U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 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 or, in the case of a small business concern (as defined in the Small Business Act [15 U.S.C. 631 et seq.] and regulations under that Act), $150,000 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.

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.

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