(a) Applicability and responsibility.

(1) The cognizant Government auditor shall establish final indirect cost rates for business units not covered in 42.705-1(a).

(2) In addition, auditor determination may be used for business units that are covered in 42.705-1(a) when the contracting officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) and auditor agree that the indirect costs can be settled with little difficulty and any of the following circumstances apply:

(i) The business unit has primarily fixed-price contracts, with only minor involvement in cost-reimbursement contracts.

(ii) The administrative cost of contracting officer determination would exceed the expected benefits.

(iii) The business unit does not have a history of disputes and there are few cost problems.

(iv) The contracting officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) and auditor agree that special circumstances require auditor determination.

(b) Procedures.

(1) The contractor shall submit to the cognizant contracting officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) and auditor a final indirect cost rate proposal in accordance with 42.705-1(b)(1).

(2) Once a proposal has been determined to be adequate for audit in support of negotiating final indirect cost rates, the auditor shall-

(i) Audit the proposal and prepare an advisory audit report, including a listing of any relevant advance agreements or restrictive terms of specific contracts;

(ii) Seek agreement on indirect costs with the contractor;

(iii) Prepare an indirect cost rate agreement conforming to the requirements of the contracts.The agreement shall be signed by the contractor and the auditor;

(iv) If agreement with the contractor is not reached, forward the audit report to the contracting officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) identified in the Directory of Contract Administration Services Components (see 42.203), who will then resolve the disagreement; and

(v) Distribute resulting documents in accordance with 42.706.