Appendix L — FAR 52.203-13 Mapping
This appendix provides a detailed mapping between the Righteous AI Governance Framework (RAGF) and FAR 52.203-13 — Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct, the federal acquisition regulation clause that requires government contractors to establish a written code of business ethics and conduct, implement training programs, and maintain internal controls to prevent and detect violations.
The clause applies to contracts expected to exceed $7.5 million with a performance period of 120 days or more. It is founded on the principle that contractors must disclose violations of federal criminal law or the False Claims Act.
L.1 FAR 52.203-13 Requirements Overview
The clause establishes four core requirements for covered contractors:
| Requirement | Description | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Written Code of Ethics | Contractor must have a written code of business ethics and conduct and make it available to each employee engaged in contract performance | Within 30 days after contract award |
| Due Diligence & Culture | Exercise due diligence to prevent and detect criminal conduct; promote an organizational culture that encourages ethical conduct and commitment to compliance with the law | Ongoing |
| Timely Disclosure | Timely disclose, in writing, to the agency Office of Inspector General (OIG) and Contracting Officer, credible evidence of violations of federal criminal law (fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, gratuity) or the civil False Claims Act | Whenever credible evidence is obtained |
| Internal Control System | Maintain an internal control system suitable to company size and involvement in Government contracting to facilitate timely discovery and disclosure of improper conduct | Within 90 days of award for non-small businesses |
Key Definitions:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Principal | Officer, director, owner, partner, or person with primary management or supervisory responsibilities |
| Agent | Any individual authorized to act on behalf of the organization |
| Full cooperation | Disclosure sufficient for law enforcement to identify the nature and extent of the offense and responsible individuals |
L.2 Mapping Table
| FAR 52.203-13 Requirement | FAR Provision | RAGF Layer | RAGF Pillar | Alignment Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written code of business ethics and conduct | (b)(1)(i)-(ii) | Layer 2: Policy and Process | Integrity | Both require formal, written ethical standards to guide organizational behavior |
| Make code available to each employee | (b)(1)(ii) | Layer 2: Policy and Process | Integrity | Both require communication of ethical standards to all personnel |
| Exercise due diligence to prevent and detect criminal conduct | (b)(2)(i) | Layer 5: Manage and Control | Stewardship | Both require proactive identification and mitigation of misconduct risks |
| Promote organizational culture encouraging ethical conduct | (b)(2)(ii) | Layer 1: Righteousness Foundation | Stewardship | Both require leadership commitment to building an ethical culture |
| Timely disclosure to OIG and Contracting Officer | (b)(3)(i) | Layer 6: Assess Impact | Integrity | Both require transparency and accountability when violations occur |
| Disclosure of fraud, conflict of interest, bribery, gratuity violations | (b)(3)(i)(A) | Layer 5: Manage and Control | Integrity, Justice | Both address specific types of misconduct requiring governance |
| Disclosure of False Claims Act violations | (b)(3)(i)(B) | Layer 6: Assess Impact | Justice | Both address fraudulent claims against the government |
| Full cooperation with Government investigators | (a)(1) | Layer 6: Assess Impact | Stewardship | Both require cooperation with oversight authorities |
| Internal control system to facilitate timely discovery of improper conduct | Policy (3.1002) | Layer 4: Measure and Monitor | Stewardship | Both require systems to detect and report misconduct |
| Prompt corrective measures | Policy (3.1002)(3) | Layer 7: Sustain and Improve | Stewardship | Both require correction and continuous improvement |
L.3 RAGF Extension of FAR 52.203-13
| Dimension | FAR 52.203-13 | RAGF Extension |
|---|---|---|
| Core Question | “Are we complying with federal ethics requirements?” | “Are we governing AI righteously?” |
| Focus | Legal compliance, fraud prevention, and disclosure | Moral excellence, righteousness growth, and AI governance |
| Standard | Minimum federal requirements for ethics and compliance | Highest ethical standards (Five Pillars) |
| Measurement | Compliance/Non-compliance with disclosure obligations | Continuous RI, RGS, RDM, RPS metrics |
| Scope | Federal contractors (human employees, agents) | Full AI lifecycle + developers + providers + organizations + agents + robots |
| Coverage | Written code, training, internal controls, disclosure | All Seven Layers of governance architecture |
L.4 Applicability
| Criteria | FAR 52.203-13 | RAGF Application |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Value | Expected to exceed $7.5 million | RAGF applies to organizations of all sizes, including those below the FAR threshold |
| Performance Period | 120 days or more | RAGF applies regardless of contract duration |
| Subcontracts | Applies to subcontracts exceeding $6 million with performance >120 days | RAGF applies to all tiers of the supply chain |
| Small Business | Not applicable (exempt from mandatory clause) | RAGF applies to all organizations voluntarily |
L.5 RAGF as a Compliance Enhancer
For federal contractors subject to FAR 52.203-13, RAGF provides a way to:
- Exceed the minimum requirements of FAR 52.203-13
- Build trust with government customers through demonstrable righteousness
- Reduce risk of violations by embedding righteousness into AI governance
- Demonstrate leadership in ethical AI governance
Organizations subject to FAR 52.203-13 can use RAGF to:
- Strengthen their ethics and compliance programs
- Provide evidence of a robust governance culture
- Demonstrate proactive righteousness, not just reactive compliance
- Build a competitive advantage through righteous AI governance
L.6 Key Takeaways
| Takeaway | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Compliance is the floor | FAR 52.203-13 establishes minimum requirements; RAGF exceeds them |
| RAGF addresses AI-specific risks | FAR 52.203-13 does not specifically address AI; RAGF provides AI governance |
| RAGF adds righteousness | Beyond ethics codes, RAGF adds the Five Pillars (Integrity, Justice, Stewardship, Wisdom, Beneficence) |
| RAGF enables continuous improvement | FAR focuses on compliance; RAGF adds RGS for measuring growth |
| RAGF covers the full lifecycle | FAR applies to contractors; RAGF covers developers, providers, organizations, agents, and robots |
References
U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulation. (2021). 48 CFR 52.203-13 — Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct. Acquisition.gov. https://www.acquisition.gov/far/52.203-13
U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulation. (2021). Subpart 3.10 — Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct. Acquisition.gov. https://www.acquisition.gov/far/subpart-3.10