Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Preaward Survey Forms (Standard Forms 1403, 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, and 1408), 38341-38342 [2013-15296]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• General Services Administration
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 123 (Wednesday, June 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38341-38342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-15296]


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

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0011; Docket 2010-0083; Sequence 22]


Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Preaward 
Survey Forms (Standard Forms 1403, 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, and 1408)

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of request for 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 
preaward survey forms (Standard Forms 1403, 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, and 
1408).

DATES: Submit comments on or before August 26, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-
0011, Preaward Survey Forms, (Standard Forms 1403, 1404, 1405, 1406, 
1407, and 1408) 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. Follow the instructions provided at the ``Submit a 
Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and 
``Information Collection 9000-0011, Preaward Survey Forms, (Standard 
Forms 1403, 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, and 1408)'' on your attached 
document.
     Fax: 202-501-4067.
     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405. ATTN: Hada 
Flowers/IC 9000-0011.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information 
Collection 9000-0011, Preaward Survey Forms, (Standard Forms 1403, 
1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, and 1408), 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: Ms. Cecelia L. Davis, Procurement 
Analyst, Office of Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, GSA, 202-219-0202 
or email Cecelia.davis@gsa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Purpose

    To protect the Government's interest and to ensure timely delivery 
of items of the requisite quality, contracting officers, prior to 
award, must make an affirmative determination that the prospective 
contractor is responsible, i.e., capable of performing the contract. 
Before making such a determination, the contracting officer must have 
in his possession or must obtain information sufficient to satisfy 
himself that the prospective contractor: (i) Has adequate financial 
resources, or the ability to obtain such resources; (ii) is able to 
comply with required delivery schedule; (iii) has a satisfactory record 
of performance; (iv) has a satisfactory record of integrity; and (v) is 
otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under appropriate 
laws and regulations. If such information is not in the contracting 
officer's possession, it is obtained through a preaward survey 
conducted by the contract administration office responsible for the 
plant and/or the geographic area in which the plant is located. The 
necessary data is collected by contract administration personnel from 
available data or through plant visits, phone calls, and 
correspondence. This data is entered on Standard Forms 1403, 1404, 
1405, 1406, 1407, and 1408 in detail commensurate with the dollar value 
and complexity of the procurement. These standard forms are not 
cumulative. The surveying activity completes only the applicable 
standard form(s) necessary to determine contractor responsibility in 
each case.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    There are no Governmentwide systems for collecting the number of 
preaward surveys completed in a fiscal year as preaward surveys are 
only required in limited circumstances where information for the 
prospective contractor cannot be obtained by the contracting officer to 
make an affirmative statement of responsibility. Further, if the 
contemplated contract will have a fixed price at or below the $150,000 
simplified acquisition threshold (SAT) or will involve the acquisition 
of commercial items (see Part 12); the contracting officer should not 
request a preaward survey unless circumstances justify its cost.
    Using parameters identified above a Federal Procurement Data System 
(FPDS) ad hoc report was completed identifying that in Fiscal Year (FY) 
2012 an estimated total of 11,805 contracts were awarded Governmentwide 
that were over the SAT, and for which commercial acquisition procedures 
were not used. Of that number, it is estimated that preaward surveys 
were completed for 30 percent, or 3,540 of the 11,805 contracts that 
were awarded. Of the six Standard Forms (1403, 1404, 1405, 1406, 1407, 
and 1408), we estimated that Standard Form 1403 is used most frequently 
because it is a general form and accounts for 30 percent or 1,062 
times, Standard Forms 1404 and 1407 account for 15 percent or 531 
times, Standard Form 1408 accounts for 20 percent or 708 times, and 
Standard Forms 1405 and 1406 account 10 percent or 354 times.
    Additionally, there is no Governmentwide data collection process or 
system which identifies the actual number of hours necessary to prepare 
and complete Standard Forms. To date, no public comments or questions 
have been received regarding the estimated burden hours per response 
included in prior approved clearances. After consultation with subject 
matter experts, it was determined that the time required to prepare and 
complete the Standard Forms is estimated at 24 hours per response. 
Because preaward survey data is generally used for multiple contracts 
awarded within a 12 month period, it is estimated that only one (1) 
response would be reported annually per respondent per form.

Standard Form 1403--Preaward Survey of Prospective Contractor (General)

    Respondents: 1,062.
    Responses annually: 1.
    Total Responses: 1,062.
    Hours per Response: 24.
    Total Burden Hours: 25,488.

Standard Form 1404--Preaward Survey of Prospective Contractor Technical

    Respondents: 531.
    Responses annually: 1.

[[Page 38342]]

    Total Responses: 531.
    Hours per Response: 24.
    Total Burden Hours: 12,744.

Standard Form 1405--Preaward Survey of Prospective Contractor 
Production

    Respondents: 354.
    Responses annually: 1.
    Total Responses: 354.
    Hours per Response: 24.
    Total Burden Hours: 8,496.

Standard Form 1406--Preaward Survey of Prospective Contractor Quality 
Assurance

    Respondents: 354.
    Responses annually: 1.
    Total Responses: 354.
    Hours per Response: 24.
    Total Burden Hours: 8,496.

Standard Form 1407--Preaward Survey of Prospective Contractor Financial 
Capability

    Respondents: 531.
    Responses annually: 1.
    Total Responses: 531.
    Hours per Response: 24.
    Total Burden Hours: 12,744.

Standard Form 1408--Preaward Survey of Prospective Contractor 
Accounting System

    Respondents: 708.
    Responses annually: 1.
    Total Responses: 708.
    Hours per Response: 24.
    Total Burden Hours: 16,992.

C. Public Comments

    Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
functions of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and whether it 
will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden 
of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid 
assumptions and methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the 
information collection documents from the General Services 
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20405, telephone 202-501-4755. Please cite OMB Control 
Number 9000-0011, Preaward Survey Forms (Standard Forms 1403, 1404, 
1405, 1406, 1407, and 1408), in all correspondence.

    Dated: June 20, 2013.
Karlos Morgan,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of 
Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office 
of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-15296 Filed 6-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P