§ 218. Voiding transactions in violation of chapter; recovery by the United States

In addition to any other remedies provided by law the President or, under regulations prescribed by him, the head of any department or agency involved, may declare void and rescind any contract, loan, grant, subsidy, license, right, permit, franchise, use, authority, privilege, benefit, certificate, ruling, decision, opinion, or rate schedule awarded, granted, paid, furnished, or published, or the performance of any service or transfer or delivery of any thing to, by or for any agency of the United States or officer or employee of the United States or person acting on behalf thereof, in relation to which there has been a final conviction for any violation of this chapter, and the United States shall be entitled to recover in addition to any penalty prescribed by law or in a contract the amount expended or the thing transferred or delivered on its behalf, or the reasonable value thereof.

(Added Pub. L. 87–849, § 1(e), Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1125.)

Prior Provisions

Prior Provisions

A prior section 218 was renumbered section 213 of this title and subsequently repealed.

Effective Date

Effective Date

Section effective 90 days after Oct. 23, 1962, see section 4 of Pub. L. 87–849, set out as a note under section 201 of this title.

Executive Order

Ex. Ord. No. 12448. Exercise of Authority

Ex. Ord. No. 12448, Nov. 4, 1983, 48 F.R. 51281, provided:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and statutes of the United States of America, including section 218 of title 18 of the United States Code, and in order to provide federal agencies with the authority to promulgate regulations for voiding or rescinding contracts or other benefits obtained through bribery, graft or conflict of interest, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. The head of each Executive department, Military department and Executive agency is hereby delegated the authority vested in the President to declare void and rescind the transactions set forth in section 218 of title 18 of the United States Code in relation to which there has been a final conviction for any violation of chapter 11 of title 18.

Sec. 2. The head of each Executive department and agency described in section 1 may exercise the authority hereby delegated by promulgating implementing regulations; provided that the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration jointly shall issue government-wide implementing regulations related to voiding or rescission of contracts.

Sec. 3. Implementing regulations adopted pursuant to this Order shall, at a minimum, provide the following procedural protections:

(a) Written notice of the proposed action shall be given in each case to the person or entity affected;

(b) The person or entity affected shall be afforded an opportunity to submit pertinent information on its behalf before a final decision is made;

(c) Upon the request of the person or entity affected, a hearing shall be held at which it shall have the opportunity to call witnesses on its behalf and confront any witness the agency may present; and

(d) The head of the agency or his designee shall issue a final written decision specifying the amount of restitution or any other remedy authorized by section 218, provided that such remedy shall take into consideration the fair value of any tangible benefits received and retained by the agency.

Ronald Reagan.