Civilian Board of Contract Appeals


The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals is an Article I court that was established under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 as an independent tribunal to hear and decide contract disputes between Government contractors and the General Services Administration and other civilian Executive agencies of the United States.

Jurisdiction

The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals decides disputes between Government contractors and Executive agencies of the United States. The Board's authority extends to all Executive agencies other than the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States Postal Service, the Postal Rate Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration ), and the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Its original jurisdiction over claims involving Government contract disputes partially overlaps as concurrent jurisdiction with the United States Court of Federal Claims under the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, and the "Big" Tucker Act, but not the United States district courts for claims less than $10,000 under the "Little" Tucker Act ). The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit may exercise appellate jurisdiction over decisions of the Board involving Government contract disputes ).
The Board also hears and decides various additional classes of cases, including:
The Board uses a variety of techniques intended to shorten and simplify, when appropriate, the formal proceedings normally used to resolve contract disputes. The Board fully supports the use of alternative dispute resolution in all appropriate cases; it encourages the prompt, expert, and inexpensive resolution of contract disputes as promoted by the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act. In addition, the Board provides to other Executive agencies, when jointly requested by an agency and its contractor, alternative dispute resolution services on contract-related matters, whether arising before or after a contract has been awarded.

History

The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals was established by Section 847 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, with an effective date of January 6, 2007, to hear and decide contract disputes between Government contractors and Executive agencies under the provisions of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978, and regulations and rules issued under that statute. The Civilian Board of Contract Appeals was created by consolidating eight former boards of contract appeals: