusions of law relevant to whether a violation of the Gratuities clause occurred, including the dollar value of any gratuity, and all findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations relevant to whether the contractor's right to proceed under the contract should be terminated, and, if so, whether an assessment of exemplary damages is appropriate and in what amount. These findings, conclusions, and recommendations must be based on the preponderance of the evidence found in the evidentiary record. The decision of the AGC (AI) as to whether a violation of the Gratuities clause has occurred will be the DON's final decision.

(ii) If the contractor does not timely request a hearing, the AGC (AI) must make the findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations on the basis of the written record.

(iii) The AGC (AI) may permit the contractor and the DON to submit proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations by the date specified by the AGC (AI). The AGC (AI) also may require the contractor and the DON to submit stipulated findings of fact and conclusions of law.

(iv) The AGC (AI) will issue a written decision no more than 60 days after the later of the completion of the hearing or the AGC (AI)'s receipt of all documentary submissions. If the AGC (AI) concludes that the Gratuities clause was violated, the decision must include the findings of fact and conclusions of law that the AGC (AI) relied upon and the findings, conclusions, and recommendations relevant to whether the contractor's right to proceed under the contract should be terminated, and, if so, whether an assessment of exemplary damages is appropriate and in what amount.

(vi) If the AGC (AI) determines that a violation of the Gratuities clause occurred, he or she must submit the evidentiary record and his or her written decision to DASN(AP).

(g) Contract Actions.

(i) DASN(AP) will determine whether to terminate the contractor's right to proceed under the contract, and, if so, whether to assess exemplary damages and in what amount. The decision of DASN(AP) will be the final decision of the DON with respect to whether to terminate the contractor's right to proceed under the contract, and, if so, whether to assess exemplary damages and in what amount. DASN(AP) will reach a decision within 45 calendar days after receipt of the evidentiary record and written decision of the AGC (AI).

(ii) Written notice of the decision of DASN(AP), together with the written decision of the AGC (AI), must be provided to the contractor promptly by hand delivery, registered or certified mail, or other similar commercial means.