General Services Administration November 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning organization and direction of work. A notice published in the Federal Register at 76 FR 49483, on August 10, 2011. No comments were received. 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.

This final rule amends the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), and allows agencies to establish internal policy and procedures for storage of a privately owned vehicle (POV) when an employee is assigned a temporary change of station (TCS) in support of a contingency operation.

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 rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-54, which amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules by referring to FAC 2005-54, which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the Internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the Executive Order (E.O.) on Economy in Government Contracting, issued on January 30, 2009, and amended on October 30, 2009. This E.O. treats as unallowable the costs of any activities undertaken to persuade employees, whether employees of the recipient of Federal disbursements or of any other entity, to exercise or not to exercise, or concerning the manner of exercising, the right to organize and bargain collectively through representatives of the employee's own choosing.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to revise the prohibition on contracting with entities that conduct restricted business operations in Sudan. This rule adds specific criteria including foreign policy aspects that an agency must address when applying to the President or his appointed designee for a waiver of the prohibition on awarding a contract to a contractor that conducts restricted business operations in Sudan. The rule also describes the consultation process that will be used by the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) in support of the waiver request review.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add a representation to implement section 106 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010. Section 106 imposes a procurement prohibition relating to contracts with persons that export certain sensitive technology to Iran.

DoD, GSA, and NASA have adopted as final, without change, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to incorporate changes made by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to its small disadvantaged business (SDB) program.

DoD, GSA, and NASA have adopted as final, without change, an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the Department of Labor (DOL) regulations that implemented the Executive Order (E.O.), Notification of Employee Rights Under Federal Labor Laws.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is amending the Federal Management Regulation (FMR) by making changes to its policy on the replacement of personal property pursuant to the exchange/sale authority.