[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 131 (Wednesday, July 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 38892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-16078]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 9000-0153; Docket 2014-0055; Sequence 11]
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; OMB
Circular A-119
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 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB) 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 OMB Circular A-119.
DATES: Submit comments on or before September 8, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-
0153, OMB Circular A-119, 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 9000-0153. Select the link ``Comment Now'' that
corresponds with ``Information Collection 9000-0153, OMB Circular A-
119''. Follow the instructions provided on the screen. Please include
your name, company name (if any), and ``Information Collection 9000-
0153, OMB Circular A-119'' on your attached document.
Fax: 202-501-4067.
Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory
Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405.
ATTN: Ms. Hada Flowers/IC 9000-0153, OMB Circular A-119.
Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information
Collection 9000-0153, OMB Circular A-119, 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, Acquisition Policy Division, GSA 202-208-4949 or email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Purpose
On February 19, 1998, a revised OMB Circular A-119, ``Federal
Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus
Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities,'' was published in
the Federal Register at 63 FR 8545, February 19, 1998. FAR Subparts
11.1 and 11.2 were revised and a solicitation provision was added at
52.211-7, Alternatives to Government-Unique Standards, to implement the
requirements of the revised OMB circular. If an alternative standard is
proposed, the offeror must furnish data and/or information regarding
the alternative in sufficient detail for the Government to determine if
it meets the Government's requirements. We believe the burden for FAR
52.211-7 to be negative, as it is purely a permissive means for
offerors to propose reducing regulatory burden on a given solicitation.
There are other places A-119 has an effect, though we believe these to
be positive. One is by enabling the single process initiative. Another
is the general replacement of Mil standards with commercial standards,
e.g., ISO 9000. Also, A-119 is the basis for the language in FAR
53.105, which reduces the chaos in data standards development. The
whole purpose of A-119 was to reduce regulatory burden by promoting the
use of industry standards in lieu of federal ones.
To the extent that data on the annual frequency of the use of
voluntary consensus standards under FAR 52.211-7 is not available, we
believe 100 is reasonable. As an aside, FAR part 45 recognizes the use
of voluntary consensus standards in the management of Government
property. However, in these cases there is no Government standard per
se, with the voluntary consensus standard serving as the Government
standard. Consequently, when under part 45 voluntary consensus
standards are used, they are not an alternative to a Government
standard under FAR 52.211-7.
B. Annual Reporting Burden
Respondents: 100.
Responses per Respondent: 1.
Total Responses: 100.
Hours per Response: 1.
Total Burden Hours: 100.
C. Public Comments
Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
functions of the 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.
Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the
information collection documents from the General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street
NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone 202-501-4755. Please cite OMB
Control No. 9000-0153, OMB Circular A-119, in all correspondence.
Dated: July 2, 2014.
Karlos Morgan,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of
Government-Wide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy,
Office of Government-Wide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014-16078 Filed 7-8-14; 8:45 am]
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