[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 161 (Wednesday, August 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 49317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-19812]
[[Page 49317]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 9000-00XX: Docket 2014-0055; Sequence 26]
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review;
Combating Trafficking in Persons
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding a new OMB
information collection.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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 a new information collection requirement regarding
Combating Trafficking in Persons. A notice was published in the Federal
Register at 78 FR 59317 on September 26, 2013. Three comments were
received.
DATES: Submit comments on or before September 19, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-
00XX, Combating Trafficking in Persons 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 9000-00XX. Select the link ``Comment Now'' that
corresponds with ``Information Collection 9000-00XX, Combating
Trafficking in Persons. Follow the instructions provided on the screen.
Please include your name, company name (if any), and ``Information
Collection 9000-00XX, Combating Trafficking in Persons, 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. Flowers/IC 9000-00XX, Combating Trafficking in Persons.
Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information
Collection 9000-00XX, Combating Trafficking in Persons, 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: Ms. Marissa Petrusek, Procurement
Analyst, Acquistion Policy Division, via telephone 202-510-3069 or via
email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Purpose
Executive Order (E.O.) 13627, entitled Strengthening Protections
Against Trafficking in Persons in Federal Contracts, dated September
25, 2012 (77 FR 60029, October 2, 2012) and Title XVII of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Pub. L. 112-239,
enacted January 2, 2013) strengthen the long standing zero-tolerance
policy of the United States regarding Government employees and
contractor personnel engaging in any form of trafficking in persons.
Additional protections are required where the estimated value of
the supplies (other than commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS)
items) to be acquired outside the United States, or the services to be
performed, outside the United States has an estimated value that
exceeds $500,000. These protections include the following: (a) The
contractor is required to implement and maintain a compliance plan
during the performance of the contract that includes an awareness
program, a process for employees to report activity inconsistent with
the zero-tolerance policy, a recruitment and wage plan, a housing plan,
and procedures to prevent subcontractors from engaging in trafficking
in persons; and (b) The contractor is required to submit a
certification to the contracting officer prior to receiving an award,
and annually thereafter, asserting that it has the required compliance
plan in place and that there have been no abuses, or that appropriate
actions have been taken if abuses have been found. The compliance plan
must be provided to the contracting officer upon request, and relevant
portions of it must be posted at the workplace and on the contractor's
Web site. Additionally, contractors are required to flow these
requirements down to any subcontracts where the estimated value of the
supplies acquired or the services required to be performed outside the
United States exceeds $500,000.
B. Analysis of Public Comments
Three respondents submitted public comments on the new information
collection. The analysis of the public comments is summarized as
follows:
Comment: Several respondents commented that the four hour estimate
per contract to prepare and submit an annual certification
underestimates the burden because it does not take into consideration
the time required to monitor, detect and terminate any agent
subcontractors or subcontractor employees who have engaged in
trafficking in persons at all tiers.
Response. The Councils performed a detailed analysis and believe
that the certification process should require minimal additional
attention if a company is taking the time required to maintain a sound
compliance plan. Therefore, the Councils have not increased the
estimated number of burden hours.
Comment. One respondent commented that the 24 hour estimate to
prepare the compliance plan underestimates the burden.
Response. The Councils performed detailed analysis taking into
account many factors. The estimated burden associated with writing the
compliance plan takes into consideration that this is one-time, to be
updated, as necessary, to align with the size, scope and complexity of
later procurements. The Councils have not increased the estimate.
C. Annual Reporting Burden
Respondents: 120.
Responses per Respondent: 1.
Total Responses: 120.
Hours per Response: 1.
Total Burden Hours: 120.
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. 9000-00XX, in all correspondence.
Dated: August 15, 2014.
Karlos Morgan,
Acting Director, Office of Government-Wide Acquisition Policy, Office
of Acquisition Policy, Office of Government-Wide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014-19812 Filed 8-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P