§ 7104b. Monitoring and investigation of trafficking in persons

1,186 words·~5 min read·/usc/title-22/section-7104b

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(a)Referral and investigation

(1)Referral If the contracting or grant officer of an executive agency for a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement receives credible information that a recipient of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement; any subgrantee or subcontractor of the recipient; or any agent of the recipient or of such a subgrantee or subcontractor, has engaged in an activity described in section 7104(g) of this title, as amended by section 1702, including a report from a contracting officer representative, an auditor, an alleged victim or victim’s representative, or any other credible source, the contracting or grant officer shall promptly refer the matter to the agency’s Office of Inspector General for investigation. The contracting officer may also direct the contractor to take specific steps to abate an alleged violation or enforce the requirements of a compliance plan implemented pursuant to section 7104a of this title.

(2)Investigation An Inspector General who receives a referral under paragraph

(1)or otherwise receives credible information that a recipient of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement; any subgrantee or subcontractor of the recipient; or any agent of the recipient or of such a subgrantee or subcontractor, has engaged in an activity described in section 7104(g) of this title, as amended by section 1702, shall promptly review the referral or information and determine whether to initiate an investigation of the matter. In the event that an Inspector General does not initiate an investigation, the Inspector General shall document the rationale for the decision not to investigate.

(3)Criminal investigation If the matter is referred to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution, the Inspector General may suspend any investigation under this subsection pending the outcome of the criminal prosecution. The Inspector General shall notify the head of the executive agency that awarded the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement of an indictment, information, or criminal complaint against the recipient of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement; any subgrantee or subcontractor of the recipient; or any agent of the recipient or of a subgrantee or subcontractor. If the criminal investigation results in a decision not to prosecute, the Inspector General shall promptly determine whether to resume any investigation that was suspended pursuant to this paragraph. In the event that an Inspector General does not resume an investigation, the Inspector General shall document the rationale for the decision.

(b)Report Upon completion of an investigation under subsection (a), the Inspector General shall submit a report on the investigation to the head of the executive agency that awarded the contract, grant, or cooperative agreement. The report shall include the Inspector General’s conclusions regarding whether or not any allegations that the recipient of a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement; any subcontractor or subgrantee of the recipient; or any agent of the recipient or of such a subcontractor or subgrantee, engaged in any of the activities described in section 7104(g) of this title, as amended by section 1702, are substantiated.

(c)Remedial actions

(1)In general Upon receipt of an Inspector General’s report substantiating an allegation that the recipient of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement; any subgrantee or subcontractor of the recipient; or any agent of the recipient or of a subgrantee or subcontractor, engaged in any of the activities described in section 7104(g) of this title, as amended by section 1702, or notification of an indictment, information, or criminal complaint for an offense under subsection (a)(3), the head of agency shall refer the matter to the agency suspension and debarment official and consider taking one or more of the following remedial actions:

(A)Requiring the recipient to remove an employee from the performance of work under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement.

(B)Requiring the recipient to terminate a subcontract or subgrant.

(C)Suspending payments under the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement until such time as the recipient of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement has taken appropriate remedial action.

(D)Withholding award fees, consistent with the award fee plan, for the performance period in which the agency determined the contractor or subcontractor engaged in any of the activities described in such section 7104(g) of this title.

(E)Declining to exercise available options under the contract.

(F)Terminating the contract for default or cause, in accordance with the termination clause for the contract.

(2)Savings clause Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as limiting the scope of applicable remedies available to the Federal Government.

(3)Mitigating factor Where applicable, the head of an executive agency may consider whether the contractor or grantee had a plan in place under section 7104a of this title, and was in compliance with that plan at the time of the violation, as a mitigating factor in determining which remedies, if any, should apply.

(4)Aggravating factor Where applicable, the head of an executive agency may consider the failure of a contractor or grantee to abate an alleged violation or enforce the requirements of a compliance plan when directed by a contracting officer pursuant to subsection (a)(1) as an aggravating factor in determining which remedies, if any, should apply.

(d)Inclusion of report conclusions in FAPIIS

(1)In general The head of an executive agency shall ensure that any substantiated allegation in the report under subsection

(b)is included in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) and that the contractor has an opportunity to respond to any such report in accordance with applicable statutes and regulations.

(2)Omitted

(Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title XVII, § 1704, Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2094; Pub. L. 117–211, § 2(a), Oct. 17, 2022, 136 Stat. 2248.)

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Traces to 5 documents

U.S. Code

public-private-law

End Human Trafficking in Government Contracts Act of 2022
Public Law 117-211

5 references not yet in our index

Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title XVII, § 1704
126 Stat. 2094
136 Stat. 2248
section 1702 of Pub. L. 112–239
section 1704 of Pub. L. 112–239

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cites case law

§ 7104b

Monitoring and investigation of trafficking in persons

Fed. Reg.×15

Bills×7

U.S.C.×5

Stat. Comp.×3

Stat.×3

C.F.R.×2

Pub. L.×2

U.S.C.§ 7104

U.S.C.§ 7104a

Pub. L.Public Law 117-211

U.S.C.§ 2313

U.S.C.§ 7104d

Pub. L.Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title XVII, § 1704

Stat.126 Stat. 2094

Stat.136 Stat. 2248

Pub. L.section 1702 of Pub. L. 112–239

Pub. L.section 1704 of Pub. L. 112–239

Cites 10Cited by 37 across 7 sources