In plain English
FAR 52.236-16, Quantity Surveys, is a contract clause prescribed at FAR 36.516, most recently dated Apr 1984. The complete official text is reproduced below, verbatim, from GSA's published FAR source files.
Its text contains no sentence requiring insertion into subcontracts; see the flowdown section below for what that does and does not mean.
Does it flow down to subcontracts?
No flowdown mandate found in the clause text
We scanned the full clause text and found no sentence directing the contractor to insert this clause into subcontracts. That is a statement about the text, not legal advice: a prime contractor may still flow terms down contractually, an agency supplement (DFARS, VAAR, …) may add requirements, and clauses listed below (if any) may order this clause into subcontracts from the outside.
Where it's prescribed
As prescribed in 36.516 , the contracting officer may insert the following clause in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price construction contract providing for unit pricing of items and for payment based on quantity surveys is contemplated:
Prescribing reference: FAR 36.516.
The official text, verbatim
As prescribed in 36.516 , the contracting officer may insert the following clause in solicitations and contracts when a fixed-price construction contract providing for unit pricing of items and for payment based on quantity surveys is contemplated:
Quantity Surveys (Apr 1984)
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(a) Quantity surveys shall be conducted, and the data derived from these surveys shall be used in computing the quantities of work performed and the actual construction completed and in place.
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(b) The Government shall conduct the original and final surveys and make the computations based on them. The Contractor shall conduct the surveys for any periods for which progress payments are requested and shall make the computations based on these surveys. All surveys conducted by the Contractor shall be conducted under the direction of a representative of the Contracting Officer, unless the Contracting Officer waives this requirement in a specific instance.
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(c) Promptly upon completing a survey, the Contractor shall furnish the originals of all field notes and all other records relating to the survey or to the layout of the work to the Contracting Officer, who shall use them as necessary to determine the amount of progress payments. The Contractor shall retain copies of all such material furnished to the Contracting Officer.
(End of clause)
Alternate I (Apr 1984). If it is determined at a level above that of the Contracting Officer that it is impracticable for Government personnel to perform the original and final surveys, and the Government wishes the Contractor to perform these surveys, substitute the following paragraph (b) for paragraph (b) of the basic clause:
(b) The Contractor shall conduct the original and final surveys and surveys for any periods for which progress payments are requested. All these surveys shall be conducted under the direction of a representative of the Contracting Officer, unless the Contracting Officer waives this requirement in a specific instance. The Government shall make such computations as are necessary to determine the quantities of work performed or finally in place. The Contractor shall make the computations based on the surveys for any periods for which progress payments are requested.