(a) The contractor shall establish a monitoring system for significant matters in litigation which are handled by subcontractors other than retrospective insurance carriers whose contracts provide for the reimbursement of legal costs. The purpose of this monitoring system is to enable the contractor to be regularly informed of the progress of the Significant Matter, to monitor the associated costs and help ensure that they are reasonable, and to report on the progress of the Significant Matter and the associated costs to Department Counsel.

(b) The contractor shall require retrospective insurance carriers and other subcontractors whose contracts provide for the reimbursement of legal costs to request prior permission from the contractor to enter into a settlement agreement with, or make any payments to, claimants or third-parties if:

(1) In the case of a subcontractor other than a retrospective insurance carrier, the settlement or payment amount is likely to reach $25,000 or more; or

(2) In the case of a retrospective insurance carrier, the settlement or payment amount is likely to reach $100,000 or more.

(c) The contractor shall require the insurance carrier or other subcontractor to submit all documentation described in §719.34 and to provide the contractor with a copy of the executed settlement agreement within seven days of execution, which the contractor will promptly forward to Department Counsel. The contractor shall not authorize the subcontractor to enter into a settlement agreement or make a payment to a claimant or third-party that is likely to reach or exceed the above-stated threshold amounts without first obtaining the approval of the Department Counsel.

(d) Upon request from Department Counsel, the Contracting Officer, or other authorized representative of the Department, the contractor shall provide detailed cost information regarding particular legal matters handled by retrospective insurance carriers or other subcontractors whose contracts provide for the reimbursement of legal costs.

(e) The contractor shall provide reviewed costs and status updates for all significant matters in litigation handled by subcontractors whose contracts provide for the reimbursement of legal costs in accordance with §719.51. The contractor is not required to provide cost and status updates for matters handled by retrospective insurance carriers except upon the written request of the cognizant Contracting Officer or Department Counsel.