National Aeronautics and Space Administration August 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is amending NASA regulations on release of information to news and information media. These amendments will establish NASA policy, responsibility, and procedure for providing information to news media on NASA activities.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to address the acquisition of products and services for personal identity verification that comply with requirements in Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 12, ``Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors,'' and Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) 201, ``Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors''.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Planetary Science Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). This Subcommittee reports to the Science Committee of the NAC. The Meeting will be held for the purpose of soliciting from the scientific community and other persons scientific and technical information relevant to program planning.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Earth Science Subcommittee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). This Subcommittee reports to the Science Committee of the NAC. The Meeting will be held for the purpose of soliciting from the scientific community and other persons scientific and technical information relevant to program planning.

This notice is issued in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 2451 (314) (d). The 2007 Astronaut Glove Challenge registration is open for teams that wish to compete. The NASA Centennial Challenges Program is a program of prize contests to stimulate innovation and competition in space exploration and ongoing NASA mission areas. The 2007 Astronaut Glove Challenge is a prize contest designed to promote the development of glove joint technology, resulting in a highly dexterous and flexible glove that can be used by astronauts over long periods of time for space or planetary surface excursions. The 2007 Astronaut Glove Challenge is being administered for NASA by Volanz Aerospace/ Spaceflight America in a format that brings all competitors to a single location for a ``head to head'' competition. Each team will be required to perform a variety of tasks with their gloves and will be scored on the glove performance. The 2007 Astronaut Glove Challenge Web site is https://www.astronaut-glove.us. The Centennial Challenges Web site is https://centennialchallenges.nasa.gov.

This notice is issued in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 2451 (314)(d). The 2006 Tether Challenge is now scheduled and teams that wish to compete may now register. The NASA Centennial Challenges Program is a program of prize contests to stimulate innovation and competition in space exploration and ongoing NASA mission areas. The 2006 Tether Challenge is a prize contest designed to develop very strong tether material for use in various structural applications. The 2006 Tether Challenge is being administered for NASA by the Spaceward Foundation. Their Web site is: https://www.spaceward.org. The Centennial Challenges Web site is centennialchallenges.nasa.gov.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration proposes to revise an existing system of records titled ''Security Records System'' (NASA 10SECR), last published on December 13, 1999, (64 FR 69556). This system of records is being revised to describe the additional types of information being collected by NASA required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors) and FIPS 201 (Personal Identity Verification (PIV) of Federal Employees and Contractors). Additionally, this system of records is being revised to reflect that NASA now collects and maintains emergency contact information for employees and contractors in order for notification of an employee or contractor's next-of-kin in the event of a mishap involving the individual. The purposes of this system of records are to: 1. Document security violations and supervisory actions taken. 2. Ensure the safety and security of NASA facilities, systems, or information, and Agency occupants and users. 3. Notify an employee's next-of-kin or contractor in the event of a mishap involving the NASA or contractor employee. 4. Complete the NASA identity proofing and registration process. 5. Create data records in the Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Identity Management System (IDMS). 6. Issue PIV cards to verify that individuals entering Federal facilities, using Federal information resources, or accessing classified information are authorized to do so. 7. Track and control issued PIV cards.

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 rule appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-12 which amends the FAR. An asterisk (*) next to a rule indicates that a regulatory flexibility analysis has been prepared. Interested parties may obtain further information regarding this rule by referring to FAC 2005-12 which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the Internet at http:/ /acquisition.gov/far.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rule agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-12. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the Internet at https://acquisition.gov/far.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces an open meeting of the NASA International Space Station Advisory Committee.