96 STAT. 86
Interest rate computation. Publication in Federal Register. Unpaid interest penalty.
Interest penalty payments.
PUBLIC LAW 97-177—MAY 21, 1982 beginning on the day after the required payment date and ending on the date on which payment of the amount due is made, except that no interest penalty shall be paid if payment for the complete delivered item of property or service concerned is made on or before (A) the third day after the required payment date, in the case of meat or a meat food product described in subsection (a)(2)(B)(i); (B) the fifth day after the required payment date, in the case of an agricultural commodity described in subsection (a)(2)(B)(ii); or (C) the fifteenth day after the required payment date, in the case of any other item. Interest shall be computed at the rate determined by the Secretary of the Treasury for interest payments under section 12 of the Contract Disputes Act of 1978 (41 U.S.C. 611). The Secretary of the Treasury shall publish each such rate in the Federal Register. (2) Any amount of an interest penalty which remains unpaid at the end of any thirty-day period shall be added to the principle amount of the debt and thereafter interest penalties shall accrue on such added amount. (c) This section does not authorize the appropriation of additional funds for the payment of interest penalties required by this section. A Federal agency shall pay any interest penalties required by this section out of funds made available for the administration or operation of the program for which the penalty was incurred. (d)(1) Any recipient of a grant from a Federal agency may provide in a contract for acquisition of property or services from a business concern for the pa3anent of interest penalties on amounts overdue under such contract, except that— (A) in no case shall an obligation to pay such interest penalties be construed to be an obligation of the United States, and (B) any payment of such interest penalties shall not be made from funds provided to the grant recipient by a Federal agency, nor shall any non-Federal funds expended for such interest penalties be counted toward any matching requirement applicable to that grant. (2) Such interest penalty payments shall be made under such terms and conditions as agreed to by the grant recipient and the business concern, consistent with the grant recipient's usual business practices and applicable State and local law. LIMITATION ON DISCOUNT PAYMENTS
31 USC 1802.
SEC. 3. (a) If a business concern offers a Federal agency a discount from the amount otherwise due under a contract for property or services in exchange for payment within a specified period of time, the Federal agency may make payment in an amount equal to the discounted price only if payment is made within such specified period of time. (b) Each agency which violates subsection (a) shall pay an interest penalty on any amount which remains unpaid in violation of such subsection. Such interest penalty shall accrue on such unpaid amount in accordance with the regulations prescribed pursuant to section 2, except that the required payment date with respect to such unpaid amount shall be the last day of the specified period of time described in subsection (a).
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