FAR 52.222-19—Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 52.222-19 addresses the Government’s enforcement tools for products made with forced or indentured child labor. It covers four main topics: when the clause applies and when it does not apply based on country of origin and acquisition thresholds; the contractor’s duty to cooperate with authorized investigations; the violations that can trigger Government action; and the remedies available, including termination, suspension, and debarment. In practice, this clause is a compliance and enforcement mechanism tied to child labor prohibitions, not just a paperwork requirement. It matters because contractors may be asked to provide records, access, or other assistance during an investigation, and failure to cooperate or knowingly furnishing affected products can lead to serious contract and responsibility consequences. The clause also interacts with the certification regarding knowledge of child labor for listed end products, so contractors should treat certifications and supply-chain due diligence as linked obligations. For contracting officers, the clause provides a basis to respond when credible evidence suggests a violation and to coordinate with suspension and debarment officials when warranted.
Key Rules
Limited applicability by country
The clause does not apply to certain acquisitions of end products mined, produced, or manufactured in Israel, Mexico, or specified countries listed in the clause when the anticipated value meets the stated dollar thresholds. Contractors should check both the country of origin and the acquisition value to determine whether the clause is excluded.
Mandatory cooperation with investigations
When the solicitation includes the child labor certification provision or its commercial-item equivalent, the contractor must cooperate fully with authorized officials by providing reasonable access to records, documents, persons, or premises upon reasonable request. This cooperation supports investigations by the contracting agency, Treasury, or Justice.
False certification is a violation
Submitting a false certification about knowledge of forced or indentured child labor for listed end products is a violation that can trigger remedies. The clause ties the contractor’s certification accuracy directly to enforcement risk.
Knowingly using prohibited labor is a violation
Using forced or indentured child labor in mining, production, or manufacturing, or furnishing end products or components made wholly or partly with such labor, can trigger remedies. For suspension or debarment-related remedies, the Government will not proceed unless there is sufficient evidence the contractor knew of the violation.
Contract termination is available
The contracting officer may terminate the contract if a violation occurs. This is a direct contract remedy and can be used independently of suspension or debarment actions.
Suspension and debarment may follow
The suspending and debarring official may suspend the contractor under FAR subpart 9.4 and may debar the contractor for up to 3 years. These are separate administrative remedies that can affect the contractor’s eligibility for future awards.
Responsibilities
Contractor
Determine whether the clause applies based on the country of origin and acquisition value; provide accurate certifications; avoid furnishing products made with forced or indentured child labor; and cooperate fully with authorized officials by giving reasonable access to records, documents, personnel, and premises when requested.
Contracting Officer
Administer the contract, assess whether a violation may warrant termination, and take appropriate contract action if evidence supports a remedy. The contracting officer also coordinates with other officials when an investigation or enforcement action is needed.
Authorized Officials (Agency, Treasury, Justice, Inspector General, Attorney General, Secretary of the Treasury)
Conduct investigations into whether forced or indentured child labor was used in the mining, production, or manufacture of products furnished under the contract and request reasonable access needed to complete the inquiry.
Suspending and Debarring Official
Evaluate whether suspension or debarment is appropriate under FAR subpart 9.4 and, if warranted, impose suspension or debarment consistent with procedural requirements and the 3-year maximum debarment period stated in the clause.
Agency/Government
Enforce child labor prohibitions, pursue remedies when violations are established, and use the clause’s investigative and administrative tools to protect the integrity of federal procurement.
Practical Implications
Contractors should build supply-chain due diligence around child labor risk, especially for listed end products and components, because liability can arise from products furnished under the contract even if the issue is upstream.
A false or careless certification can create major exposure, so contractors should verify the basis for any child labor certification before submitting an offer or invoice-related representation.
If investigators request records or access, delay or partial cooperation can itself become a violation; contractors should have a response process for document requests, site access, and employee interviews.
The clause can lead to both contract-level remedies and broader responsibility consequences, so a single incident may affect current performance and future eligibility for awards.
Contracting officers should document evidence carefully before pursuing termination or referring the matter for suspension/debarment, especially where knowledge of the violation is relevant to the remedy sought.
Official Regulatory Text
As prescribed in 22.1505 (b) , insert the following clause: Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies (Mar 2026) (a) Applicability . This clause does not apply to the extent that the Contractor is supplying end products mined, produced, or manufactured in- (1) Israel, and the anticipated value of the acquisition is $50,000 or more; (2) Mexico, and the anticipated value of the acquisition is $105,767 or more; or (3) Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, or the United Kingdom and the anticipated value of the acquisition is $174,000 or more. (b) Cooperation with Authorities . To enforce the laws prohibiting the manufacture or importation of products mined, produced, or manufactured by forced or indentured child labor, authorized officials may need to conduct investigations to determine whether forced or indentured child labor was used to mine, produce, or manufacture any product furnished under this contract. If the solicitation includes the provision 52.222-18 , Certification Regarding Knowledge of Child Labor for Listed End Products, or the equivalent at 52.212-3 (i), the Contractor agrees to cooperate fully with authorized officials of the contracting agency, the Department of the Treasury, or the Department of Justice by providing reasonable access to records, documents, persons, or premises upon reasonable request by the authorized officials. (c) Violations . The Government may impose remedies set forth in paragraph (d) for the following violations: (1) The Contractor has submitted a false certification regarding knowledge of the use of forced or indentured child labor for listed end products. (2) The Contractor has failed to cooperate, if required, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this clause, with an investigation of the use of forced or indentured child labor by an Inspector General, Attorney General, or the Secretary of the Treasury. (3) The Contractor uses forced or indentured child labor in its mining, production, or manufacturing processes. (4) The Contractor has furnished under the contract end products or components that have been mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part by forced or indentured child labor. (The Government will not pursue remedies at paragraph (d)(2) or paragraph (d)(3) of this clause unless sufficient evidence indicates that the Contractor knew of the violation.) (d) Remedies. (1) The Contracting Officer may terminate the contract. (2) The suspending and debarring official may suspend the Contractor in accordance with procedures in FAR subpart 9.4 . (3) The suspending and debarring may debar the Contractor for a period not to exceed 3 years in accordance with the procedures in FAR subpart 9.4 . (End of clause)