Agencies and Commissions November 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is proposing to amend its acquisition regulations to formally encourage USAID prime contractors to assist small disadvantaged firms certified by the Small Business Administration under Section 8(a) of the Small Business Act, other small disadvantaged business, Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority institutions of higher learning, and women-owned small business in enhancing their capabilities to perform contracts and subcontracts for USAID and other Federal agencies. The program seeks to provide a Mentor- Prot[eacute]g[eacute] Program that assists qualified small business to receive developmental assistance from USAID prime contractors in order to increase the base of small business eligible to perform USAID contracts and subcontracts. The program also seeks to foster long-term business relationships between USAID prime contractors and small business entities and minority institutions of higher learning and to increase the overall number of small business entities and minority institutions that receive USAID grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and subcontract awards.

NCUA is revising the official sign indicating a credit union's share accounts are insured by the NCUA to reflect recent share insurance increases and by including a statement that NCUA-insured share accounts are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. This rule is required to comply with the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Act of 2005 (Reform Act) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Reform Conforming Amendments Act of 2005 (Conforming Amendments Act).

This document seeks comment on a proposed process to address phantom traffic issues and a related proposal for the creation and exchange of call detail records filed by the Supporters of the Missoula Plan, an intercarrier compensation reform plan filed July 24, 2006 by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' Task Force on Intercarrier Compensation (the NARUC Task Force).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, May 22, 1995), this notice announces that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) intends to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for reclearance of a revised information collection. SF 3104, Application for Death Benefits/Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), is used by persons applying for death benefits which may be payable under FERS because of the death of an employee, former employee, or retiree who was covered by FERS at the time of his/her death or separation from Federal Service. SF 3104B, Documentation and Elections in Support of Application for Death Benefits when Deceased was an Employee at the Time of Death, is used by applicants for death benefits under FERS if the deceased was a Federal employee at the time of death. Comments are particularly invited on: Whether this information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of OPM, 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; 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. It is estimated that approximately 7,481 SF 3104 forms will be processed annually. This form requires approximately 60 minutes to complete. An annual burden of 7,481 hours is estimated. Approximately 3,366 SF 3104B forms are expected to be processed annually. It is estimated that the form requires approximately 60 minutes to complete. An annual burden of 3,366 hours is estimated. The total annual burden is 10,847. For copies of this proposal, contact Mary Beth Smith-Toomey on (202) 606-8358, fax (202) 418-3251 or via e-mail to MaryBeth.Smith- Toomey@opm.gov. Please include a mailing address with your request.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is amending Commission regulations to require introducing brokers (``IBs'') submitting CFTC financial Forms 1-FR-IB that are certified by independent public accountants to file such financial reports electronically with the National Futures Association (``NFA''). The amendments also require that certified Financial and Operational Combined Uniform Single Reports (``FOCUS'' Reports), submitted by IBs registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'') as securities brokers or dealers (``B/Ds'') in lieu of Form 1-FR-IB, be filed either electronically or in paper form in accordance with the rules of the NFA. The CFTC also is amending Commission regulations to require that, with respect to any such electronic filing, a paper copy including the original signed certification be maintained by the IB in its records for a period of five years in accordance with Commission Regulation 1.31.

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. Comments are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

USC 552a requires that each federal agency review its systems of records containing personal information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974. As a result of its latest review, the Board is proposing to amend both of the systems of records that it maintains. A description of these systems was last published in November 22, 1996 (61 FR 227, 59472-59473). The Board has concluded that one system needs to be amended and that the second system needs to be expanded to include other information useful to the Board. In the first system, NWTRB-1 Administrative Files, some categories were overlooked in the previous notice. The Board is proposing to expand the second system, NWTRB-2 Mailing List, to become NWTRB-2 Contact List. The Board has determined that the changes to NWTRB-1 are imporant enough to republish the notice with the changes and that the changes to NWTRB-2 are substantial enough to accept comments on the proposed expansion.

The Board has approved the private sector adjustment factor (PSAF) for 2007 of $132.5 million and the 2007 fee schedules for Federal Reserve priced services and electronic access. These actions were taken in accordance with the requirements of the Monetary Control Act of 1980, which requires that, over the long run, fees for Federal Reserve priced services be established on the basis of all direct and indirect costs, including the PSAF. The Board has also approved maintaining the current earnings credit rate on clearing balances.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-14. 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 Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed to adopt as final, without change, an interim rule that amended the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to remove the sanctions against certain European Union (EU) countries.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) agree to adopt as final, without change, an interim rule that amended the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the new Free Trade Agreement with Morocco as approved by Congress (Public Law 108-302).

This document is issued under the joint authority of the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 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 rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-14 which amend the 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 2005-14 which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the Internet at http:/ /www.regulations.gov.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is announcing a public meeting of the GSA Small Business Advisory Committee (the Committee).

The Commission hereby gives notice that it will proceed with full reviews pursuant to section 751(c)(5) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1675(c)(5)) to determine whether revocation of the countervailing duty orders on hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from Argentina, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Thailand and the antidumping duty orders on hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from Argentina, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, and Ukraine would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. A schedule for the reviews will be established and announced at a later date. For further information concerning the conduct of these reviews and rules of general application, consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A through E (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A, D, E, and F (19 CFR part 207).

The Antitrust Modernization Commission will hold a public meeting on December 5, 2006. The purpose of the meeting is for the Antitrust Modernization Commission to deliberate on possible recommendations regarding the antitrust laws to Congress and the President.

On October 12, 2006 (71 FR 60200), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued for public comment NUREG 1852, ``Demonstrating the Feasibility and Reliability of Operator Manual Actions in Response to Fire, Draft Report for Comment.'' Due to an error in the previous notice of comment period extension, a request has been made to extend the public comment period to allow the public 60 days to review the document. Currently, the Federal Register specifies that the public comment period ends on December 12, 2006.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508), and NASA policy and procedures (14 CFR Part 1216 subpart 1216.3), NASA has prepared and issued a FEIS for the proposed MSL mission. The FEIS addresses the potential environmental impacts associated with implementing the mission. The purpose of this proposal is to explore the surface of Mars with a mobile science laboratory (hereinafter called the ``rover''). This environmental impact statement (EIS) is a tiered document (Tier 2 EIS) under NASA's Programmatic EIS for the Mars Exploration Program (MEP). The FEIS presents descriptions of the proposed MSL mission, spacecraft, and candidate launch vehicles; an overview of the affected environment at and near the launch site; and the potential environmental consequences associated with the Proposed Action and alternatives, including the No Action Alternative. The MSL mission is planned for launch during the September-November 2009 time period from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida, on an expendable launch vehicle. The arrival date at Mars would range from mid-July 2010 to not later than mid-October 2010, depending on the exact launch date and the yet to be determined landing site on the surface of Mars. Using advanced instrumentation, the MSL rover would strive to acquire significant detailed information regarding the habitability of Mars from a scientifically promising location on the surface. The mission would also fulfill NASA's strategic technology goals of increasing the mass of science payloads delivered to the surface of Mars, expanding access to higher and lower latitudes, increasing precision landing capability, and increasing traverse capability (mobility) to distances on the order of several kilometers. The FEIS evaluates two alternatives in addition to the No Action Alternative. Under the Proposed Action (Alternative 1, NASA's Preferred Alternative), the proposed MSL rover would utilize a radioisotope power system, a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG), as its primary source of electrical power to operate and conduct science on the surface of Mars. Under Alternative 2, an MSL rover would utilize solar energy as its primary source of electrical power to operate and conduct science on the surface of Mars.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement concerning notification of ownership changes. This OMB clearance expires on January 31, 2007. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the 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.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations concerning the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). These final regulations are being issued as part of OPM's effort to modernize the CFC and to realize administrative efficiencies. They were designed to address the current and future environment of the CFC where the electronic transmission of information will be more routine. As such, these regulations update the criteria for CFC eligibility, streamline the charity application process, ease the administrative burden on the local campaigns, promote the use of electronic technology in the administration of the CFC, and expand opportunities during disasters and emergencies for Federal donors to contribute to all charities participating in the CFC regardless of location.