ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
SUBPART 1804.1
CONTRACT EXECUTION
1804.101 Contracting officer's signature.
The contracting officer shall sign negotiated contracts after the contractor unless the particular contract form or circumstances of the acquisition require otherwise.
1804.103 Contract clause.
The contracting officer shall include the clause at FAR 52.204-1, Approval of Contract, in solicitations, contracts, and supplemental agreements subject to Master Buy Plan procedures (see 1807.7102). Insert "NASA Associate Administrator for Procurement" if the procurement has been selected for Headquarters approval of the contract under the Master Buy Plan procedures.
1804.170 Contract effective date.
(a) "Contract effective date" means the date agreed upon by the parties for beginning the period of performance under the contract. It shall be on or after the date on which the contract becomes legally binding. Generally, a contract becomes legally binding when the offeror receives the document, signed by both parties, unless, by its terms, it does not become binding until some subsequent condition is met (e.g., approval by higher authority (FAR 52.204-1) or availability of funds (FAR 52.232-18)). The effective date should allow adequate time for the offeror or its agent to receive the written acceptance, with any doubt being resolved by setting the effective date after the contract becomes legally binding. In no case shall the effective date precede the date on which the contracting officer or designated higher approval authority signs the document.
(b) Costs incurred before the contract effective date are unallowable unless they qualify as precontract costs (see FAR 31.205-32) and the clause prescribed at 1831.205-70 is used.