[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5448-5449]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01451]
[[Page 5448]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[Docket 2012-0076; Sequence 45; OMB Control No. 9000-0082]
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review;
Economic Purchase Quantity--Supplies
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding an extension to
an existing OMB clearance.
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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the
Regulatory Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a
previously approved information collection requirement concerning
Economic Purchase Quantity--Supplies. A notice was published in the
Federal Register at 77 FR 43077, on July 23, 2012. One respondent
submitted comments.
Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
functions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and whether it
will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden
of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid
assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
DATES: Submit comments on or before February 25, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-
0082, Economic Purchase Quantity--Supplies, by any of the following
methods:
Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov.
Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching the
OMB control number. Select the link ``Submit a Comment'' that
corresponds with ``Information Collection 9000-0082 Economic Purchase
Quantity--Supplies''. Follow the instructions provided at the ``Submit
a Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if any),
and ``Information Collection 9000-0082 Economic Purchase Quantity--
Supplies'' on your attached document.
Fax: 202-501-4067.
Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory
Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20417. ATTN:
Hada Flowers/IC 9000-0082, Economic Purchase Quantity--Supplies.
Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information
Collection 9000-0082, Economic Purchase Quantity--Supplies, in all
correspondence related to this collection. All comments received will
be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any
personal and/or business confidential information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael O. Jackson, Procurement
Analyst, Office of Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, (202) 208-4949 or
email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Purpose
The provision at 52.207-4, Economic Purchase Quantity--Supplies,
invites offerors to state an opinion on whether the quantity of
supplies on which bids, proposals, or quotes are requested in
solicitations is economically advantageous to the Government. Each
offeror who believes that acquisitions in different quantities would be
more advantageous is invited to (1) recommend an economic purchase
quantity, showing a recommended unit and total price, and (2) identify
the different quantity points where significant price breaks occur.
This information is required by Public Law 98-577 and Public Law 98-
525.
B. Discussion and Analysis
One respondent submitted public comments on the extension of the
previously approved information collection. The analysis of the public
comments is summarized as follows:
Comment: The respondent commented that the extension of the
information collection would violate the fundamental purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act because of the burden it puts on the entity
submitting the information and the agency collecting the information.
The respondent opposes granting the extension of the information
collection requirement.
Response: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA),
agencies can request an OMB approval of an existing information
collection. The PRA requires that agencies use the Federal Register
notice and comment process, to extend the OMB's approval, at least
every three years. This extension, to a previously approved information
collection, pertains to the provision at FAR 52.207-4, Economic
Purchase Quantity--Supplies, which invites offerors to state an opinion
on whether the quantity of supplies on which bids, proposals, or quotes
are requested in solicitations is economically advantageous to the
Government. Each offeror who believes that acquisitions in different
quantities would be more advantageous is invited to (1) recommend an
economic purchase quantity, showing a recommended unit and total price,
and (2) identify the different quantity points where significant price
breaks occur. This information is required by Public Law 98-577 and
Public Law 98-525. Not granting this extension would consequently
eliminate FAR clauses that provide a benefit to the public and the
agency collecting the information.
Comment: The respondent commented that the agency did not
accurately estimate the public burden challenging that the agency's
methodology for calculating it is insufficient and inadequate and does
not reflect the total burden. For this reason, the respondent provided
that the agency should reassess the estimated total burden hours and
revise the estimate upwards to be more accurate, as was done in FAR
Case 2007-006. The same respondent also provided that the burden of
compliance with the information collection requirement greatly exceeds
the agency's estimate and outweighs any potential utility of the
extension.
Response: Serious consideration is given, during the open comment
period, to all comments received and adjustments are made to the
paperwork burden estimate based on reasonable considerations provided
by the public. This is evidenced, as the respondent notes, in FAR Case
2007-006 where an adjustment was made from the total preparation hours
from three to 60. This change was made considering particularly the
hours that would be required for review within the company, prior to
release to the Government.
The burden is prepared taking into consideration the necessary
criteria in OMB guidance for estimating the paperwork burden put on the
entity submitting the information. For example, consideration is given
to an entity reviewing instructions; using technology to collect,
process, and
[[Page 5449]]
disclose information; adjusting existing practices to comply with
requirements; searching data sources; completing and reviewing the
response; and transmitting or disclosing information. The estimated
burden hours for a collection are based on an average between the hours
that a simple disclosure by a very small business might require and the
much higher numbers that might be required for a very complex
disclosure by a major corporation. Also, the estimated burden hours
should only include projected hours for those actions which a company
would not undertake in the normal course of business.
Careful consideration went into assessing the burden for this
collection. There is no centralized database for the collection of the
information associated with this requirement. The solicitation
provision of this information collection is not required to be inserted
in contracts for the General Services Administration multiple award
schedule contract program where numerous agencies place orders for
supplies. In addition, a contracting officer can determine not to
include the provision in a solicitation for supplies under certain
circumstances. Further, the FAR requirements to conduct market research
significantly reduced the applicability of the provision because
Government quantities are more in line with industry practices.
However, based on the information submitted by the respondent an
adjustment is made to the estimated burden. At any point, members of
the public may submit comments for further consideration, and are
encouraged to provide data to support their request for an adjustment.
C. Annual Reporting Burden
Respondents: 3,000.
Responses Per Respondent: 25.
Annual Responses: 75,000.
Hours per Response: 1.
Total Burden Hours: 75,000.
Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the
information collection documents from the General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20417, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB Control
No. 9000-0082, Economic Purchase Quantity--Supplies, in all
correspondence.
Dated: January 18, 2013.
William Clark,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of
Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office
of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-01451 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
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