FAR 3.904—Complaints.

Procedures for filing complaints.

FAR 3.904-1 explains how a contractor or subcontractor employee can file a whistleblower-style complaint when the employee believes they were discharged, demoted, or otherwise discriminated against in violation of the anti-reprisal policy in FAR 3.903. It identifies the Inspector General of the agency concerned as the proper place to submit the complaint and notes that agencies generally provide fraud, waste, abuse, and whistleblower complaint procedures through OIG hotline or whistleblower websites, or through direct contact with the cognizant OIG for instructions. The section also establishes a strict filing deadline: a complaint under 41 U.S.C. 4712 must be brought within three years of the alleged reprisal. In practice, this section is about where to file, how to find filing instructions, and how long an employee has to act after the retaliatory event. It matters because missing the deadline or sending the complaint to the wrong place can delay or jeopardize review of a reprisal allegation.

Procedures for investigating complaints.

FAR 3.904-2 explains the required procedure for investigating complaints under the whistleblower protections tied to 41 U.S.C. 4712(b). It covers how the investigation must be conducted, who must receive the Inspector General’s report of findings after the investigation is complete, and the right of the complainant, contractor, and/or subcontractor to submit a written response. The section is important because it ensures complaints are handled through a formal, protected process rather than ad hoc agency action, and it builds in notice and response rights for both the whistleblower and the accused contractor or subcontractor. In practice, this means the agency must coordinate closely with the Office of Inspector General, provide the report to the required parties, and preserve enough time for responses so the agency head can act within the 30-day deadline in 3.905-1(a).