The following policies governing the exercise of its loan guarantee authority have been established by DOE:

(a) The use of the loan guarantee authority is not restricted to contracts or subcontracts of any particular type or class. Each case is to be evaluated on its own merits and under the particular circumstances applicable thereto.

(b) The fact that a contract has been awarded as a result of competitive bidding should not, of itself, render the loan ineligible for guarantee by DOE if the contractor is financially responsible and its need for working capital is the result of the impact of a defense program or any other DOE program for which guaranteed loans are authorized.

(c) The guarantee authority should, in general, not be used in connection with loans to contractors required to furnish performance bonds, except in those cases in which the time likely to be required for the surety or DOE to take over in the event of default will result in delays which cannot be tolerated by the particular program concerned. When performance bonds have been furnished, the surety shall be required to subordinate its rights in favor of the guaranteed loan.

(d) The criterion that the materials or services to be provided cannot readily be acquired from alternative sources does not require the finding that the materials or services are absolutely unobtainable elsewhere. The criterion should be so applied as to permit guarantees of loans when, although the materials or services can be obtained elsewhere, such factors as the urgency of supply schedules, technical capacity of the contractor, comparative prices, and time and expense involved in reissuing the contract, including termination payment, establish that it is to the Government's advantage not to resort to alternative sources merely because the contractor or subcontractor may require a guaranteed loan.

(e) If it is known at the time the contract is to be awarded that the low offeror who is technically qualified and competent to furnish the required materials and services will require a guaranteed loan, the contracting officer should obtain appropriate advice and in reaching a decision should consider at least the following—

(1) The savings to be realized by awarding the contract to the low offeror;

(2) The risk to the Government in guaranteeing a loan; and

(3) The likelihood, if award is made to the second low offeror, of that offeror's applying for a guaranteed loan at a later date.

Extreme care should be exercised in rejecting a low bid or proposal simply because the low offeror requires a guaranteed loan.

(f) The amount of the loan should bear reasonable relationship to such factors as the value and terms of the contract, the probable investment required to be made by the contractor in payrolls and inventories, the frequency with which contract payments are to be made, and the borrower's current working capital position.

(g) Borrowings for working capital purposes under guaranteed loans shall be limited to the amount necessary to perform the contract for which the loan is sought. In order that the contractor will also use its own funds in the performance of the contracts, amounts outstanding under the loan or line-of-credit shall be limited to an amount not to exceed 90 percent of the borrower's investment in its contracts, regardless of the total amount of the loan or line of credit authorized. The borrower's investment includes all items for which the borrower would be entitled to payment on performance or termination of contracts, but does not include any items for which no work has been done nor expenditures made.

(h) Unless there are exceptional circumstances, the loan should mature not later than 30 days after the estimated date of final payment under the contract.

[49 FR 12011, Mar. 28, 1984, as amended at 59 FR 9106, Feb. 25, 1994; 74 FR 36367, July 22, 2009]