September 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This document is issued under the joint authority of DOD, GSA, and NASA. This Small Entity Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. It consists of a summary of the rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-91, which amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). An asterisk (*) next to a rule indicates that a regulatory flexibility analysis has been prepared. Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2005-91, which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the Internet at https:// www.regulations.gov.

DoD, GSA and NASA are adopting as final, with changes, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. The final rule revises the allowable cost limit relative to the compensation of contractor and subcontractor employees. Also, this final rule implements the narrowly targeted exception to this allowable cost limit for scientists, engineers, or other specialists upon an agency determination that such exceptions are needed to ensure that the executive agency has continued access to needed skills and capabilities.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add Ukraine and Moldova as new designated countries under the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA).

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement sections of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and regulatory changes made by the Small Business Administration, which provide for a Governmentwide policy on consolidation and bundling.

DoD, GSA, and NASA have adopted as final, with a minor edit, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement regulatory changes made by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that provide for authority to award sole source contracts to economically disadvantaged women-owned small business concerns and to women-owned small business concerns eligible under the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are adopting as final, without change, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a final rule issued by the Department of Labor's (DOL) Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) that replaced the VETS-100 and VETS-100A Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report forms with the VETS-4212, Federal Contractor Veterans' Employment Report form.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-91. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

The FHWA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an environmental impact statement will be prepared for a proposed highway project in Hartford County, Connecticut.

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the Kenk's amphipod (Stygobromus kenki), a ground water species from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (Act). If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to this species. The effect of this regulation will be to add the species to the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife.

This Final Rule issues regulations to implement Executive Order 13706, Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors, signed by President Barack Obama on September 7, 2015. Executive Order 13706 requires certain parties that contract with the Federal Government to provide their employees with up to 7 days (56 hours) of paid sick leave annually, including paid leave allowing for family care; it explains that providing access to paid sick leave will improve the health and performance of employees of Federal contractors and bring their benefits packages in line with model employers, ensuring that Federal contractors remain competitive employers and generating savings and quality improvements that will lead to improved economy and efficiency in Government procurement. The Order directs the Secretary of Labor to issue regulations to implement its requirements by September 30, 2016. This Final Rule defines terms used in the regulatory text, describes the categories of contracts and employees the Order covers and excludes from coverage, sets forth requirements and restrictions governing the accrual and use of paid sick leave, and prohibits interference with or discrimination for the exercise of rights under the Executive Order. It also describes the obligations of contracting agencies, the Department of Labor, and contractors under the Executive Order, and it establishes the standards and procedures for complaints, investigations, remedies, and administrative enforcement proceedings related to alleged violations of the Order. As required by the Order and to the extent practicable, the Final Rule incorporates existing definitions, procedures, remedies, and enforcement processes under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Service Contract Act, the Davis-Bacon Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Violence Against Women Act, and Executive Order 13658, Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors.

The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to provide an enhanced method for commercial customers to pay for and manage their services online using a single account.

In accordance with the framework procedure for adjusting management measures of the Fishery Management Plan for the Shrimp Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf FMP), NMFS proposes to make administrative revisions to the Bycatch Reduction Device Testing Manual (BRD Manual). The BRD Manual contains procedures for the testing and certification of BRDs for use in shrimp trawls in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) and South Atlantic. The proposed changes to the BRD Manual remove outdated or obsolete data collection forms currently appended to the BRD Manual and revise the text to make several procedural steps outlined in the BRD Manual clearer and easier to understand. The intended effect of these revisions is to increase understanding of the BRD certification protocols.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Publication 1345, Handbook for Authorized IRS e- file Providers.

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the IRS is soliciting comments concerning Revenue Procedure 2006-42, Automatic Consent to Change Certain Elections Relating to the Apportionment of Interest Expense, Research and Experimental Expenditures.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 3501 et seq.), ED is proposing an extension of an existing information collection.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirement contained in the Aerial Lifts Standard. The only information collection requirement in the Aerial Lifts Standard is a certification provision, paragraph (a)(2). This provision requires an employer who modifies an aerial lift for a use not intended by the lift manufacturer (``field modified aerial lift'') to obtain from that manufacturer, or an equivalent entity (such as a nationally-recognized laboratory), a written certificate stating that: The modification conforms to the applicable provisions of ANSI A92.2-1969 and OSHA's Aerial Lifts Standard; and the modified aerial lift is at least as safe as it was before modification. Employers who modify an aerial lift for uses other than those provided by the manufacturer must obtain a certificate from the manufacturer or equivalent entity certifying that the modification is in conformance with applicable American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards and OSHA's Aerial Lifts Standard, and that the equipment is as safe as it was prior to the modification.

In accordance with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Southeast Oregon Resource Advisory Council (RAC) will meet as indicated below:

The Coast Guard is modifying the operating schedule for the US41 bridge, mile 16.0 over the Keweenaw Waterway, between the towns of Houghton and Hancock, Michigan. The use of the waterway has changed and this rule will modify the schedule that has been in place for approximately 31 years.

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary safety zone in the navigable waters at Capitola Wharf in Capitola, CA in support of Monte Foundation Fireworks Extravaganza on October 9, 2016. This safety zone is established to ensure the safety of mariners and spectators from the dangers associated with the pyrotechnics. Unauthorized persons or vessels are prohibited from entering into, transiting through, or remaining in the safety zone without permission of the Captain of the Port or their designated representative.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Welding, Cutting, and Brazing Standard (29 CFR part 1910, subpart Q).