<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-03-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>9000-AN32</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>202304</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>9000</CODE>
            <NAME>DOD/GSA/NASA (FAR)</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>FAR</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR); FAR Case 2017-005, Whistleblower Protection for Contractor Employees</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>DoD, GSA, and NASA&nbsp;are issuing a final rule to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement 41 U.S.C. 4712, "Enhancement of Contractor Protection From Reprisal for Disclosure of Certain Information," and makes the pilot program permanent. The pilot was enacted on January 2, 2013, by section 828 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Pub.&nbsp;L. 112-239). The rule&nbsp;clarifies that contractors and subcontractors are prohibited from discharging, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against an employee as a reprisal for disclosing to any of the entities such as agency Inspector Generals and Congress information that the employee reasonably believes is evidence of gross mismanagement of a Federal contract; a gross waste of Federal funds; an abuse of authority relating to a Federal contract; a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety; or a violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a Federal contract (including the competition for or negotiation of a contract.) This rule enhances whistleblower protections for contractor employees by making permanent the protection for disclosure of the aforementioned information and ensuring that the prohibition on reimbursement for legal fees accrued in defense against reprisal claims applies&nbsp;to&nbsp;both contractors and subcontractors.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Substantive, Nonsignificant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>48 CFR 3</CFR>
            <CFR>48 CFR 31</CFR>
            <CFR>48 CFR 52</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>40 U.S.C. 121(c)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>10 U.S.C. ch. 4</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>10 U.S.C. ch. 137 legacy provisions</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>10 U.S.C. 3016</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>51 U.S.C. 20113</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>12/26/2018</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>83 FR 66223</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>02/25/2019</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Rule</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>06/00/2023</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>Yes</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Businesses</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <FURTHER_INFO_URL>www.regulations.gov</FURTHER_INFO_URL>
        <PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>www.regulations.gov</PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>
        <PRINT_PAPER>Yes</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Malissa</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Jones</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Procurement Analyst</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>9000</CODE>
                    <NAME>DOD/GSA/NASA (FAR)</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>FAR</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>571 882-4687</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>malissa.jones@gsa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>1800 F Street, NW,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Washington</CITY>
                    <STATE>DC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20405</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
