General Services Administration October 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Pursuant to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations, implementing the procedural provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has prepared and filed a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). GSA is the lead agency; cooperating agencies are U.S. Department of State (DOS), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EPA, and National Guard Bureau. The Draft EIS was prepared to evaluate the environmental impacts of site acquisition and development of the DOS, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Foreign Affairs Security Training Center (FASTC) at the Virginia Army National Guard's Maneuver Training Center at Fort Pickett and Nottoway County's Pickett Park in Nottoway County, Virginia. The project would be developed on land currently operated or owned by the Virginia Army National Guard and Nottoway County. The purpose of the proposed FASTC in Nottoway County is to consolidate existing dispersed training functions into a single suitable location to improve training efficiency and enhance training operations. More detailed information on the FASTC program is available at https:// www.state.gov/recovery/fastc.

GSA has adopted as final, an interim rule amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) by changing, updating, and clarifying various provisions regarding temporary duty (TDY) travel. These changes include adjusting the definition of incidental expenses; clarifying necessary deduction amounts from the meals and incidental expense (M&IE) reimbursement on travel days; extending agencies the authority to issue blanket actual expense approval for TDY travel during Presidentially- Declared Disasters; and updating other miscellaneous provisions.

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 currently approved information collection requirement concerning service contracting. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 37907, on June 25, 2012. 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 Federal Acquisition Regulation (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.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the General Services Administration will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a previously approved information collection requirement regarding temporary contractor information worksheet. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 40884, on July 11, 2012. No comments were received. GSA requires OMB approval for this collection to make determinations on granting unescorted physical access to GSA-controlled facilities. The approval is critical for GSA to continue to make physical access determinations for temporary contractors as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary 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.

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 incentive contracts. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 18819, on March 28, 2012. One respondent submitted comments. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (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.

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 bid guarantees, performance and payment bonds, and alternative payment protections. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (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.

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 regarding GSA Form 3453, Application/Permit for Use of Space in Public Buildings and Grounds. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 38064, on June 26, 2012. No comments were received. Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary 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.