Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review; Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract Report (SF-294), 17668-17670 [2013-06581]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices
responsibility and protecting the
Government’s interests.
Comment: The respondent
commented that the agency did not
accurately estimate the public burden
challenging that the agency’s
methodology for calculating it is
insufficient and inadequate and does
not reflect the total burden. The
respondent stated that the ‘‘estimate of
four responses per contractor per year is
unrealistically low because almost all
solicitations will include FAR 52.209–5
and 52.212–3(h) * * * we believe,
based on the experience of our
members, that most companies will be
required to meet this requirement from
20 to more than 100 times per year.’’
Further, the respondent commented that
the estimate of 0.083 hours of burden
per response was low when considering
the time and effort necessary for a
company to gather responsibility data.
For this reason, the respondent
provided that the agency should
reassess the estimated total burden
hours and revise the estimate upwards
to be more accurate. The same
respondent also provided that the
burden of compliance with the
information collection requirement
greatly exceeds the agency’s estimate
and outweighs any potential utility of
the extension.
Response: Serious consideration is
given, during the open comment period,
to all comments received and
adjustments are made to the paperwork
burden estimate based on reasonable
considerations provided by the public.
This is evidenced, as the respondent
notes, in FAR Case 2007–006 where an
adjustment was made from the total
preparation hours from three to 60. This
change was made considering
particularly the hours that would be
required for review within the company,
prior to release to the Government.
The burden is prepared taking into
consideration the necessary criteria in
OMB guidance for estimating the
paperwork burden put on the entity
submitting the information. For
example, consideration is given to an
entity reviewing instructions; using
technology to collect, process, and
disclose information; adjusting existing
practices to comply with requirements;
searching data sources; completing and
reviewing the response; and
transmitting or disclosing information.
The estimated burden hours for a
collection are based on an average
between the hours that a simple
disclosure by a very small business
might require and the much higher
numbers that might be required for a
very complex disclosure by a major
corporation. Also, the estimated burden
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:27 Mar 21, 2013
Jkt 229001
hours should only include projected
hours for those actions which a
company would not undertake in the
normal course of business.
Careful consideration went into
assessing the estimated burden hours for
this collection, and it is determined that
an upward adjustment is not required at
this time related to the responses per
respondent. The estimate of four
responses per respondent is based upon
contractor use of the Online
Representation and Certifications
Application (ORCA) function in the
System for Award Management (SAM)
rather than the completion of
representations and certifications for
each solicitation/contract for which a
vendor submits an offer. The ORCA
function was developed to eliminate the
administrative burden for contractors of
submitting the same information to
various contracting offices, and to
establish a common source for this
information to procurement offices
across the Government. Prior to the
ORCA function’s implementation,
prospective contractors were required to
submit representations and
certifications in paper form for each
individual contract award. Under these
conditions, a response rate of 20 to more
than 100 times per year per contractor
as suggested by the respondent may
have been necessary. However, using
the ORCA function in SAM, a contractor
can enter their representations and
certification information once for use on
all Federal contracts and solicitations.
FAR 4.1201(a) requires prospective
contractors to complete electronic
annual representations and
certifications at the SAM Internet site in
conjunction with required registration
in the Central Contractor Registration
(CCR) function in SAM. The
representations and certifications are
effective until one year from the date of
submission or update to the ORCA
function in SAM. For purposes of this
information collection, initial data entry
plus three updates per year was
considered reasonable and was used to
estimate the number of responses per
respondent per year, i.e., 4 responses
per respondent.
We have reassessed the hours of
burden per response based on the
respondent’s comment, and have
determined that an upward estimate of
thirty minutes or approximately six
times the original estimate of 0.083
would provide a more accurate measure
of the time required to complete and
review each response.
However, at any point, members of
the public may submit comments for
further consideration, and are
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
encouraged to provide data to support
their request for an adjustment.
C. Annual Reporting Burden
Respondents: 162,000.
Responses per Respondent: 4.
Annual Responses: 648,000.
Hours per Response: 0.50.
Total Burden Hours: 324,000.
Obtaining Copies of Proposals:
Requesters may obtain a copy of the
information collection documents from
the General Services Administration,
Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1275
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20417,
telephone (202) 501–4755. Please cite
OMB Control No. 9000–0094,
Debarment and Suspension, in all
correspondence.
Dated: March 18, 2013.
William Clark,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy
Division, Office of Governmentwide
Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition
Policy, Office of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013–06626 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820–EP–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 9000–0006; Docket 2012–
0076; Sequence 57]
Federal Acquisition Regulation;
Submission for OMB Review;
Subcontracting Plans/Individual
Subcontract Report (SF–294)
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.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, the
Regulatory Secretariat 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
subcontracting plans/individual
subcontract report (SF–294). A notice
was published in the Federal Register at
77 FR 69627, on November 20, 2012.
One respondent submitted comments.
DATES: Submit comments on or before
April 22, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments
identified by Information Collection
E:\FR\FM\22MRN1.SGM
22MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices
9000–0006, Subcontracting Plans/
Individual Subcontract Report (SF–294),
by any of the following methods:
• Regulations.gov: https://
www.regulations.gov. Submit comments
via the Federal eRulemaking portal by
searching the OMB control number.
Select the link ‘‘Submit a Comment’’
that corresponds with ‘‘Information
Collection 9000–0006, Subcontracting
Plans/Individual Subcontract Report
(SF–294).’’ Follow the instructions
provided at the ‘‘Submit a Comment’’
screen. Please include your name,
company name (if any), and
‘‘Information Collection 9000–0006,
Subcontracting Plans/Individual
Subcontract Report (SF–294)’’ on your
attached document.
• Fax: 202–501–4067.
• Mail: General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat
(MVCB), 1275 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20417. ATTN: Hada
Flowers/IC 9000–0006, Subcontracting
Plans/Individual Subcontract Report
(SF–294).
Instructions: Please submit comments
only and cite Information Collection
9000–0006, Subcontracting Plans/
Individual Subcontract Report (SF–294),
in all correspondence related to this
collection. All comments received will
be posted without change to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal and/or business confidential
information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Karlos Morgan, Procurement Analyst,
Office of Acquisition Policy, GSA (202)
501–2364 or email
karlos.morgan@gsa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
A. Purpose
In accordance with Federal
Acquisition Regulation 19.702, which
implements the statutory requirements
of Section 8(d) of the Small Business
Act (15 U.S.C. 637(d)), contractors
receiving a contract for more than the
simplified acquisition threshold agree to
have small business, small
disadvantaged business, women-owned
small business, historically
underutilized business zone small
business, veteran-owned small business,
and service-disabled veteran-owned
small business concerns participate in
the performance of the contract as far as
practicable. Contractors receiving a
contract or a modification to a contract
expected to exceed $650,000
($1,500,000 for construction) must
submit a subcontracting plan that
provides maximum practicable
opportunities for the above named
concerns. Specific elements required to
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:27 Mar 21, 2013
Jkt 229001
be included in the plan are specified in
section 8(d) of the Small Business Act
and implemented in FAR subpart 19.7.
In conjunction with the
subcontracting plan requirements,
contractors must submit semi-annual
reports of their small business
subcontracting progress to the
government. With the exception of those
contracts noted in FAR 4.606(c)(5)
which states ‘‘Actions that, pursuant to
other authority, will not be entered in
FPDS (e.g., reporting of the information
would compromise national security)’’,
contractors must use the electronic
Individual Subcontract Report (ISR) in
the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting
System (eSRS) in lieu of the Standard
Form 294, Subcontracting Report for
Individual Contracts. The ISR is the
electronic equivalent of the Standard
Form 294. The eSRS streamlines the
small business subcontracting program
reporting process and provides the data
to agencies in a manner that enables
them to more effectively manage the
program. Those contract actions noted
in FAR 4.606(c)(5) will continue to use
the Standard Form 294.
B. Analysis of Public Comments
One respondent submitted public
comments on the extension of the
previously approved information
collection. The analysis of the public
comments is summarized as follows:
Comment: The respondent
commented that the extension of the
information collection would violate the
fundamental purposes of the Paperwork
Reduction Act.
Response: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA),
agencies can request OMB approval an
existing information collection. PRA
requires that agencies use the Federal
Register notice and comment process, to
extend OMB’s approval, at least every
three years. This extension, to a
previously approved information
collection, pertains to the use of the ISR
to collect subcontract award data from
prime or subcontractors that: (a) Hold
one or more contracts over $650,000
(over $1,500,000 for construction); and
(b) are required to report subcontracts
awarded to small business, small
disadvantaged business, women-owned
small business, historically
underutilized business zone small
business, veteran-owned small business,
and service-disabled veteran-owned
small business concerns. The ISR is also
used to collect subcontract award data
from Alaskan Native Corporations and
Indian Tribe concerns under a
subcontracting plan with the Federal
government. For the Department of
Defense, the National Aeronautics and
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Frm 00043
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
17669
Space Administration, and the United
States Coast Guard, the ISR collects
subcontract awards for Historically
Black Colleges and Universities and
Minority Institutions. Absent this
information the suitability of the
contractor to report subcontract award
data could not be ascertained. Further,
the contracting officer could not
examine the subcontract award data to
assess contractors’ compliance with
their subcontracting plans, the Small
Business Act, and the FAR.
Comment: The respondent
commented that the agency did not
accurately estimate the public burden
challenging that the agency’s
methodology for calculating it is
insufficient and inadequate and does
not reflect the total burden. The
respondent indicated that the upward
adjustment made to the number of
respondents from 103,908 to 129,009
was reasonable. However, the decrease
in the estimated hours per response
from 11.90 to 8.5 hours per responses is
understated, and that the average
burden on companies is somewhere in
the range of 10 to 100 time greater than
the estimate put forth in the Federal
Register Notice. For this reason, the
respondent provided that agency should
reassess the estimated total burden
hours and revise the estimate upwards
to be more accurate, as was done in FAR
Case 2007–006.
Response: Serious consideration
given, during the open comment period,
to all comments received and
adjustments are made to the paperwork
burden estimate based on reasonable
considerations provided by the public.
This is evidenced, as the respondent
notes, in FAR Case 2007–006 where
adjustment was made from the total
preparation hours from three to 60. This
change was made considering
particularly the hours that would be
required for review within the company
prior to release to the Government. The
burden is prepared taking into
consideration the necessary criteria
OMB guidance for estimating the
paperwork burden put on the entity
submitting the information. For
example, consideration is given to entity
reviewing instructions; using
technology to collect, process, and
disclose information; adjusting existing
practices to comply with requirements;
searching data sources; completing
reviewing the response; and
transmitting or disclosing information.
The estimated burden hours for a
collection are based on an average
between the hours that a simple
disclosure by a very small business
might require and the much higher
numbers that might be required for a
E:\FR\FM\22MRN1.SGM
22MRN1
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
17670
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 56 / Friday, March 22, 2013 / Notices
very complex disclosure by a major
corporation. Also, the estimated burden
hours should only include projected
hours for those actions which a
company would not undertake in the
normal course of business.
Careful consideration went into
assessing the estimated burden hours for
this collection. Given that many of the
key data elements are pre-populated in
eSRS from the Federal Procurement
Data System and the System for Award
Management (e.g. basic contractual
information and contractor
information), combined with the system
improvements to streamline user
experience, the amount of training
provided, the user guides and webinars
available, and the sample reports
provided, the length of time necessary
for reporting subcontracting
achievements into eSRS has been
shortened.
As a result, the estimate burden hours
published in the Federal Register at 77
FR 69627, on November 20, 2012
remains a valid estimate and an upward
adjustment is not required at this time.
However, at any point, members of the
public may submit comments for further
consideration, and are encouraged to
provide data to support their request for
an adjustment.
Comment: The respondent
commented that the collective burden of
compliance with the information
collection requirement greatly exceeds
the agency’s estimate and outweighs any
potential utility of the extension.
Response: The Paperwork Reduction
Act (PRA) was designed to improve the
quality and use of Federal information
to strengthen decision-making,
accountability, and openness in
government and society. Central to this
process is the solicitation of comments
from the public. This process
incorporates and enumerated
specification of targeted information
and provides interested parties a
meaningful opportunity for comment on
the relevant compliance cost. This
process has led to decreases in the
overall collection requirement in
regards to the public. Based on OMB
estimates, in FY 2010, the public spent
8.8 billion hours responding to
information collections. This was a
decrease of one billion hours, or ten
percent from the previous fiscal year. In
effect, the collective burden of
compliance for the public is going down
as the Government publishes rule that
make the process less complex, more
transparent, and reduces the cost of
federal regulations to both the
Contractor community and Government.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:27 Mar 21, 2013
Jkt 229001
C. Annual Reporting Burden
Based on information from eSRS and
an estimate of the use of eSRS, an
upward adjustment is being made to the
number of respondents, but a downward
adjustment is being made to the average
burden hours for reporting and
recordkeeping per response. As a result,
a downward adjustment is being made
to the estimated annual reporting
burden since the notice regarding an
extension to this clearance published in
the Federal Register at 75 FR 9604, on
March 3, 2010.
Respondents: 129,009.
Responses per Respondent: 3.
Total Responses: 387,027.
Average Burden Hours per Response:
8.50.
Total Burden Hours: 3,289,729.50.
Obtaining Copies of Proposals:
Requesters may obtain a copy of the
information collection documents from
the General Services Administration,
Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1275
First Street NE., Washington, DC 20417,
telephone (202) 501–4755. Please cite
OMB Control No. 9000–0006,
Subcontracting Plans/Individual
Subcontract Report (SF–294), in all
correspondence.
Dated: March 18, 2013.
William Clark,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy
Division, Office of Governmentwide
Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition
Policy, Office of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013–06581 Filed 3–21–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820–EP–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 9000–0114; Docket 2012–
0076; Sequence 60]
Federal Acquisition Regulation;
Information Collection; Right of First
Refusal of Employment
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.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act, the
Regulatory Secretariat will be
submitting to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) a request to review
PO 00000
Frm 00044
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
and approve an extension of a
previously approved information
collection.
Submit comments on or before
May 21, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments
identified by Information Collection
9000–0114, Right of First Refusal of
Employment, by any of the following
methods:
• Regulations.gov: https://
www.regulations.gov. Submit comments
via the Federal eRulemaking portal by
searching the OMB control number.
Select the link ‘‘Submit a Comment’’
that corresponds with ‘‘Information
Collection 9000–0114, Right of First
Refusal of Employment’’. Follow the
instructions provided at the ‘‘Submit a
Comment’’ screen. Please include your
name, company name (if any), and
‘‘Information Collection 9000–0114,
Right of First Refusal of Employment’’
on your attached document.
• Fax: 202–501–4067.
• Mail: General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat
(MVCB), 1275 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20417. ATTN: Hada
Flowers/IC 9000–0114, Right of First
Refusal of Employment.
Instructions: Please submit comments
only and cite Information Collection
9000–0114, Right of First Refusal of
Employment, in all correspondence
related to this collection. All comments
received will be posted without change
to https://www.regulations.gov, including
any personal and/or business
confidential information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Michael O. Jackson, Procurement
Analyst, Office of Governmentwide
Acquisition Policy GSA, at (202) 208–
4949 or via email at
michaelo.jackson@gsa.gov.
DATES:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Purpose
As prescribed in FAR 7.305(c), the
clause at FAR 52.207–3, Right of First
Refusal of Employment, deals with
adversely affected or separated
Government employees resulting from
the conversion from in-house
performance to performance by contract.
The clause requires the contractor to
give these employees an opportunity to
work for the contractor who is awarded
the contract.
The information gathered will be used
by the Government to gain knowledge of
which employees, adversely affected or
separated as a result of the contract
award, have gained employment with
the contractor within 90 days after
contract performance begins.
E:\FR\FM\22MRN1.SGM
22MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17668-17670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06581]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 9000-0006; Docket 2012-0076; Sequence 57]
Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review;
Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract Report (SF-294)
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the
Regulatory Secretariat 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
subcontracting plans/individual subcontract report (SF-294). A notice
was published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 69627, on November 20,
2012. One respondent submitted comments.
DATES: Submit comments on or before April 22, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection
[[Page 17669]]
9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract Report (SF-294),
by any of the following methods:
Regulations.gov: https://www.regulations.gov. Submit
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching the OMB
control number. Select the link ``Submit a Comment'' that corresponds
with ``Information Collection 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/
Individual Subcontract Report (SF-294).'' Follow the instructions
provided at the ``Submit a Comment'' screen. Please include your name,
company name (if any), and ``Information Collection 9000-0006,
Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract Report (SF-294)'' on your
attached document.
Fax: 202-501-4067.
Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory
Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20417. ATTN:
Hada Flowers/IC 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract
Report (SF-294).
Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information
Collection 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract
Report (SF-294), in all correspondence related to this collection. All
comments received will be posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any personal and/or business
confidential information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Karlos Morgan, Procurement
Analyst, Office of Acquisition Policy, GSA (202) 501-2364 or email
karlos.morgan@gsa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Purpose
In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 19.702, which
implements the statutory requirements of Section 8(d) of the Small
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(d)), contractors receiving a contract for
more than the simplified acquisition threshold agree to have small
business, small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business,
historically underutilized business zone small business, veteran-owned
small business, and service-disabled veteran-owned small business
concerns participate in the performance of the contract as far as
practicable. Contractors receiving a contract or a modification to a
contract expected to exceed $650,000 ($1,500,000 for construction) must
submit a subcontracting plan that provides maximum practicable
opportunities for the above named concerns. Specific elements required
to be included in the plan are specified in section 8(d) of the Small
Business Act and implemented in FAR subpart 19.7.
In conjunction with the subcontracting plan requirements,
contractors must submit semi-annual reports of their small business
subcontracting progress to the government. With the exception of those
contracts noted in FAR 4.606(c)(5) which states ``Actions that,
pursuant to other authority, will not be entered in FPDS (e.g.,
reporting of the information would compromise national security)'',
contractors must use the electronic Individual Subcontract Report (ISR)
in the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) in lieu of the
Standard Form 294, Subcontracting Report for Individual Contracts. The
ISR is the electronic equivalent of the Standard Form 294. The eSRS
streamlines the small business subcontracting program reporting process
and provides the data to agencies in a manner that enables them to more
effectively manage the program. Those contract actions noted in FAR
4.606(c)(5) will continue to use the Standard Form 294.
B. Analysis of Public Comments
One respondent submitted public comments on the extension of the
previously approved information collection. The analysis of the public
comments is summarized as follows:
Comment: The respondent commented that the extension of the
information collection would violate the fundamental purposes of the
Paperwork Reduction Act.
Response: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA),
agencies can request OMB approval an existing information collection.
PRA requires that agencies use the Federal Register notice and comment
process, to extend OMB's approval, at least every three years. This
extension, to a previously approved information collection, pertains to
the use of the ISR to collect subcontract award data from prime or
subcontractors that: (a) Hold one or more contracts over $650,000 (over
$1,500,000 for construction); and (b) are required to report
subcontracts awarded to small business, small disadvantaged business,
women-owned small business, historically underutilized business zone
small business, veteran-owned small business, and service-disabled
veteran-owned small business concerns. The ISR is also used to collect
subcontract award data from Alaskan Native Corporations and Indian
Tribe concerns under a subcontracting plan with the Federal government.
For the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and the United States Coast Guard, the ISR collects
subcontract awards for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and
Minority Institutions. Absent this information the suitability of the
contractor to report subcontract award data could not be ascertained.
Further, the contracting officer could not examine the subcontract
award data to assess contractors' compliance with their subcontracting
plans, the Small Business Act, and the FAR.
Comment: The respondent commented that the agency did not
accurately estimate the public burden challenging that the agency's
methodology for calculating it is insufficient and inadequate and does
not reflect the total burden. The respondent indicated that the upward
adjustment made to the number of respondents from 103,908 to 129,009
was reasonable. However, the decrease in the estimated hours per
response from 11.90 to 8.5 hours per responses is understated, and that
the average burden on companies is somewhere in the range of 10 to 100
time greater than the estimate put forth in the Federal Register
Notice. For this reason, the respondent provided that agency should
reassess the estimated total burden hours and revise the estimate
upwards to be more accurate, as was done in FAR Case 2007-006.
Response: Serious consideration given, during the open comment
period, to all comments received and adjustments are made to the
paperwork burden estimate based on reasonable considerations provided
by the public. This is evidenced, as the respondent notes, in FAR Case
2007-006 where adjustment was made from the total preparation hours
from three to 60. This change was made considering particularly the
hours that would be required for review within the company prior to
release to the Government. The burden is prepared taking into
consideration the necessary criteria OMB guidance for estimating the
paperwork burden put on the entity submitting the information. For
example, consideration is given to entity reviewing instructions; using
technology to collect, process, and disclose information; adjusting
existing practices to comply with requirements; searching data sources;
completing reviewing the response; and transmitting or disclosing
information. The estimated burden hours for a collection are based on
an average between the hours that a simple disclosure by a very small
business might require and the much higher numbers that might be
required for a
[[Page 17670]]
very complex disclosure by a major corporation. Also, the estimated
burden hours should only include projected hours for those actions
which a company would not undertake in the normal course of business.
Careful consideration went into assessing the estimated burden
hours for this collection. Given that many of the key data elements are
pre-populated in eSRS from the Federal Procurement Data System and the
System for Award Management (e.g. basic contractual information and
contractor information), combined with the system improvements to
streamline user experience, the amount of training provided, the user
guides and webinars available, and the sample reports provided, the
length of time necessary for reporting subcontracting achievements into
eSRS has been shortened.
As a result, the estimate burden hours published in the Federal
Register at 77 FR 69627, on November 20, 2012 remains a valid estimate
and an upward adjustment is not required at this time. However, at any
point, members of the public may submit comments for further
consideration, and are encouraged to provide data to support their
request for an adjustment.
Comment: The respondent commented that the collective burden of
compliance with the information collection requirement greatly exceeds
the agency's estimate and outweighs any potential utility of the
extension.
Response: The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) was designed to improve
the quality and use of Federal information to strengthen decision-
making, accountability, and openness in government and society. Central
to this process is the solicitation of comments from the public. This
process incorporates and enumerated specification of targeted
information and provides interested parties a meaningful opportunity
for comment on the relevant compliance cost. This process has led to
decreases in the overall collection requirement in regards to the
public. Based on OMB estimates, in FY 2010, the public spent 8.8
billion hours responding to information collections. This was a
decrease of one billion hours, or ten percent from the previous fiscal
year. In effect, the collective burden of compliance for the public is
going down as the Government publishes rule that make the process less
complex, more transparent, and reduces the cost of federal regulations
to both the Contractor community and Government.
C. Annual Reporting Burden
Based on information from eSRS and an estimate of the use of eSRS,
an upward adjustment is being made to the number of respondents, but a
downward adjustment is being made to the average burden hours for
reporting and recordkeeping per response. As a result, a downward
adjustment is being made to the estimated annual reporting burden since
the notice regarding an extension to this clearance published in the
Federal Register at 75 FR 9604, on March 3, 2010.
Respondents: 129,009.
Responses per Respondent: 3.
Total Responses: 387,027.
Average Burden Hours per Response: 8.50.
Total Burden Hours: 3,289,729.50.
Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the
information collection documents from the General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street NE.,
Washington, DC 20417, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB Control
No. 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract Report (SF-
294), in all correspondence.
Dated: March 18, 2013.
William Clark,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of
Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office
of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-06581 Filed 3-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P
