---
kind: "section"
citation: "41 U.S.C. § 4502"
title: "41"
title_heading: "Public Contracts"
number: "4502"
heading: "Payment"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/41/4502"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Federal Procurement Policy"
  - "Division C — Procurement"
  - "Chapter 45 — Contract Financing"
---

# §4502. Payment

- (a) **Basis for Payment.—** When practicable, payments under [section 4501 of this title](/usc/41/4501.md) shall be made on any of the following bases:
  - (1) Performance measured by objective, quantifiable methods such as delivery of acceptable items, work measurement, or statistical process controls.
  - (2) Accomplishment of events defined in the program management plan.
  - (3) Other quantifiable measures of results.
- (b) **Payment Amount.—** Payments made under [section 4501 of this title](/usc/41/4501.md) may not exceed the unpaid contract price.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–350, § 3, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3791.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 4502(a) | 41:255(b). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, § 305(b), as added Pub. L. 103–355, title II, § 2051(b), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3304. |
| 4502(b) | 41:255(c). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title III, § 305(c), 63 Stat. 396; July 12, 1952, ch. 703, § 1(m), 66 Stat. 594; Pub. L. 85–800, § 4, Aug. 28, 1958, 72 Stat. 966; Pub. L. 103–355, title II, § 2051(a)(3), (5), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3304. |