Effective immediately, this class deviation revises and supersedes Class Deviation 2020-O0013 Revision 3 issued on January 13, 2021. The purpose of this revision is to extend the date through which paid leave may be taken to be eligible for reimbursement under section 3610, pursuant to section 4015 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2), enacted on March 11, 2021. Where appropriate, the time period for which paid leave must be taken is changed from March 27, 2020, through March 31, 2021, to March 27, 2020, through September 30, 2021.

Pursuant to FAR 31.101, Objectives, this class deviation to FAR 31 and DFARS 231 is effective immediately and authorizes contracting officers to use the attached DFARS 231.205- 79, CARES Act Section 3610 Implementation, as a framework for implementation of section 3610, Federal Contractor Authority, of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Pub. L. 116-136).

The CARES Act was enacted on March 27, 2020, in response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) national emergency. Section 3610 of the CARES Act allows agencies to reimburse, at the minimum applicable contract billing rates (not to exceed an average of 40 hours per week), any paid leave, including sick leave, a contractor provides to keep its employees or subcontractors in a ready state from March 27, 2020, through September 30, 2021, including to protect the life and safety of Government and contractor personnel, during the public health emergency declared for COVID–19 on January 31, 2020.

As expressed in the OUSD(A&S) Defense Pricing and Contracting Memorandum, Managing Defense Contracts Impacts of the Novel Coronavirus, dated March 30, 2020, it is important that our military, civilian, and contractor communities work together to withstand the effects of COVID-19 and maintain mission readiness. Currently, many Department of Defense (DoD) contractors are struggling to maintain a mission-ready workforce due to work site closures, personnel quarantines, and state and local restrictions on movement related to the COVID-19 pandemic that cannot be resolved through remote work. It is imperative that we support affected contractors, using the acquisition tools available to us, to ensure that, together, we remain a healthy, resilient, and responsive total force.

It is also important that our contracting officers are good stewards of taxpayer funds while supporting contractor resiliency. Therefore, contracting officers shall use the attached DFARS 231.205-79, CARES Act Section 3610—Implementation, when implementing section 3610, to appropriately balance flexibilities and limitations.

Some contractors may receive compensation from other provisions of the CARES Act, or other COVID-19 relief scenarios, including tax credits, and contracting officers must avoid duplication of payments. For example, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) established pursuant to sections 1102 and 1106 of the CARES Act may provide, in some cases, a direct means for a small business to obtain relief. A small business contractor that is sheltering-in place and unable to telework could use the PPP to pay its employees and then have the PPP loan forgiven, pursuant to the criteria established in the interim rule published by the Small Business Administration. In such a case, the small business should not seek reimbursement for the payment from DoD using the provisions of section 3610.

Contractors are responsible for supporting any claimed costs, including claimed leave costs for their employees, with appropriate documentation and for identifying credits that may reduce reimbursement under section 3610. Contracting officers are encouraged to work with contractors to understand how they are using or plan to use the COVID-19 relief provisions and encourage contractors to use existing contract terms or the relief provisions available to them in response to COVID-19. In addition, it is important that contracting officers secure representations from contractors regarding any other relief claimed or received stemming from COVID-19, including an affirmation that the contractor has not or will not pursue reimbursement for the same costs accounted for under their request, to support their requests for reimbursement under section 3610.

When implementing section 3610, contracting officers shall consider the immediacy of the specific circumstances of the contractor involved and respond accordingly. The survival of many of the businesses the CARES Act is designed to assist may depend on this efficiency. For example, the impact of COVID-19 on a contractor providing labor services will differ from the impact on a contractor that develops information systems. Some contractors may be unable to conduct any business during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, such contractors would generate no new revenue, and may have difficulties making payroll, retaining employees, and meeting other financial obligations. In contrast, other contractors may still have incoming revenue, and be able to conduct work remotely. While impacts will certainly be experienced by many contractors, some will have a more immediate need for relief than others.

Section 3610 seeks to provide many flexibilities for contracting officers, including the authority to:

• Enable the contractor to stay in a ready state (i.e., able to mobilize in a timely manner) by treating as allowable paid leave costs a contractor incurs to keep its employees and subcontractor employees in such a state.
• Use any “funds made available to the agency” by Congress to reimburse contractors for workers’ lost time, not otherwise reimbursable, between March 27, 2020, and September 30, 2021, if the contractor provides leave to its employees or subcontractor employees “to maintain a ready state, including to protect the life and safety of Government and contractor personnel,” which include, but are not limited to, quarantining, social distancing, or other COVID-19 related interruptions, as discussed in Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-20-18, Managing Federal Contract Performance Issues Associated with the Novel Coronavirus, dated March 20, 2020;
• Modify contracts to provide for reimbursement of allowable paid leave costs, not otherwise reimbursable, without securing additional consideration; and
• Provide such reimbursement on any contract type.

Section 3610 also provides limitations on reimbursements:

• A contractor may only receive reimbursement if its employees or subcontractor employees:
  • Cannot perform work on a government-owned, government-leased, contractor owned, or contractor-leased facility or site approved by the Federal Government for contract performance due to closures or other restrictions; and
  • Are unable to telework because their job duties cannot be performed remotely during the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, for COVID–19.
• Reimbursement is authorized only:
  • At the appropriate rates under the contract for up to an average of 40 hours per week; and
  • For contractor or subcontractor payments made for costs incurred, not otherwise reimbursable, not earlier than March 27, 2020, and not later than September 30, 2021;
• The Government must reduce the maximum reimbursement authorized by the amount of credit the contractor is allowed pursuant to division G of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Pub. L. 116–127) and any applicable credits the contractor is allowed under the CARES Act or other credit allowed by law that is specifically identifiable with the public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020 for COVID–19; and
• Reimbursement is contingent upon the availability of funds.

We anticipate the need for additional guidance and will continue to provide answers to frequently asked questions and provide additional implementation information and guidance as appropriate.

This class deviation remains in effect until rescinded.