#### 2152.231-70 Accounting and allowable cost.

As prescribed in 2131.270, insert the following clause:

# Accounting and Allowable Cost (OCT 2005)

(a) *Annual financial report.* (1) The Contractor must prepare annually a financial report summarizing the financial operations of the FEGLI Program for the previous contract year. This report will be due to OPM in accordance with a date established by OPM's requirements.

(2) The Contractor must have the most recent financial report for the FEGLI Program audited by an independent public accounting firm that ascribes to the standards of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. The audit must be performed in accordance with Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards or other requirements issued by OPM. The report by the independent accounting firm on its audit must be submitted to OPM along with the annual financial report.

(3) Based on the results of either the independent audit or a Government audit, the FEGLI contract may be:

(i) Adjusted by amounts found not to constitute chargeable costs; or

(ii) Adjusted for prior overpayments or underpayments.

(b) *Definition of costs.* (1) A cost is chargeable to the contract for a contract term if it is:

(i) An actual, allowable, allocable, and reasonable cost;

(ii) Incurred with proper justification and accounting support;

(iii) Determined in accordance with subpart 31.2 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and subpart 2131.2 of the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Acquisition Regulation (LIFAR) applicable on October 1 of each year; and

(iv) Determined in accordance with the terms of this contract.

(2) In the absence of specific contract terms to the contrary, contract costs will be classified in accordance with the following criteria:

(i) *Benefits.* Claims costs consist of payments made and costs incurred (including delayed settlement interest) by the Contractor for life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, excess mortality charges, post-mortem conversion charges, and conversion policies on behalf of insured persons, less any overpayments recovered (subject to the terms of LIFAR 2131.205-3), refunds, or other credits received.

(ii)(A) *Administrative expenses.* Administrative expenses consist of chargeable costs as defined in paragraph (b)(1) of this clause incurred in the adjudication of claims or incurred in the Contractor's overall operation of the business. Unless otherwise provided in the contract, FAR, or LIFAR, administrative expenses include, but are not limited to, taxes, service charges to reinsurers, the cost of investigation and settlement of policy claims, the cost of maintaining records regarding payment of claims, and legal expenses incurred in the litigation of benefit payments. Administrative expenses exclude the expenses related to investment income in paragraph (b)(2)(iii) of this clause.

(B) *Administrative expense ceiling.* Each year an administrative expense ceiling for the following contract year is calculated based on the prior contract year's administrative expense ceiling, adjusted by the percentage change in the average monthly consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the preceding 12 months. Administrative expenses are reimbursed up to the administrative expense ceiling or actual costs, whichever is less. Both parties will reexamine the base, including the prior year's actual expenses, at the request of either OPM or the Contractor. Within the administrative expense ceiling is a separately negotiated limit for indirect costs that may be charged against the ceiling for the contract year. The Contractor agrees to provide annually to the Contracting Officer a detailed report of direct and indirect administrative costs which form the basis for determining the limit on indirect costs for the following contract year. During a continuity of services period, OPM and the Contractor will negotiate a one-time increase in the administrative expense ceiling to cover phase-in/phase-out costs. Costs that exceed the revised ceiling must be submitted by the Contractor, in writing and in advance of their incurrence, to the Contracting Officer for approval.

(iii) *Investment income.* Investment income represents the amount earned by the Contractor after deducting chargeable investment expenses. Investment expenses are those chargeable contract costs, as defined in paragraph (b)(1) of this clause, which are attributable to the investment of FEGLI funds.

(c) *Certification of Annual Financial Report.* (1) The Contractor must certify the annual financial report in the form set forth in paragraph (c)(2) of this clause. The certificate must be signed by the chief executive officer for the Contractor's FEGLI Program operations and the chief financial officer for the Contractor's FEGLI Program operations and must be returned with the annual financial report.

(2) The certification required must be in the following form:

# Certification of Annual Financial Report

This is to certify that I have reviewed this financial report and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, attest that:

1. The report was prepared in conformity with the guidelines issued by the Office of Personnel Management and fairly presents the financial results of this contract year in conformity with those guidelines;

2. The costs included in the report are actual, allowable, allocable, and reasonable in accordance with the terms of the contract and with the cost principles of the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program Acquisition Regulation (LIFAR) and the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR);

3. Income, overpayments, refunds, and other credits made or owed in accordance with the terms of the contract and applicable cost principles have been included in the report.

Contractor Name:

(Chief Executive Officer for FEGLI Operations)

Date signed:

(Chief Financial Officer for FEGLI Operations)

Date signed:

(Type or print and sign)

(End of certificate)

[70 FR 41155, July 18, 2005]