General Services Administration August 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 a reinstatement of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning Commerce Patent Regulations.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (the Councils) are issuing this notice to inform Federal contractors that the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board (``Board'') has announced the availability of registration at federalreporting.gov. Federal contractors required to report on their use of Recovery Act funds by FAR clause 52.204-11 are encouraged to register early.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Regulatory Secretariat (VPR) will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to reinstate a previously approved information collection requirement concerning Integrity of Unit Prices.

On May 23, 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the General Services Administration (GSA) jointly issued ``Guidelines for Public Access Defibrillation Programs in Federal Facilities.'' 66 FR 28495-28501. These guidelines were prepared, in part, in response to a May 19, 2000, Presidential Memorandum directing HHS and GSA to issue guidelines for the placement of automated external defibrillator (AED) devices in Federal buildings. In addition, section 7 of the Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999, Public Law 106- 129 (December 6, 1999), 42 U.S.C. 241 note, and section 247 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 238p (as added by section 403 of the Public Health Improvement Act, Pub. L. 106-505 (November 13, 2000)), directed the Secretary of HHS to establish and publish the guidelines. This bulletin cancels and replaces the May 23, 2001, notice and provides updated information for establishing public access defibrillation (PAD) programs in Federal facilities. The revised guidelines provide a general framework for initiating a design process for PAD programs in Federal facilities and provide basic information to familiarize facilities leadership with the essential elements of a PAD program. The guidelines do not exhaustively address or cover all aspects of AED or PAD programs. They are aimed at outlining the key elements of a PAD program so that facility-specific, detailed plans and programs can be developed in an informed manner. PAD programs are voluntary and are not mandatory for Federal facilities. The costs and expenses to establish and operate a PAD program are the responsibility of the agency sponsoring the program and not GSA or HHS.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to amend its acquisition regulations to formally encourage GSA prime contractors to assist small business, including veteran-owned small business, service-disabled veteran-owned small business, HUBZone, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business, in enhancing their capabilities to perform contracts and subcontracts for GSA and other Federal agencies. The program seeks to increase the base of small business eligible to perform GSA contracts and subcontracts. The program also seeks to foster long-term business relationships between GSA prime contractors and small business entities and to increase the overall number of small business entities that receive GSA contracts, and subcontract awards.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (the Councils) are hosting a public meeting to continue a dialogue with industry and Government agencies about ways to develop greater assurance around information technology (IT) products acquired by the Government. The public meeting will include dialogues on the impact of counterfeit IT products on matters of performance and security; contractor liability and consequential damages; the competition aspects of procuring IT products from the original manufacturer or authorized distributors; viable means of representing authenticity of IT products; and contractor supply chain risk management requirements as an evaluation factor in the procurement of IT products.

This document makes amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation in order to make editorial changes.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to update the procedures for the acceptance of a bond with a security interest in real property.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add Taiwan (known in the World Trade Organization as ``the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu (Chinese Taipei))'' as a designated country, due to the accession of Taiwan to membership in the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are issuing a final rule to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to reflect that FedTeDS capabilities have been incorporated into the Governmentwide Point of Entry (GPE). References to FedTeDS are amended to reflect the GPE i.e., FedBizOpps system.

GSA proposes to establish a new system of records subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 552a.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to revise the list of nonavailable articles at FAR 25.104(a). The Councils also request public comment as to whether some articles on the list of nonavailable articles are now mined, produced, or manufactured in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available commercial quantities and of a satisfactory quality and should therefore be removed from the list.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to revise coverage in regard to Government property and its associated clauses. These changes are to add clarity and correction to the previous FAR rule for Part 45, Government Property, published under Federal Acquisition Circular 2005- 17, FAR case 2004-025.

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 change order accounting. A request for public comments was published in the Federal Register at 74 FR 18718, April 24, 2009. No comments were received.