Government Accountability Office – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is proposing to amend its Bid Protest Regulations, promulgated in accordance with the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984 (CICA), to implement the requirements in sec. 1501 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2014, which was enacted on January 14, 2014, and to make certain administrative changes. The proposed amendments implement the legislation's direction to establish and operate an electronic filing and document dissemination system for the filing of bid protests with GAO. At this time, GAO believes that these proposed revisions are the only regulatory changes necessary to implement the statutory requirement of sec. 1501. The proposed amendments also include administrative changes to reflect current practice and to streamline the bid protest process.

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 established the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee to provide comments and recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on physician payment models, and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing the committee's 11 members. The Advisory Committee members shall include individuals with national recognition for their expertise in physician-focused payment models and related delivery of care. No more than 5 members of the Committee shall be providers of services or suppliers, or representatives of providers of services or suppliers. A member of the committee shall not be an employee of the federal government. GAO is accepting nominations of individuals for this committee. For appointments to be made in October 2015, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted by July 22, 2015 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees. Acknowledgement of submissions will be provided within two weeks of submission. Please contact Mary Giffin at (202) 512-3710 if you do not receive an acknowledgement.

The Methodology Committee assists PCORI in developing and updating methodological standards and guidance for comparative clinical effectiveness research. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act directs the Comptroller General to appoint up to 15 members to PCORI's Methodology Committee. This notice announces the appointment of a new member, Adam Wilcox, Ph.D., Director of Medical Informatics at Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. For appointments to MedPAC that will be effective May 1, 2015, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted by March 13, 2015 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to the appointment of new members.

The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued its 2014 revision to the Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, known as the ``Green Book,'' under the authority provided in 31 U.S.C. 3512 (c), (d), commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA). To help ensure that the standards continue to meet the needs of government managers and the audit community it serves, the Comptroller General of the United States established the Green Book Advisory Council to provide input on revisions to the ``Green Book.'' This 2014 revision of the standards includes the Advisory Council's input regarding the changes. It also includes input from public comments received on the proposed revisions in the 2013 exposure draft. The changes contained in the 2014 revision to the Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government reflect major developments in the accountability and financial management profession and emphasize specific considerations applicable to the government environment. The 2014 revision to Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government is available in electronic format for download from GAO's Web page at www.gao.gov using GAO-14-704G as a report number. It will also be available for sale in hardcopy from the Government Printing Office in the near future at https://bookstore.gpo.gov or other GPO locations listed there. GAO-14-704G may be used to find its GPO stock number and ISBN.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. This notice announces the appointment of three new members and the reappointment of two existing members.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gave the Comptroller General of the United States responsibility for appointing not more than 15 members to a Methodology Committee of the Patient- Centered Outcomes Research Institute. In addition, the Directors of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health, or their designees, are members of the Methodology Committee. Methodology Committee members must meet the qualifications listed in Section 6301 of the Act. Due to vacancies on the Committee, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted by April 11, 2014 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to appointment. Letters of nomination and resumes can be forwarded to either the email or mailing address listed below.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. For appointments to MedPAC that will be effective May 1, 2014, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination should be submitted between January 21 and March 7, 2014, to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to the appointment of new members.

This notice informs the public that the Advisory Council on Government Auditing Standards will hold a public meeting by teleconference on December 17, 2013. The public is invited to listen to the Council's discussion. Members of the public will be provided an opportunity to address the Council with a brief (five-minute) presentation following the Council's discussion. The Advisory Council's primary purpose is to provide input and recommendations to the Comptroller General for revisions to the Government Auditing Standards, to provide for timely resolution of auditing issues, and to maintain the relevance of the standards.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gave the Comptroller General of the United States responsibility for appointing 19 members to the Board of Governors of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and for filling vacancies that may occur. Board members must meet the qualifications listed in Section 6301 of the Act. Due to the resignation of a physician representative on the board, I am announcing the following: letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted by November 15, 2013 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to appointment. Letters of nomination and resumes can be sent to either the email or mailing address listed below.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) established the Health Information Technology Policy Committee (Health IT Policy Committee) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing 13 of its 20 members. ARRA requires that one member have expertise in health information privacy and security. Due to a vacancy on the Committee, GAO is accepting nominations of individuals to fill this position. For this appointment I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted between July 15 and August 9, 2013 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) established the Health Information Technology Policy Committee to make recommendations on the implementation of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. There is an opening on the committee for a member from the research community. Candidates considered for this appointment will be required to complete a financial disclosure form. For this appointment I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted through May 18, 2013 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees.

This notice informs the public that the Advisory Council on Government Auditing Standards will hold a public meeting by teleconference on April 12, 2013. The public is invited to listen to the Council's discussion. Members of the public will be provided an opportunity to address the Council with a brief (five-minute) presentation in the afternoon. The Advisory Council's primary purpose is to provide input and recommendations to the Comptroller General for revisions to the Government Auditing Standards, to provide for timely resolution of auditing issues, and to maintain the relevancy of the standards.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. For appointments to MedPAC that will be effective May 1, 2013, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination should be submitted between January 15 and March 8, 2013, to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to the appointment of new members.

On September 30, 2011, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) provided notice of its proposed policy to adopt the policies and procedures contained in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) regarding the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility of government contractors. Comments on GAO's policy were due on or before November 14, 2011. GAO received two comments. Both comments expressed support for GAO's efforts to adopt policies and procedures regarding the debarment, suspension, and ineligibility of government contractors. Neither comment suggested any changes to GAO's policy statement. GAO is adopting, with minor changes, the policy statement published in the Federal Register on September 30, as set forth below. As a legislative branch agency, GAO is not subject to the requirements of the FAR. However, it is GAO's general policy to follow the FAR, as appropriate and applicable. Mandatory application of the FAR is not to be inferred from GAO's adoption of this policy. Further, GAO's procurement rules are not contained in the Code of Federal Regulations, but instead are contained in an internal GAO document referred to as ``Government Accountability Office Procurement Guidelines'' (hereinafter, GAO's Procurement Order). As such, GAO's policy regarding debarment and suspension will be added as a chapter to GAO's Procurement Order.

The Government Accountability Office Personnel Appeals Board (the Board or PAB) is amending its regulations to reflect a change in law concerning grievance procedures. The amended rule provides a choice of forum to employees with prohibited personnel practice claims. We are taking this opportunity to change some specific terms in the regulations to ones more commonly used throughout the government.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. For appointments to MedPAC that will be effective May 1, 2011, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination should be submitted between February 1 and March 7, 2011, to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to the appointment of new members.

On August 23, 2010, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued an exposure draft of proposed revisions to Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) (also known as the Yellow Book). To help ensure that the standards continue to meet the needs of the audit community and the public it serves, the Acting Comptroller General of the United States appointed the Advisory Council on Government Auditing Standards to review the standards and recommend necessary changes. The Advisory Council includes experts in financial and performance auditing drawn from all levels of government, private enterprise, public accounting, and academia. This exposure draft of the standards includes the Advisory Council's suggestions for proposed changes. We are currently requesting public comments on the proposed revisions in the exposure draft. The proposed 2010 revision to GAGAS will be the sixth revision since the standards were first issued in 1972. The 2010 Yellow Book exposure draft seeks to emphasize the critical role of high quality government audits in achieving credibility and accountability in government. The proposed changes contained in the 2010 Exposure Draft update GAGAS to reflect major developments in the accountability and audit profession and emphasize specific considerations applicable to the government environment. In addition, this proposed revision modernizes GAGAS, with updates to reflect major developments in the accountability and audit environment, including a conceptual framework approach for independence. Clarifications have also been made throughout the standards.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gave the Comptroller General of the United States responsibility for appointing 19 members to the Board of Governors of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. hi addition, the Directors of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health, or their designees, are members of the Board. The Comptroller General is required to make appointments not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of the Act. Board members must meet the qualifications listed in Section 6301 of the Act. For these appointments, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted by June 30th 2010 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to appointment. Letters of nomination and

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gave the Comptroller General of the United States responsibility for appointing 19 members to the Board of Governors of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. In addition, the Directors of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institutes of Health, or their designees, are members of the Board. The Comptroller General is required to make appointments not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of the Act. Board members must meet the qualifications listed in Section 6301 of the Act. For these appointments, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination and resumes should be submitted by June 30, 2010 to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to appointment. Letters of nomination and resumes can be sent to either the e-mail or mailing

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) and gave the Comptroller General responsibility for appointing its members. For appointments to MedPAC that will be effective May 1, 2010, I am announcing the following: Letters of nomination should be submitted between January 1 and March 1, 2010, to ensure adequate opportunity for review and consideration of nominees prior to the appointment of new members.