---
kind: "section"
citation: "41 U.S.C. § 6504"
title: "41"
title_heading: "Public Contracts"
number: "6504"
heading: "Three-year prohibition on new contracts in case of breach or violation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/41/6504"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Other Advertising and Contract Provisions"
  - "Chapter 65 — Contracts for Materials, Supplies, Articles, and Equipment Exceeding $10,000"
---

# §6504. Three-year prohibition on new contracts in case of breach or violation

- (a) **Distribution of List.—** The Comptroller General shall distribute to each [agency of the United States](/usc/41/6501.md?p=1) a list containing the names of [persons](/usc/41/6501.md?p=2) found by the [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) to have breached or violated a representation or stipulation included in a contract under [section 6502 of this title](/usc/41/6502.md).
- (b) **Three-Year Prohibition.—** Unless the [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) recommends otherwise, a contract described in [section 6502 of this title](/usc/41/6502.md) may not be awarded to a [person](/usc/41/6501.md?p=2) named on the list under [subsection (a)](#a), or to a firm, corporation, partnership, or association in which the [person](/usc/41/6501.md?p=2) has a controlling interest, until 3 years have elapsed from the date of the determination by the [Secretary](/usc/41/6501.md?p=3) that a breach or violation occurred.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–350, § 3, Jan. 4, 2011, 124 Stat. 3808.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 6504 | 41:37. | June 30, 1936, ch. 881, § 3, 49 Stat. 2037. |

In this section, the words “or firms” are omitted because of the definition of “person” in 41:41, restated in section 6501 of the revised title.

In subsection (a), the words “or violated” are added for consistency in the chapter.

In subsection (b), the words “contract described in section 6502 of this title” are substituted for “contracts” to clarify the scope of the prohibition. The words “the date of the determination by the Secretary that a breach or violation occurred” are substituted for “the date the Secretary of Labor determines such breach to have occurred” to clarify that the three-year period begins with the date of the Secretary’s determination and not with the date of the breach or violation. The words “or violation” are added for consistency in the chapter.