CLARIFICATION OF APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN AUTHORITY AND REQUIREMENTS TO SUBCONTRACTORS EMPLOYED TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.

SEC. 713. CLARIFICATION OF APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN AUTHORITY AND REQUIREMENTS TO SUBCONTRACTORS EMPLOYED TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE SERVICES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. (a) Applicability of Federal Tort Claims Act to Subcontractors.—Section 1089(a) of title 10, United States Code, is amended in the last sentence— (1) by striking “if the physician, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, or paramedical” and inserting “to such a physician, dentist, nurse, pharmacist, or paramedical”; (2) by striking “involved is”; and (3) by inserting before the period at the end the following: “or a subcontract at any tier under such a contract that is authorized in accordance with the requirements of such section 1091”. (b) Applicability of Personal Services Contracting Authority to Subcontractors.—Section 1091(c) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: “(3) The procedures established under paragraph (1) may provide for a contracting officer to authorize a contractor to enter into a subcontract for personal services on behalf of the agency upon a determination that the subcontract is— “(A) consistent with the requirements of this section and the procedures established under paragraph (1); and “(B) in the best interests of the agency.” .