Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request, 49092-49094 [2018-21126]
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protected, please contact the DFO listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT to obtain special instructions
before submitting your nomination.
2. Request for nominations to be
considered for ad hoc participation on
the FIFRA SAP. As part of a broader
process for developing a pool of experts
known as the Food Quality Protection
Act (FQPA) Science Review Board
(SRB), Office of Science Coordination
and Policy (OSCP) staff solicits the
public and stakeholder communities
nominations of prospective candidates
for service as ad hoc participants on
FIFRA SAP reviews. Any interested
person or organization may nominate
qualified individuals to be considered
as prospective candidates. Individuals
may self-nominate. Individuals
nominated should have expertise in one
or more of the following areas:
Biochemistry; chemistry; epidemiology;
human health risk assessment;
pathology; PBPK modeling; aquatic
modeling; pharmacology; ecological risk
assessment; environmental exposure
and fate; environmental toxicology;
occupational, consumer, and general
exposure assessment; toxicology; dose
response modeling; environmental
engineering; statistics; water quality
monitoring; hydrologist; GIS specialist;
computational toxicology; entomology;
veterinary entomology; medical
entomology, insect ecology,
allergenicity, research veterinarian;
inhalation toxicology; volatile organics;
endocrinology, alternative testing
methods, high throughput testing
approaches, adverse outcome pathways,
cross species extrapolation, and
systematic review. Nominees should be
scientists who have sufficient
professional qualifications, including
training and experience, and can
provide expert comments on the
pesticide health and safety related
issues for a FIFRA SAP meeting.
Nominees should be identified by name,
occupation, position, address, email
address, and telephone number.
Nominations should be provided to the
DFO listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT on or before
November 13, 2018. The Agency will
consider all nominations of prospective
candidates for service as ad hoc
participants on the FIFRA SAP that are
received on or before that date.
However, final selection of ad hoc
participants is at the discretion of the
Agency.
The selection of scientists to serve as
ad hoc participants of the FIFRA SAP is
based on the function of the Panel and
the expertise needed to address the
Agency’s charge to the Panel. No
interested scientists shall be ineligible
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to serve by reason of their membership
on any other advisory committee to a
Federal department or agency or their
employment by a Federal department or
agency, except EPA. Other factors
considered during the selection process
include availability of the prospective
candidate to fully participate in the
Panel’s reviews, absence of any conflicts
of interest or appearance of loss of
impartiality, independence with respect
to the matters under review, and lack of
bias. Although financial conflicts of
interest, the appearance of loss of
impartiality, lack of independence, and
bias may result in disqualification, the
absence of such concerns does not
assure that a candidate will be selected
to serve on FIFRA SAP. Often,
numerous available and qualified
candidates are identified for ad hoc
participation. Therefore, selection
decisions involve carefully weighing a
number of factors including the
candidates’ areas of expertise and
professional qualifications and
achieving an overall balance of different
scientific perspectives on the Panel.
FIFRA SAP members are subject to
the provisions of 5 CFR part 2634—
Executive Branch Financial Disclosure,
Qualified Trusts, and Certificates of
Divestiture, as supplemented by EPA in
5 CFR part 6401. In anticipation of this
requirement, prospective candidates for
service on FIFRA SAP will be asked to
submit confidential financial
information which shall fully disclose,
among other financial interests, the
candidate’s employment, stocks and
bonds, and where applicable, sources of
research support. EPA will evaluate the
candidates’ financial disclosure forms to
assess whether there are financial
conflicts of interest, appearance of a loss
of impartiality, or any prior involvement
with the development of the documents
under consideration (including previous
scientific peer review) before the
candidate is considered further for
service on FIFRA SAP. Those who are
selected from the pool of prospective
candidates will be asked to attend the
public meetings and to participate in the
discussion of key issues and
assumptions at these meetings. In
addition, they will be asked to review
and to help finalize the meeting
minutes. The list of ad hoc participants
and FIFRA SAP members participating
at each meeting will be posted on the
FIFRA SAP website at https://
www.epa.gov/sap or may be obtained
from the OPP Docket at https://
www.regulations.gov.
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II. Background
A. Purpose of FIFRA SAP
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act, Scientific
Advisory Panel (FIFRA SAP) serves as
a primary scientific peer review
mechanism of EPA’s Office of Chemical
Safety and Pollution Prevention
(OCSPP) and is structured to provide
scientific advice, information and
recommendations to the EPA
Administrator on pesticides and
pesticide-related issues as to the impact
of regulatory actions on health and the
environment. FIFRA SAP is a Federal
advisory committee established in 1975
under FIFRA that operates in
accordance with requirements of the
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. Appendix). FIFRA SAP is
composed of a permanent panel
consisting of seven members who are
appointed by the EPA Administrator
from nominees provided by the National
Institutes of Health and the National
Science Foundation. The FIFRA SAP is
assisted in their reviews by ad hoc
participation from members of the Food
Quality Protection Act (FQPA) Science
Review Board (SRB). As a scientific peer
review mechanism, FIFRA SAP
provides comments, evaluations, and
recommendations to improve the
effectiveness and quality of analyses
made by Agency scientists. The FIFRA
SAP is not required to reach consensus
in its recommendations to the Agency
but consensus is a preferred outcome
and possible under FACA.
At this time, EPA is seeking
nominations to augment the FQPA SRB,
a pool of experts who can be available
to the SAP on an ad hoc basis to assist
in peer reviews conducted by the Panel.
EPA anticipates selecting experts from
this pool, as needed, to assist the SAP
in their peer review of EPA’s issues
related to the health and safety of
pesticides.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2625 et seq.; 5 U.S.C.
Appendix 2 et seq.
Dated: September 19, 2018.
Stanley Barone Jr.,
Acting Director, Office of Science
Coordination and Policy.
[FR Doc. 2018–21196 Filed 9–27–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560–50–P
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Proposed Agency Information
Collection Activities; Comment
Request
Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System.
AGENCY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 189 / Friday, September 28, 2018 / Notices
ACTION:
Notice; request for comment.
The Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System (Board) invites
comment on a proposal to extend for
three years, with revision, the
Procurement Solicitation Package (FR
1400; OMB No. 7100–0180).
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before November 27, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by FR 1400, by any of the
following methods:
• Agency website: https://
www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments at
https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/
foia/proposedregs.aspx.
• Email: regs.comments@
federalreserve.gov. Include OMB
number in the subject line of the
message.
• Fax: (202) 452–3819 or (202) 452–
3102.
• Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary,
Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System, 20th Street and
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20551.
All public comments are available
from the Board’s website at https://
www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/
proposedregs.aspx as submitted, unless
modified for technical reasons or to
remove sensitive PII (personally
identifiable information) at the
commenter’s request. Public comments
may also be viewed electronically or in
paper form in Room 3515, 1801 K Street
NW (between 18th and 19th Streets
NW), Washington, DC 20006 between
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.
For security reasons, the Board requires
that visitors make an appointment to
inspect comments. You may do so by
calling (202) 452–3684. Upon arrival,
visitors will be required to present valid
government-issued photo identification
and to submit to security screening in
order to inspect and photocopy
comments.
Additionally, commenters may send a
copy of their comments to the OMB
Desk Officer—Shagufta Ahmed—Office
of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget, New
Executive Office Building, Room 10235,
725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC
20503 or by fax to (202) 395–6974.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A
copy of the PRA OMB submission,
including the proposed reporting form
and instructions, supporting statement,
and other documentation will be placed
into OMB’s public docket files, once
approved. These documents will also be
made available on the Board’s public
website at: https://
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www.federalreserve.gov/apps/
reportforms/review.aspx or may be
requested from the agency clearance
officer, whose name appears below.
Federal Reserve Board Clearance
Officer—Nuha Elmaghrabi—Office of
the Chief Data Officer, Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, Washington, DC 20551 (202)
452–3829. Telecommunications Device
for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact
(202) 263–4869, Board of Governors of
the Federal Reserve System,
Washington, DC 20551.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June
15, 1984, the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board
authority under the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA) to approve of and
assign OMB control numbers to
collection of information requests and
requirements conducted or sponsored
by the Board. In exercising this
delegated authority, the Board is
directed to take every reasonable step to
solicit comment. In determining
whether to approve a collection of
information, the Board will consider all
comments received from the public and
other agencies.
Request for Comment on Information
Collection Proposal
The Board invites public comment on
the following information collection,
which is being reviewed under
authority delegated by the OMB under
the PRA. Comments are invited on the
following:
a. Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the Board’s functions;
including whether the information has
practical utility;
b. The accuracy of the Board’s
estimate of the burden of the proposed
information collection, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
c. Ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected;
d. Ways to minimize the burden of
information collection on respondents,
including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology; and
e. Estimates of capital or startup costs
and costs of operation, maintenance,
and purchase of services to provide
information.
At the end of the comment period, the
comments and recommendations
received will be analyzed to determine
the extent to which the Board should
modify the proposal prior to giving final
approval.
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49093
Proposal To Approve Under OMB
Delegated Authority the Extension for
Three Years, With Revision, of the
Following Reports
Report title: Vendor Database.
Agency form number: FR 1400A.
OMB control number: 7100–0180.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents:
250.
Estimated average hours per response:
1.
Estimated annual burden hours: 250.
Report title: Solicitation Package.
Agency form number: FR 1400B.
OMB control number: 7100–0180.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents:
300.
Estimated average hours per response:
81.
Estimated annual burden hours:
24,300.
Report title: Vendor Risk Management
Offeror Questionnaire.
Agency form number: FR 1400C.
OMB control number: 7100–0180.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents: 20.
Estimated average hours per response:
12.
Estimated annual burden hours: 240.
Report title: Subcontracting Report.
Agency form number: FR 1400D.
OMB control number: 7100–0180.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents: 75.
Estimated average hours per response:
0.5.
Estimated annual burden hours: 150.
General description of report: The
Board is continuously seeking vendors
who are interested in doing business
with the Board through various outreach
events, minority/diversity conferences,
meetings, and events targeted to either
a specific industry classification of
vendors or an upcoming acquisition.
Vendors are encouraged during these
efforts to register in the Board’s database
of interested vendors (FR 1400A). In
announcing an acquisition, Board staff
contacts vendors registered in the Board
database via electronic mail or by
telephone, and provides the Solicitation
Package (FR 1400B) and applicable
attachments. The Solicitation, Offer, and
Award form (SOA) (Attachment A of FR
1400B) is required with proposals
offered in response to a solicitation
issued by the Board. The Supplier
Information Form (Attachment N of FR
1400B) is required for the entry of a
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vendor into the Board’s contract writing
and invoice payment system. As a result
of the criteria used by the Board to
evaluate proposals, the Solicitation
Package may also include the Past
Performance Data Sheet and Past
Performance Questionnaire (Attachment
I of FR 1400B) if past performance is an
evaluation factor. Typically, if past
performance is considered an evaluation
factor, the vendor is asked to submit
information on up to three previous
contracts whose effort is recent and
relevant to the effort required by the
solicitation.
Solicitations that require the vendor
to process, store, or transmit data from
the Board will contain the Vendor Risk
Management Offeror Questionnaire (FR
1400C). The questionnaire will be
specific to the security controls
surrounding the vendor’s proposed
application that will be used to process,
store, or transmit the data. Security
controls will be defined and prioritized
based on the Federal Information
Security Modernization Act of 2014
(FISMA) and the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST)
Special Publication 800–53 (Security
Controls and Assessment Procedures for
Federal Information Systems and
Organizations). In addition, for
solicitations that have subcontracting
opportunities and are expected to
exceed $100,000 ($300,000 for
construction), a non-covered company
vendor is required to submit a
subcontracting plan in its own format,
with its proposal. Then, if the vendor is
the chosen vendor and awarded a
contract, the vendor is required to
provide the quarterly Subcontracting
Reports (FR 1400D) to the Board, which
shall document the vendor’s
participation achievement on a
cumulative basis. Information from the
Subcontracting Report is used to assist
the Board in fulfilling the requirement
in Section 342(e) of the Dodd-Frank Act
that requires the Board to submit to
Congress an annual report regarding the
fair inclusion of minorities and women
in contracting.
Proposed revisions: To assist the
Board’s competitive vendor solicitation
process, the Board is proposing to revise
the FR 1400 by (1) reformatting and
updating the Solicitation Package,
including the Solicitation, Offer, and
Award Form (SOA), Supplier
Information Form, Past Performance
Data Sheet, and Past Performance
Questionnaire (FR 1400B); (2) adding
the Vendor Risk Management Offeror
Questionnaire (FR 1400C); and (3)
revising the Subcontracting Report (FR
1400D) to improve clarity and gather
specific information in accordance with
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the Board’s subcontracting goals. Lastly,
the Board proposes to discontinue the
use of the Request for Price Quotation
Form (RFP/RFPQ). The purpose of the
RFPQ form will be absorbed into the FR
1400B.
Legal authorization and
confidentiality: The FR 1400A is
voluntary. For prospective vendors that
decide to submit proposals to the Board,
the FR 1400B, 1400C, and 1400D are
required to obtain a benefit, in order to
be eligible for the award of a contract.
The FR 1400 is authorized pursuant to
sections 10 and 11 of the Federal
Reserve Act (‘‘FRA’’), and section 342(c)
of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform
and Consumer Protection Act (‘‘DoddFrank’’). Sections 10(3) and 11 of the
FRA (12 U.S.C. 243 and 248(l)) grant the
Board full authority to manage its
buildings and its staff. Section 10(4) of
the FRA (12 U.S.C. 244) authorizes the
Board to determine and prescribe the
manner in which its obligations shall be
incurred and its disbursements and
expenses allowed and paid. Therefore,
the Board can solicit proposals and seek
the information in FR 1400 from
prospective vendors.
Additionally, the FR 1400 is
authorized by section 342(c) of DoddFrank (12 U.S.C. 5452(c)), which
requires the Board to develop and
implement standards and procedures for
the review and evaluation of contract
proposals and for hiring service
providers that include a component that
gives consideration to the diversity of a
prospective vendor and the fair
inclusion of women and minorities in
the workforce of such vendor and any
subcontractor.
A vendor generally may request
confidential treatment for information
submitted during the solicitation
process, and the Board will review the
request to determine if the data may be
kept confidential under exemption 4 of
the Freedom of Information Act, which
protects from disclosure trade secrets
and commercial or financial information
(5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4)).
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, September 24, 2018.
Michele Taylor Fennell,
Assistant Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2018–21126 Filed 9–27–18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[Document Identifiers: CMS–10464]
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request
Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing
an opportunity for the public to
comment on CMS’ intention to collect
information from the public. Under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the
PRA), federal agencies are required to
publish notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of
information (including each proposed
extension or reinstatement of an existing
collection of information) and to allow
60 days for public comment on the
proposed action. Interested persons are
invited to send comments regarding our
burden estimates or any other aspect of
this collection of information, including
the necessity and utility of the proposed
information collection for the proper
performance of the agency’s functions,
the accuracy of the estimated burden,
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected, and the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology to minimize the
information collection burden.
DATES: Comments must be received by
November 27, 2018.
ADDRESSES: When commenting, please
reference the document identifier or
OMB control number. To be assured
consideration, comments and
recommendations must be submitted in
any one of the following ways:
1. Electronically. You may send your
comments electronically to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for ‘‘Comment or
Submission’’ or ‘‘More Search Options’’
to find the information collection
document(s) that are accepting
comments.
2. By regular mail. You may mail
written comments to the following
address: CMS, Office of Strategic
Operations and Regulatory Affairs,
Division of Regulations Development,
Attention: Document Identifier/OMB
Control Number ll, Room C4–26–05,
7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore,
Maryland 21244–1850.
To obtain copies of a supporting
statement and any related forms for the
SUMMARY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 189 (Friday, September 28, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49092-49094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21126]
=======================================================================
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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
[[Page 49093]]
ACTION: Notice; request for comment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board)
invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, with revision,
the Procurement Solicitation Package (FR 1400; OMB No. 7100-0180).
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 27, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by FR 1400, by any of
the following methods:
Agency website: https://www.federalreserve.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments at https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx.
Email: [email protected]. Include OMB
number in the subject line of the message.
Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.
Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary, Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20551.
All public comments are available from the Board's website at
https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx as
submitted, unless modified for technical reasons or to remove sensitive
PII (personally identifiable information) at the commenter's request.
Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper form in
Room 3515, 1801 K Street NW (between 18th and 19th Streets NW),
Washington, DC 20006 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. For
security reasons, the Board requires that visitors make an appointment
to inspect comments. You may do so by calling (202) 452-3684. Upon
arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued
photo identification and to submit to security screening in order to
inspect and photocopy comments.
Additionally, commenters may send a copy of their comments to the
OMB Desk Officer--Shagufta Ahmed--Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office
Building, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503 or by
fax to (202) 395-6974.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the PRA OMB submission,
including the proposed reporting form and instructions, supporting
statement, and other documentation will be placed into OMB's public
docket files, once approved. These documents will also be made
available on the Board's public website at: https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/reportforms/review.aspx or may be requested
from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.
Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer--Nuha Elmaghrabi--Office of
the Chief Data Officer, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, Washington, DC 20551 (202) 452-3829. Telecommunications Device
for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202) 263-4869, Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board authority under the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA) to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to
collection of information requests and requirements conducted or
sponsored by the Board. In exercising this delegated authority, the
Board is directed to take every reasonable step to solicit comment. In
determining whether to approve a collection of information, the Board
will consider all comments received from the public and other agencies.
Request for Comment on Information Collection Proposal
The Board invites public comment on the following information
collection, which is being reviewed under authority delegated by the
OMB under the PRA. Comments are invited on the following:
a. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for
the proper performance of the Board's functions; including whether the
information has practical utility;
b. The accuracy of the Board's estimate of the burden of the
proposed information collection, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
c. Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected;
d. Ways to minimize the burden of information collection on
respondents, including through the use of automated collection
techniques or other forms of information technology; and
e. Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation,
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
At the end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations
received will be analyzed to determine the extent to which the Board
should modify the proposal prior to giving final approval.
Proposal To Approve Under OMB Delegated Authority the Extension for
Three Years, With Revision, of the Following Reports
Report title: Vendor Database.
Agency form number: FR 1400A.
OMB control number: 7100-0180.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents: 250.
Estimated average hours per response: 1.
Estimated annual burden hours: 250.
Report title: Solicitation Package.
Agency form number: FR 1400B.
OMB control number: 7100-0180.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents: 300.
Estimated average hours per response: 81.
Estimated annual burden hours: 24,300.
Report title: Vendor Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire.
Agency form number: FR 1400C.
OMB control number: 7100-0180.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents: 20.
Estimated average hours per response: 12.
Estimated annual burden hours: 240.
Report title: Subcontracting Report.
Agency form number: FR 1400D.
OMB control number: 7100-0180.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Respondents: Businesses.
Estimated number of respondents: 75.
Estimated average hours per response: 0.5.
Estimated annual burden hours: 150.
General description of report: The Board is continuously seeking
vendors who are interested in doing business with the Board through
various outreach events, minority/diversity conferences, meetings, and
events targeted to either a specific industry classification of vendors
or an upcoming acquisition. Vendors are encouraged during these efforts
to register in the Board's database of interested vendors (FR 1400A).
In announcing an acquisition, Board staff contacts vendors registered
in the Board database via electronic mail or by telephone, and provides
the Solicitation Package (FR 1400B) and applicable attachments. The
Solicitation, Offer, and Award form (SOA) (Attachment A of FR 1400B) is
required with proposals offered in response to a solicitation issued by
the Board. The Supplier Information Form (Attachment N of FR 1400B) is
required for the entry of a
[[Page 49094]]
vendor into the Board's contract writing and invoice payment system. As
a result of the criteria used by the Board to evaluate proposals, the
Solicitation Package may also include the Past Performance Data Sheet
and Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment I of FR 1400B) if past
performance is an evaluation factor. Typically, if past performance is
considered an evaluation factor, the vendor is asked to submit
information on up to three previous contracts whose effort is recent
and relevant to the effort required by the solicitation.
Solicitations that require the vendor to process, store, or
transmit data from the Board will contain the Vendor Risk Management
Offeror Questionnaire (FR 1400C). The questionnaire will be specific to
the security controls surrounding the vendor's proposed application
that will be used to process, store, or transmit the data. Security
controls will be defined and prioritized based on the Federal
Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication 800-53
(Security Controls and Assessment Procedures for Federal Information
Systems and Organizations). In addition, for solicitations that have
subcontracting opportunities and are expected to exceed $100,000
($300,000 for construction), a non-covered company vendor is required
to submit a subcontracting plan in its own format, with its proposal.
Then, if the vendor is the chosen vendor and awarded a contract, the
vendor is required to provide the quarterly Subcontracting Reports (FR
1400D) to the Board, which shall document the vendor's participation
achievement on a cumulative basis. Information from the Subcontracting
Report is used to assist the Board in fulfilling the requirement in
Section 342(e) of the Dodd-Frank Act that requires the Board to submit
to Congress an annual report regarding the fair inclusion of minorities
and women in contracting.
Proposed revisions: To assist the Board's competitive vendor
solicitation process, the Board is proposing to revise the FR 1400 by
(1) reformatting and updating the Solicitation Package, including the
Solicitation, Offer, and Award Form (SOA), Supplier Information Form,
Past Performance Data Sheet, and Past Performance Questionnaire (FR
1400B); (2) adding the Vendor Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire (FR
1400C); and (3) revising the Subcontracting Report (FR 1400D) to
improve clarity and gather specific information in accordance with the
Board's subcontracting goals. Lastly, the Board proposes to discontinue
the use of the Request for Price Quotation Form (RFP/RFPQ). The purpose
of the RFPQ form will be absorbed into the FR 1400B.
Legal authorization and confidentiality: The FR 1400A is voluntary.
For prospective vendors that decide to submit proposals to the Board,
the FR 1400B, 1400C, and 1400D are required to obtain a benefit, in
order to be eligible for the award of a contract.
The FR 1400 is authorized pursuant to sections 10 and 11 of the
Federal Reserve Act (``FRA''), and section 342(c) of the Dodd-Frank
Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (``Dodd-Frank'').
Sections 10(3) and 11 of the FRA (12 U.S.C. 243 and 248(l)) grant the
Board full authority to manage its buildings and its staff. Section
10(4) of the FRA (12 U.S.C. 244) authorizes the Board to determine and
prescribe the manner in which its obligations shall be incurred and its
disbursements and expenses allowed and paid. Therefore, the Board can
solicit proposals and seek the information in FR 1400 from prospective
vendors.
Additionally, the FR 1400 is authorized by section 342(c) of Dodd-
Frank (12 U.S.C. 5452(c)), which requires the Board to develop and
implement standards and procedures for the review and evaluation of
contract proposals and for hiring service providers that include a
component that gives consideration to the diversity of a prospective
vendor and the fair inclusion of women and minorities in the workforce
of such vendor and any subcontractor.
A vendor generally may request confidential treatment for
information submitted during the solicitation process, and the Board
will review the request to determine if the data may be kept
confidential under exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, which
protects from disclosure trade secrets and commercial or financial
information (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4)).
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, September 24,
2018.
Michele Taylor Fennell,
Assistant Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2018-21126 Filed 9-27-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P
