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Introduction›Part III. Administrative, Procedural, and Miscellaneous

SECTION 2. BACKGROUND

Internal Revenue Bulletin 1997-5 · 2026-10-03 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · United States

.01 Private Business Use.

(1) Under § 103(a) of the 1986 Code, gross income does not include interest on any state or local bond. Under § 103(b)(1) of the 1986 Code, however, § 103(a) of the 1986 Code does not apply to a private activity bond, unless it is a qualified bond under § 141(e) of the 1986 Code. Section 141(a)(1) of the 1986 Code defines ‘‘private activity bond’’ as any bond issued as part of an issue that meets both the private business use and the private security or payment tests. Under § 141(b)(1) of the 1986 Code, an issue generally meets the private business use test if more than 10 percent of the proceeds of the issue are to be used for any private business use. Under § 141(b)(6)(A) of the 1986 Code, private business use means direct or indirect use in a trade or business carried on by any person other than a governmental unit. Section 145(a) of the 1986 Code also applies the private business use test of § 141(b)(1) of the 1986 Code, with certain modifications.

(2) Corresponding provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 set forth the requirements for the exclusion from gross income of the interest on state or local bonds. For purposes of this revenue procedure, any reference to a 1986 Code provision includes a reference to the corresponding provision, if any, under the 1954 Code.

(3) Private business use can arise by ownership, actual or beneficial use of property pursuant to a lease, a management or incentive payment contract, or certain other arrangements. The Conference Report for the Tax Reform Act of 1986, provides as follows:

The conference agreement generally retains the present-law rules under which use by persons other than governmental units is determined for purposes of the trade or business use test. Thus, as under present law, the use of bondfinanced property is treated as a use of bond proceeds. As under present law, a person may be a user of bond proceeds and bondfinanced property as a result of (1) ownership or (2) actual or beneficial use of property pursuant to a lease, a management or incentive payment contract, or (3) any other arrangement such as a take-or-pay or other output-type contract. 2 H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 841, 99th Cong., 2d Sess. II–687–688, (1986) 1986–3 (Vol. 4) C.B. 687–688 (footnote omitted).

(4) A management contract that gives a nongovernmental service provider an ownership or leasehold interest in financed property is not the only situation in which a contract may result in private business use.

(5) Section 1.141–3(b)(4)(i) of the Income Tax Regulations provides, in general, that a management contract (within the meaning of § 1.141– 3(b)(4)(ii)) with respect to financed property may result in private business use of that property, based on all the facts and circumstances.

(6) Section 1.141–3(b)(4)(i) provides that a management contract with respect to financed property generally results in private business use of that property if the contract provides for compensation for services rendered with compensation based, in whole or in part, on a share of net profits from the operation of the facility.

(7) Section 1.141–3(b)(4)(iii), in general, provides that certain arrangements generally are not treated as management contracts that may give rise to private business use. These are—

(a) Contracts for services that are solely incidental to the primary governmental function or functions of a financed facility (for example, contracts for janitorial, office equipment repair, hospital billing or similar services);

(b) The mere granting of admitting privileges by a hospital to a doctor, even if those privileges are conditioned on the provision of de minimis services, if those privileges are available to all

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protect the service provider against risks such as catastrophic loss.

.03 Management contract means a management, service, or incentive payment contract between a qualified user and a service provider under which the service provider provides services involving all, a portion of, or any function of, a facility. For example, a contract for the provision of management services for an entire hospital, a contract for management services for a specific department of a hospital, and an incentive payment contract for physician services to patients of a hospital are each treated as a management contract. See §§ 1.141–3(b)(4)(ii) and 1.145–2. .

04 Penalties for terminating a contract include a limitation on the qualified user’s right to compete with the service provider; a requirement that the qualified user purchase equipment, goods, or services from the service provider; and a requirement that the qualified user pay liquidated damages for cancellation of the contract. In contrast, a requirement effective on cancellation that the qualified user reimburse the service provider for ordinary and necessary expenses or a restriction on the qualified user against hiring key personnel of the service provider is generally not a contract termination penalty. Another contract between the service provider and the qualified user, such as a loan or guarantee by the service provider, is treated as creating a contract termination penalty if that contract contains terms that are not customary or arm’s- length that could operate to prevent the qualified user from terminating the contract (for example, provisions under which the contract terminates if the management contract is terminated or that place substantial restrictions on the selection of a substitute service provider).

.05 Periodic fixed fee means a stated dollar amount for services rendered for a specified period of time. For example, a stated dollar amount per month is a periodic fixed fee. The stated dollar amount may automatically increase according to a specified, objective, external standard that is not linked to the output or efficiency of a facility. For example, the Consumer Price Index and similar external indices that track increases in prices in an area or increases in revenues or costs in an industry are objective external standards. Capitation fees and per-unit fees are not periodic fixed fees.

.06 Per-unit fee means a fee based on a unit of service provided specified in the contract or otherwise specifically determined by an independent third party, such as the administrator of the Medicare program, or the qualified user. For example, a stated dollar amount for each specified medical procedure performed, car parked, or passenger mile is a per-unit fee. Separate billing arrangements between physicians and hospitals generally are treated as per-unit fee arrangements.

.07 Qualified user means any state or local governmental unit as defined in § 1.103–1 or any instrumentality thereof. The term also includes a section 501(c)(3) organization if the financed property is not used in an unrelated trade or business under § 513(a) of the 1986 Code. The term does not include the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof.

.08 Renewal option means a provision under which the service provider has a legally enforceable right to renew the contract. Thus, for example, a provision under which a contract is automatically renewed for one-year periods absent cancellation by either party is not a renewal option (even if it is expected to be renewed).

.09 Service provider means any person other than a qualified user that provides services under a contract to, or for the benefit of, a qualified user.

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▸Contents — Internal Revenue Bulletin 1997-5

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