Federal law prohibits contractors from performing “inherently governmental functions.” This guidance is designed to provide the basic rules applicable to the Department. Specifically, it: (1) identifies general principles for determining whether a function is inherently governmental; (2) lists functions that have been specifically identified as inherently governmental by one or more sources of Federal law, (3) notes the special considerations applicable to Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs); and (4) offers recommended practices when using contractors’ services.
