[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51293-51294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20526]
[[Page 51293]]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Defense Acquisition Regulations System
48 CFR Part 252
RIN 0750-AI25
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Electronic
Submission of Technical Reports (DFARS Case 2014-D001)
AGENCY: Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Department of Defense
(DoD).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition
Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to require scientific and technical
reports be submitted in electronic format.
DATES: Comment date: Comments on the proposed rule should be submitted
in writing to the address shown below on or before October 27, 2014, to
be considered in the formation of a final rule.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by DFARS Case 2014-D001, using
any of the following methods:
[cir] Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit comments
via the Federal eRulemaking portal by entering ``DFARS Case 2014-D001''
under the heading ``Enter keyword or ID'' and selecting ``Search.''
Select the link ``Submit a Comment'' that corresponds with ``DFARS Case
2014-D001.'' Follow the instructions provided at the ``Submit a
Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and
``DFARS Case 2014-D001'' on your attached document.
[cir] Email: [email protected]. Include DFARS Case 2014-D001 in the
subject line of the message.
[cir] Fax: 571-372-6094.
[cir] Mail: Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Attn: Ms.
Veronica Fallon, OUSD (AT&L) DPAP/DARS, Room 3B941, 3060 Defense
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3060.
Comments received generally will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. To
confirm receipt of your comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov,
approximately two to three days after submission to verify posting
(except allow 30 days for posting of comments submitted by mail).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Veronica Fallon, Defense Acquisition
Regulations System, OUSD (AT&L) DPAP/DARS, Room 3B941, 3060 Defense
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3060. Telephone 571-372-6098.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
DoD is proposing to revise the DFARS to implement a policy that
requires submission of scientific and technical reports in electronic
media. Reports would be submitted online to the Defense Technical
Information Center.
II. Discussion and Analysis
This proposed rule will revise DFARS clause 252.235-7011, Final
Scientific or Technical Report, by requiring the contractor to submit
an electronic copy of the approved final scientific or technical
report. This change will lend efficiency to the submission process by
no longer requiring the electronically initiated report to be printed
for submission. It will also allow the report to be submitted in the
same format as it was created.
III. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563
Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O.
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits,
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility.
This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not
subject to review under section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory Planning
and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule
under 5 U.S.C. 804.
IV. Regulatory Flexibility Act
DoD does not expect this proposed rule to have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the
meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq.,
because the rule is merely updating the means of submitting an existing
requirement to the Government. However, an initial regulatory
flexibility analysis has been performed and is summarized as follows:
This proposed rule is being issued to require the submission of
final scientific or technical reports by electronic means in lieu of
paper documents. Electronic submission of the report is required by DoD
Instruction 3200.12, DoD Scientific and Technical Information Program.
The proposed rule will revise DFARS 252.235-7011, Final Scientific or
Technical Report, by requiring the contractor to submit an electronic
copy of the approved final scientific or technical report. This change
will lend efficiency to the submission process by no longer requiring
the electronically initiated report to be printed for submission. It
will also allow the report to be submitted in the same format as it was
created, thereby streamlining and modernizing the report submission
process.
According to the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), in Fiscal
Year 2013 DoD made approximately 469,593 contract awards (excluding
modifications) to small businesses, of which approximately 4,143 (less
than 1%) (excluding modifications), were awarded as Research,
Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) contracts. It is unknown as to
how many of these RDT&E contracts required the submission of scientific
or technical reports, since that level of detail is not contained in
the FPDS data. However, DoD does not expect this proposed rule to have
a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities
because it is not revising any report submission requirements, it is
only modernizing the submission process.
This rule does not duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any other
Federal rules.
DoD did not identify any alternatives to this rule that would
reduce burdens on small entities and meet the objective of the rule.
This rule does not impose any new burdens on small entities, and since
the rule only changes the mode of submission of the reports from paper
to electronic means, this change is expected to have only a negligible
impact. DoD invites comments from small business concerns and other
interested parties on the expected impact of this rule on small
entities.
DoD will also consider comments from small entities concerning the
existing regulations in subparts affected by this rule in accordance
with 5 U.S.C. 610. Interested parties must submit such comments
separately and should cite 5 U.S.C. 610 (DFARS Case 2014-D001), in
correspondence.
V. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C chapter 35) does apply;
however, these changes to the DFARS do not impose additional
information collection requirements to the paperwork burden previously
approved under OMB Control Number 0704-0188, entitled ASSIST Database,
which expires on August 31, 2016.
[[Page 51294]]
List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 252
Government procurement.
Manuel Quinones,
Editor, Defense Acquisition Regulations System.
Therefore, 48 CFR part 252 is proposed to be amended as follows:
PART 252--SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES
0
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR part 252 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 41 U.S.C. 1303 and 48 CFR chapter 1.
0
2. Section 252.235.7011 is revised to read as follows:
252.235-7011 Final Scientific or Technical Report.
As prescribed in 235.072(d), use the following clause:
Final Scientific or Technical Report (Date)
The Contractor shall--
(a) Submit an electronic copy of the approved final scientific
or technical report, not a summary, delivered under this contract to
the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) through the web-
based input system at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/submit/ as required
under DoD Instruction 3200.12. Include a completed Standard Form
298, Report Documentation Page, in the document, or complete the web
based SF 298.
(b) For instructions on submitting multi-media reports, follow
the instructions at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/submit.
(c) Email classified reports (up to Secret) to [email protected].
If a SIPRNET email capability is not available, follow the
classified submission instructions at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/submit/.
(End of clause)
[FR Doc. 2014-20526 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
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