Executive Office of the President; Performance of Commercial Activities, 44130-44131 [05-15155]

Download as PDF 44130 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 146 / Monday, August 1, 2005 / Notices Technical Contact: Thomas Koshy, NRR, 301–415–1176. E-mail: txk@nrc.gov. End of Draft Generic Letter Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC’s Public Document Room at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Public Electronic Reading Room on the Internet at the NRC Web site, https://www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/ index.html. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if you have problems in accessing the documents in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415–4737 or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. Dated in Rockville, Maryland, this 22nd day of July 2005. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Patrick L. Hiland, Chief, Reactor Operations Branch, Division of Inspection Program Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 05–15124 Filed 7–29–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET Executive Office of the President; Performance of Commercial Activities Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Executive Office of the President. ACTION: Update to Federal Pay Raise Assumptions, Inflation Factors, and Costing Software Used in OMB Circular No. A–76, ‘‘Performance of Commercial Activities.’’ AGENCY: SUMMARY: OMB is updating the annual federal pay raise assumptions and inflation cost factors used for computing the government’s personnel and nonpay costs in public-private competitions conducted pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A–76. These annual pay raise assumptions and inflation factors are based on the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2006. OMB is also providing notice of an update to ‘‘COMPARE,’’ the costing software agencies use when conducting public-private competitions. DATES: Effective date: These changes are effective immediately and shall apply to all public-private competitions performed in accordance with OMB Circular A–76, as revised in May 2003, where the performance decision has not VerDate jul<14>2003 14:01 Jul 29, 2005 Jkt 205001 been certified by the government before this date. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mathew Blum, Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP), NEOB, Room 9013, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Tel. No. 202– 395–4953. Availability: Copies of OMB Circular A–76 may be obtained on the Internet at the OMB home page at www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/ index.html#numerical. Paper copies of the Circular may be obtained by calling OFPP (tel: (202) 395–7579). The COMPARE software may be accessed at https://www.compareA76.com. Joshua B. Bolten, Director. Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies From: Joshua B. Bolten, Director. Subject: Update of Annual Federal Pay Raise Assumptions, Certain Inflation Factors, and Costing Software Used in OMB Circular A–76, Performance of Commercial Activities. This memorandum updates the annual federal pay raise assumptions and inflation cost factors used for computing the government’s personnel and non-pay costs in public-private competitions conducted pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A–76. These annual pay raise assumptions and inflation factors are based on the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2006. The memorandum also provides notice of an update to ‘‘COMPARE.’’ COMPARE is the software agencies use to calculate costs and document performance decisions in public-private competitions. 1. Federal pay raise assumptions. The following Federal pay raise assumptions (including geographic pay differentials) that are in effect for 2005 shall be used for the development of government personnel costs. The pay raise factors provided for 2006 and beyond shall be applied to all government personnel with no assumption being made as to how they will be distributed between possible locality and base pay increases. FEDERAL PAY RAISE ASSUMPTIONS*— Continued Effective date January 2006 ........ Civilian (percent) Military (percent) 2.3 3.1 * Federal pay raise assumptions have not been established for pay raises subsequent to January 2006. For January 2007 and beyond, the projected percentage change in the Employment Cost Index (ECI), 4.2 percent should be used to estimate government personnel costs for public-private competitions. In future updates to cost factors in the Circular, as pay policy for years subsequent to 2006 is established, these pay raise assumptions will be revised. 2. Inflation factors. The following non-pay inflation cost factors are provided for purposes of public-private competitions conducted pursuant to Circular A–76 only. They reflect the generic non-pay inflation assumptions used to develop the fiscal year 2006 budget baseline estimates required by law. The law requires that a specific inflation factor (GDP FY/FY chained price index) be used for this purpose. These inflation factors should not be viewed as estimates of expected inflation rates for major long-term procurement items or as an estimate of inflation for any particular agency’s non-pay purchases mix. NON-PAY CATEGORIES [Supplies, equipment, etc.] (percent) FY FY FY FY FY FY 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008 2010 ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... ...................................... 2.0 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.1 *2.1 * Any subsequent years included in the period of performance shall continue to use the 2.1% figure, until otherwise revised by OMB. 3. COMPARE Update. Revisions to Circular A–76, issued by OMB in May 2003, require agencies to use ‘‘COMPARE’’ when calculating costs in public-private competitions. This software incorporates the costing procedures of the revised Circular to ensure all agencies calculate and document the costs of public and private sector performance in a standardized manner when conducting public-private competitions under the Circular. The Department of Defense (DOD) maintains COMPARE on OMB’s FEDERAL PAY RAISE ASSUMPTIONS* behalf. DOD has completed a version update Civilian Military Effective date to COMPARE. COMPARE Version 2.1: (percent) (percent) (1) Improves the functionality of the January 2005 ........ 3.5 3.5 software, (2) applies updated tax rate information (i.e., from the updated tax PO 00000 Frm 00048 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\01AUN1.SGM 01AUN1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 146 / Monday, August 1, 2005 / Notices rate table) to establish the adjusted cost of private sector performance, (3) fully automates the calculation of contract administration costs to ensure consistent agency application of this factor in competitions, and (4) updates terminology to reflect changes made when the Circular was revised in May 2003. The software also provides an optional baseline costing capability that may be used at an agency’s discretion or as otherwise prescribed in agency guidance (e.g., for determining preliminary planning baseline costs and evaluating savings from completed competitions). COMPARE Version 2.1 replaces Version 2.0 and interim instructions issued when OMB revised the Circular. Agencies shall use COMPARE Version 2.1 to calculate costs for all publicprivate competitions performed pursuant to the revised Circular A–76 where a performance decision has not been certified by the government by the effective date identified in the Federal Register notice accompanying the publication of this memorandum. As explained above, however, the baseline costing feature is currently optional and may be used at the agency’s discretion or as otherwise prescribed in agency guidance. COMPARE Version 2.1. and updated tables are located at https:// www.compareA76.com. [FR Doc. 05–15155 Filed 7–29–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3110–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 35–28003] Filings Under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as Amended (‘‘Act’’) July 26, 2005. Notice is hereby given that the following filing(s) has/have been made with the Commission pursuant to provisions of the Act and rules promulgated under the Act. All interested persons are referred to the application(s) and/or declaration(s) for complete statements of the proposed transaction(s) summarized below. The application(s) and/or declaration(s) and any amendment(s) is/are available for public inspection through the Commission’s Branch of Public Reference. Interested persons wishing to comment or request a hearing on the application(s) and/or declaration(s) should submit their views in writing by August 19, 2005, to the Secretary, VerDate jul<14>2003 14:01 Jul 29, 2005 Jkt 205001 Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549–0609, and serve a copy on the relevant applicant(s) and/ or declarant(s) at the address(es) specified below. Proof of service (by affidavit or, in the case of an attorney at law, by certificate) should be filed with the request. Any request for hearing should identify specifically the issues of facts or law that are disputed. A person who so requests will be notified of any hearing, if ordered, and will receive a copy of any notice or order issued in the matter. After August 19, 2005, the application(s) and/or declaration(s), as filed or as amended, may be granted and/or permitted to become effective. Black Hills Corporation, et al. (70– 10237) Black Hills Corporation (‘‘Black Hills’’), a registered public-utility holding company, Black Hills Power, Inc. (‘‘Black Hills Power’’) and Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power Company, both electric-utility subsidiaries (together, ‘‘Utility Subsidiaries’’), Black Hills Energy, Inc. (‘‘Black Hills Energy’’), a nonutility subsidiary, and all of Black Hills other subsidiaries (collectively, ‘‘Subsidiaries’’), all located at 625 Ninth Street, Rapid City, SD 57701 (collectively, ‘‘Applicants’’), have filed with the Commission a post-effective amendment to their previously filed application-declaration, as amended (‘‘Application’’) under sections 6(a), 7, 9(a), 10, 11, 12(b) and (c), 13(b), 32, 33 and 34 of the Act and rules 42, 43, 45, 52, 53, 54, 58 and 88 through 92. I. Background Black Hills is an integrated energy company engaged in three lines of business: (1) The generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity to retail and wholesale customers; (2) through Black Hills Energy and its subsidiaries, the development, ownership and operation of exempt wholesale generators, as defined in section 32 of the Act, and qualifying facilities as defined in the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978, the production, transportation and marketing of natural gas, oil, coal and other energy commodities, power marketing and other energy-related activities; and (3) exempt telecommunications activities.1 Black Hills also has a service subsidiary, Black Hills Services Company, Inc., to provide centralized services (such as accounting, financial, human resources, information 1 Applicants state that the exempt telecommunications businesses are under contract to be sold. PO 00000 Frm 00049 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 44131 technology and legal services) to the companies in the Black Hills system. On December 28, 2004, the Commission authorized Black Hills and its Subsidiaries to engage in various financing, and certain related, transactions.2 The Financing Order authorized Black Hills to, among other things, establish and operate a Utility Money Pool and a Nonutility Money Pool (together, ‘‘Money Pools’’). II. Requested Authority Black Hills requests that it and its Subsidiaries be authorized to make certain modifications to the original arrangements for the Money Pools. In particular, Applicants propose to (1) modify the interest provisions of the Money Pools and (2) file quarterly money pool reports under rule 24. Black Hills proposes to amend the Utility Money Pool and Nonutility Money Pool Agreements to clarify that each lender to either of the Money Pools may earn the same interest rate that the borrowers from the Money Pools pay. Black Hills also proposes that the interest rate charged on loans provided through the Money Pools will be the composite weighted average daily effective cost incurred by the lenders on externally obtained funds outstanding on that date. Applicants state that the daily effective cost shall be inclusive of interest rate swaps related to the external funds. In addition, Applicants propose that, if there are no external funds outstanding on a particular date, then the interest rate imposed will be the daily one-month LIBOR rate plus 100 basis points. Black Hills was also authorized by the Financing Order to file various reports of financing-related activities on a quarterly basis. Applicants propose that, to the extent that money pool transactions are required to be reported under rule 24, Black Hills be allowed to submit cumulative reports of money pool transactions on a quarterly basis, rather than within ten days of each transaction as otherwise would be required under rule 24, on the schedule for quarterly rule 24 reports established in the Financing Order. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, pursuant to delegated authority. Margaret H. McFarland, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. E5–4089 Filed 7–29–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010–01–P 2 Black Hills Corporation, et al., Holding Company Act Release No. 27931 (‘‘Financing Order’’). E:\FR\FM\01AUN1.SGM 01AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 146 (Monday, August 1, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44130-44131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15155]


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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET


Executive Office of the President; Performance of Commercial 
Activities

AGENCY: Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Executive Office of the 
President.

ACTION: Update to Federal Pay Raise Assumptions, Inflation Factors, and 
Costing Software Used in OMB Circular No. A-76, ``Performance of 
Commercial Activities.''

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: OMB is updating the annual federal pay raise assumptions and 
inflation cost factors used for computing the government's personnel 
and non-pay costs in public-private competitions conducted pursuant to 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76. These annual pay 
raise assumptions and inflation factors are based on the President's 
Budget for Fiscal Year 2006. OMB is also providing notice of an update 
to ``COMPARE,'' the costing software agencies use when conducting 
public-private competitions.

DATES: Effective date: These changes are effective immediately and 
shall apply to all public-private competitions performed in accordance 
with OMB Circular A-76, as revised in May 2003, where the performance 
decision has not been certified by the government before this date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mathew Blum, Office of Federal 
Procurement Policy (OFPP), NEOB, Room 9013, Office of Management and 
Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, Tel. No. 202-395-
4953.
    Availability: Copies of OMB Circular A-76 may be obtained on the 
Internet at the OMB home page at www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/
index.html#numerical. Paper copies of the Circular may be obtained by 
calling OFPP (tel: (202) 395-7579). The COMPARE software may be 
accessed at https://www.compareA76.com.

Joshua B. Bolten,
Director.

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    From: Joshua B. Bolten, Director.
    Subject: Update of Annual Federal Pay Raise Assumptions, Certain 
Inflation Factors, and Costing Software Used in OMB Circular A-76, 
Performance of Commercial Activities.
    This memorandum updates the annual federal pay raise assumptions 
and inflation cost factors used for computing the government's 
personnel and non-pay costs in public-private competitions conducted 
pursuant to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76. These 
annual pay raise assumptions and inflation factors are based on the 
President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2006. The memorandum also provides 
notice of an update to ``COMPARE.'' COMPARE is the software agencies 
use to calculate costs and document performance decisions in public-
private competitions.
    1. Federal pay raise assumptions. The following Federal pay raise 
assumptions (including geographic pay differentials) that are in effect 
for 2005 shall be used for the development of government personnel 
costs. The pay raise factors provided for 2006 and beyond shall be 
applied to all government personnel with no assumption being made as to 
how they will be distributed between possible locality and base pay 
increases.

                     Federal Pay Raise Assumptions*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                   Civilian    Military
                 Effective date                    (percent)   (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
January 2005....................................         3.5         3.5
January 2006....................................         2.3        3.1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Federal pay raise assumptions have not been established for pay raises
  subsequent to January 2006. For January 2007 and beyond, the projected
  percentage change in the Employment Cost Index (ECI), 4.2 percent
  should be used to estimate government personnel costs for public-
  private competitions. In future updates to cost factors in the
  Circular, as pay policy for years subsequent to 2006 is established,
  these pay raise assumptions will be revised.

    2. Inflation factors. The following non-pay inflation cost factors 
are provided for purposes of public-private competitions conducted 
pursuant to Circular A-76 only. They reflect the generic non-pay 
inflation assumptions used to develop the fiscal year 2006 budget 
baseline estimates required by law. The law requires that a specific 
inflation factor (GDP FY/FY chained price index) be used for this 
purpose. These inflation factors should not be viewed as estimates of 
expected inflation rates for major long-term procurement items or as an 
estimate of inflation for any particular agency's non-pay purchases 
mix.

                           Non-Pay Categories
                       [Supplies, equipment, etc.]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FY 2005.....................................................         2.0
FY 2006.....................................................         2.0
FY 2007.....................................................         2.1
FY 2008.....................................................         2.1
FY 2008.....................................................         2.1
FY 2010.....................................................       *2.1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Any subsequent years included in the period of performance shall
  continue to use the 2.1% figure, until otherwise revised by OMB.

    3. COMPARE Update. Revisions to Circular A-76, issued by OMB in May 
2003, require agencies to use ``COMPARE'' when calculating costs in 
public-private competitions. This software incorporates the costing 
procedures of the revised Circular to ensure all agencies calculate and 
document the costs of public and private sector performance in a 
standardized manner when conducting public-private competitions under 
the Circular. The Department of Defense (DOD) maintains COMPARE on 
OMB's behalf.
    DOD has completed a version update to COMPARE. COMPARE Version 2.1: 
(1) Improves the functionality of the software, (2) applies updated tax 
rate information (i.e., from the updated tax

[[Page 44131]]

rate table) to establish the adjusted cost of private sector 
performance, (3) fully automates the calculation of contract 
administration costs to ensure consistent agency application of this 
factor in competitions, and (4) updates terminology to reflect changes 
made when the Circular was revised in May 2003. The software also 
provides an optional baseline costing capability that may be used at an 
agency's discretion or as otherwise prescribed in agency guidance 
(e.g., for determining preliminary planning baseline costs and 
evaluating savings from completed competitions).
    COMPARE Version 2.1 replaces Version 2.0 and interim instructions 
issued when OMB revised the Circular. Agencies shall use COMPARE 
Version 2.1 to calculate costs for all public-private competitions 
performed pursuant to the revised Circular A-76 where a performance 
decision has not been certified by the government by the effective date 
identified in the Federal Register notice accompanying the publication 
of this memorandum. As explained above, however, the baseline costing 
feature is currently optional and may be used at the agency's 
discretion or as otherwise prescribed in agency guidance.
    COMPARE Version 2.1. and updated tables are located at https://
www.compareA76.com.

[FR Doc. 05-15155 Filed 7-29-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3110-01-P

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