[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 1995)] [Notices] [Pages 11659-11660] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-4699] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION OMB Clearance Request for Simplified Acquisition Procedures/ FACNET AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ACTION: Notice of new request for OMB clearance. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Secretariat has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a new information collection requirement concerning Simplified Acquisition Procedures/FACNET. DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before May 1, 1995. ADDRESSES: Send comments to Mr. Peter Weiss, FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10236, NEOB, Washington, DC 20503. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Fayson, Office of Federal Acquisition Policy, GSA (202) 501- 4755. [[Page 11660]] SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A. Purpose Title IX of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 (the Act) amended the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 401, et seq.) by adding new sections regarding the establishment of a program for the development and implementation of a Federal Acquisition Computer Network (hereinafter referred to as FACNET). FACNET is to be Governmentwide and will allow the electronic interchange of procurement information between the private sector and the Federal Government and among Federal agencies. Specific functions of FACNET are set forth under Section 30 of the Act. Regulatory coverage on FACNET is included under FAR Subpart 4.5 in the draft proposed rule (FAR case 94-770). FAR section 4.503 will require contractors to register on a one-time basis with the Federal Contractor Registration System operated by the Defense Information Megacenter, Columbus, Ohio, in order to conduct business through electronic commerce (EC) with the Federal Government. Contractor registration information will be collected electronically as a prerequisite for conducting EC with the Federal Government. The process for collection of contractor information will use the Federal Implementation Conventions ANSI X12.838, Trading Partner Profile in accordance with the Federal Information Processing Standards 161(FIPS). These standards are published by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). The information required to be submitted as part of contractor registration is the same as that currently provided by the SF 129, Solicitation Mailing List Application; the SF 3881, ACH vendor/Miscellaneous Payment Enrollment Form for paper transactions. In addition, information pertaining to a contractor assignment of commercial and Government entity (CAGE) code (where applicable); electronic data interchange (EDI) capabilities, including ANSI X12 transaction set and version number status for production, testing, sending and receiving; and the registrant's value added network (VAN) or value added service (VAS) electronic communications number will also need to be provided as part of the registration process. Requiring information consistent with the existing forms that Government contractors are familiar with simplifies the process of gathering current, factual data to input into the Registration System. The additional information is information contractors should have readily available when they have established EC/EDI capability. The information submitted by contractors will permit the Megacenter to establish a central repository for all vendors doing business with the Federal Government, information that will be accessible by all Government contracting activities. This will eliminate the need for contractors to submit the information to each individual contracting activity they are doing business with, which is the current practice. B. Annual Reporting Burden Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat, 18th & F Streets, NW, Room 4037, Washington, DC 20405, and to the FAR Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. The annual reporting burden is estimated as follows: Respondents, 100,000; responses per respondent; 1; total annual responses, 100,000; preparation hours per response, 25; and total response burden hours, 25,000. C. Annual Recordkeeping Burden The annual recordkeeping burden is estimated as follows: Recordkeepers, 100,000; hours per recordkeeper, .25; and total recordkeeping burden hours, 25,000. Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requester may obtain copies of OMB applications or justifications from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (VRS), Room 4037, Washington, DC 20405, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB clearance request regarding Simplified Acquisition Procedures/FACNET, FAR case 94-770, in all correspondence. Dated: February 21, 1995. Beverly Fayson, FAR Secretariat. [FR Doc. 95-4699 Filed 3-1-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6820-34-M