Information Collection; Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment under Lease Acquisitions, 61748-61749 [2020-21597]

Agencies

• General Services Administration

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 190 (Wednesday, September 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61748-61749]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21597]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 3090-0322; Docket No. 2020-0001; Sequence No. 5]


Information Collection; Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications 
and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment under Lease Acquisitions

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer, General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, GSA invites the 
public to comment on an extension concerning prohibition on contracting 
for certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or 
equipment under lease acquisitions. OMB has approved this information 
collection for use through February 28, 2021. GSA proposes that OMB 
extend its approval for use for three additional years beyond the 
current expiration date.

DATES: GSA will consider all comments received by November 30, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments on this information collection to https://www.regulations.gov. Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal 
by searching for ``Information Collection 3090-0322''. Select the link 
``Comment Now'' that corresponds with Information Collection 3090-0322. 
Follow the instructions provided at the ``Comment Now'' screen. Please 
include your name, company name (if any), and ``Information Collection 
3090-0322'' on your attached document.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite ``Information 
Collection 3090-0322'' in all correspondence related to this 
collection. Comments received generally will be posted without change 
to regulations.gov, including any personal and/or business confidential 
information provided. To confirm receipt of your comment(s), please 
check regulations.gov approximately two-to-three days after submission 
to verify posting.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Thompson, Procurement 
Analyst, General Services Acquisition Policy Division, 202-208-1568 or 
via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) 
provides that an agency generally cannot conduct or sponsor a 
collection of information, and no person is required to respond to, nor 
be subject to, a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of 
information, unless that collection has obtained Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) approval and displays a currently valid OMB Control 
Number.
    GSA requested and OMB authorized emergency processing of an 
information collection, as OMB Control Number 3090-0322, for the 
provision at FAR 52.204-24, Representation Regarding Certain 
Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services and the clause at 
FAR 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain 
Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment, as 
used under lease acquisitions. GSA has determined the following 
conditions have been met:
    a. The collection of information is needed prior to the expiration 
of time periods normally associated with a routine submission for 
review under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, because the 
prohibitions in Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) went into 
effect on August 13, 2020.
    b. The collection of information is essential to GSA's mission to 
ensure GSA complies with Section 889 in order to protect the Government 
supply chain from risks posed by covered telecommunications equipment 
or services.
    c. GSA cannot comply with the normal clearance procedures because

[[Page 61749]]

public harm is reasonably likely to result if current clearance 
procedures are followed.
    This requirement supports implementation of Section 889 of the John 
S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Pub. 
L. 115-232) under lease acquisitions. This section prohibits agencies 
from procuring, obtaining, extending or renewing a contract with 
contractors that will provide or use covered telecommunication 
equipment or services as a substantial or essential component of any 
system, or as a critical technology as part of any system on or after 
August 13, 2020 unless an exception applies.
    This requirement is implemented in the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation (FAR) through the provision at FAR 52.204-24, Representation 
Regarding Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or 
Equipment and the clause at FAR 52.204-25, Prohibition on Contracting 
for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or 
Equipment. GSA's Class Deviation CD-2020-15 extends these requirements 
to lease acquisitions.
    This clearance covers the following requirements:
     FAR 52.204-24 requires an offer or to represent whether 
they will provide or whether they will use any covered 
telecommunications equipment or services and if so, describe in more 
detail the use of the covered telecommunications equipment or services; 
and
     FAR 52.204-25 requires contractors to report covered 
telecommunications equipment, systems and services identified during 
performance of a contract.
    GSA requested approval of this information collection in order to 
implement the law. The information will be used by agency personnel to 
identify and remove prohibited equipment, systems, or services from 
Government use. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or 
sponsor.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

1. FAR 52.204-24 for GSA Lease Acquisitions

    Respondents: 3,128.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Total Responses: 3,128.
    Hours per Response: 3.
    Total Burden Hours: 9,384.

2. FAR 52.204-25 for GSA Lease Acquisitions

    Respondents: 313.
    Responses per Respondent: 5.
    Total Responses: 1,565.
    Hours per Response: 3.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,695.

C. Public Comments

    Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary; 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 Division, 1800 F Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20405, telephone 202-501-4755.
    Please cite ``Information Collection 3090-0322'', in all 
correspondence.

Jeffrey A. Koses,
Senior Procurement Executive, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office of 
Government-wide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-21597 Filed 9-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-61-P