FAR 42.1305—Contract clauses.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 42.1305 tells contracting officers which work-interruption clauses must or may be included in solicitations and contracts, depending on the contract type and the kind of acquisition. It covers three specific clauses: 52.242-14, Suspension of Work; 52.242-15, Stop-Work Order; and 52.242-17, Government Delay of Work. The section distinguishes between fixed-price construction and architect-engineer contracts, negotiated supply/service/research and development acquisitions, cost-reimbursement contracts, and fixed-price supply contracts for noncommercial versus commercial or modified-commercial products. In practice, this section matters because these clauses allocate risk and establish the government’s and contractor’s rights and remedies when work is suspended, stopped, or delayed by the government. Contracting officers must select the correct clause and, in one case, the correct alternate, because the wrong clause can leave a contract without the intended remedy structure or create inconsistent rights. Contractors should understand these clauses because they affect schedule relief, equitable adjustments, and how quickly they must respond to government direction during interruptions.
Key Rules
Suspension of Work clause required
The contracting officer must insert FAR 52.242-14, Suspension of Work, in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price construction or architect-engineer contract is contemplated. This clause addresses government-caused suspensions and the contractor’s potential entitlement to an equitable adjustment.
Stop-Work clause may be used
When contracting by negotiation, the contracting officer may insert FAR 52.242-15, Stop-Work Order, in solicitations and contracts for supplies, services, or research and development. This is discretionary, not mandatory, and is used to give the government a formal mechanism to stop work temporarily.
Alternate I for cost-reimbursement
If a cost-reimbursement contract is contemplated, the contracting officer must use FAR 52.242-15 with its Alternate I. The alternate tailors the stop-work clause to the cost-reimbursement environment, where allowable cost treatment differs from fixed-price contracting.
Government Delay of Work required for certain fixed-price supplies
The contracting officer must insert FAR 52.242-17, Government Delay of Work, in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price contract is contemplated for supplies other than commercial or modified-commercial products. This clause is mandatory for those noncommercial supply acquisitions.
Optional for services and commercial products
Use of FAR 52.242-17 is optional when a fixed-price contract is contemplated for services, or for supplies that are commercial or modified-commercial products. The contracting officer may include it if appropriate, but the rule does not require it.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Identify the contemplated contract type and acquisition category, then insert the correct clause or alternate in the solicitation and contract. The contracting officer must use Suspension of Work for fixed-price construction and architect-engineer contracts, may use Stop-Work Order for negotiated supplies, services, or R&D, must use Alternate I for cost-reimbursement stop-work situations, and must insert Government Delay of Work for fixed-price noncommercial supply contracts.
Contractor
Review the solicitation and contract to determine which interruption clause applies, understand the available remedies and notice requirements, and preserve rights to schedule relief or equitable adjustment when government action suspends, stops, or delays work. The contractor should also distinguish between clauses that are mandatory and those that are optional so it can assess risk during proposal preparation.
Agency
Support acquisition planning and clause selection by ensuring the contract structure and requirement description align with the proper interruption-risk clause. The agency should avoid inconsistent clause use across similar acquisitions and ensure the selected clause matches the contemplated contract type and product/service category.
Practical Implications
Clause selection affects who bears the risk of delay and how compensation is handled when the government interrupts performance.
A common pitfall is using the wrong clause for the contract type, especially confusing fixed-price supply contracts with commercial or modified-commercial products versus noncommercial supplies.
Contractors should not assume every government-caused interruption is handled the same way; Suspension of Work, Stop-Work Order, and Government Delay of Work serve different purposes and have different triggers.
For cost-reimbursement contracts, using the correct alternate matters because cost allowability and adjustment mechanics differ from fixed-price contracts.
Contracting officers should verify clause applicability early in acquisition planning, because inserting the wrong clause can create disputes over entitlement, timing, and the scope of relief.
Official Regulatory Text
(a) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.242-14 , Suspension of Work, in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price construction or architect-engineer contract is contemplated. (b) (1) The contracting officer may, when contracting by negotiation, insert the clause at 52.242-15 , Stop-Work Order, in solicitations and contracts for supplies, services, or research and development. (2) If a cost-reimbursement contract is contemplated, the contracting officer shall use the clause with its AlternateI. (c) The contracting officer shall insert the clause at 52.242-17 , Government Delay of Work, in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price contract is contemplated for supplies other than commercial or modified-commercial products. The clause use is optional when a fixed-price contract is contemplated for services, or for supplies that are commercial or modified-commercial products.