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

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Aeronautics Committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). The Committee reports the NAC. This meeting will be held for soliciting, from the aeronautics community and other persons, research and technical information relevant to program planning.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, and NASA's procedures for implementing NEPA, NASA announces the availability of the Draft supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Mars 2020 Mission (Supplemental EIS) for public review and comment. The Draft Supplemental EIS provides updated information related to the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed Mars 2020 mission.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC). This Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the Director, Earth Science Division, in the NASA Science Mission Directorate. The meeting will be held for the purpose of soliciting, from the science community and other persons, scientific and technical information relevant to program planning.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a Department of Labor (DOL) rule, which exempts certain contracts for seasonal recreational services or seasonal recreational equipment rental for the general public on Federal lands from an Executive Order minimum wage.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the NASA International Space Station (ISS) Advisory Committee. The purpose of the meeting is to review all aspects related to the safety and operational readiness of the ISS, and to assess the possibilities for using the ISS for future space exploration.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC).

On September 20, 2019, DoD, GSA, and NASA published a document proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add two new clauses that notify contractors of requirements relating to Afghanistan taxes or similar charges when contracts are being performed in Afghanistan. The document heading carried an incorrect Regulation Identifier Number (RIN). This document carries the correct RIN.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is finalizing its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations, in accordance with the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016.

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 the rule appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2020-01, which amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (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 2020-01, which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the internet at https:// www.regulations.gov.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rule agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2020-01. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a revision and renewal of a previously approved information collection requirement regarding Cost Accounting Standards administration.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the National Space Council Users' Advisory Group (UAG). This will be the fourth meeting of the UAG.

NASA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant a partially exclusive patent license in the United States to practice the invention described and claimed in U.S. Patent 9,770,405 entitled, ``Biocompatible Capsules and Methods of Making,'' to Capcell Biologics, Inc. having its principal place of business in New York, NY. The fields of use may be limited to health and medicine. The patent rights in this invention, directed to Health, Medicine, and Biotechnology, have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA has not yet made a determination to grant the requested license and may deny the requested license even if no objections are submitted within the comment period.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 to increase the threshold for requiring certified cost or pricing data.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Regulatory and Policy Committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC). This Committee reports to the NAC.

Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA, and NASA's procedures for implementing NEPA, NASA intends to prepare a supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Mars 2020 Mission (Supplemental EIS). The Supplemental EIS will provide updated information related to the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed Mars 2020 mission. The updated information is pertinent to the consequence and risk analyses of potential accidents which could occur during the launch phases of the mission. Although the probability of such accidents occurring is highly unlikely, it is possible that under certain conditions an accident could result in a release of plutonium dioxide from the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). The MMRTG is a critical component of the Mars 2020 rover; it would enable the Mars 2020 rover mission to undertake a much broader scope of scientific discovery by providing a continuous supply of electrical power and temperature control to the Mars 2020 rover while on the surface of Mars. The Mars 2020 spacecraft would launch onboard an Atlas V launch vehicle from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Brevard County, Florida, during the summer of 2020. Additional information about the mission may be found on the internet at: https:// mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/.

Phase 2 of the CO2 Conversion Challenge is open, and teams that wish to compete may now register. Centennial Challenges is a program of prize competitions to stimulate innovation in technologies of interest and value to NASA and the nation. This competition has two phases with a total prize purse of up to $1 million. Phase 1 (completed in April 2019) was the Concept Phase with a prize purse of $250,000 awarded equality among the top five scoring teams. Teams were asked to demonstrate capabilities to develop technologies to manufacture ``food'' for microbial bioreactors from CO2 and hydrogen molecules, with the ultimate goal of producing glucose. Phase 2 is a Demonstration Challenge with a prize purse of up to $750,000. NASA is providing the prize purse, and NASA Centennial Challenges will be managing the Challenge with support from The Common Pool.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add two new clauses that notify contractors of requirements relating to Afghanistan taxes or similar charges when contracts are being performed in Afghanistan.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations, DoD, GSA, and NASA invite the public to comment on a revision and renewal concerning commercial item. DoD, GSA, and NASA invite comments on: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of Federal Government acquisitions, including whether the information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. OMB has approved this information collection for use through November 30, 2019. DoD, GSA, and NASA propose that OMB extend its approval for use for three additional years beyond the current expiration date.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Heliophysics Advisory Committee (HPAC). This Committee functions in an advisory capacity to the Director, Heliophysics Division, in the NASA Science Mission Directorate. The meeting will be held for the purpose of soliciting, from the science community and other persons, scientific and technical information relevant to program planning.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announces a meeting of the Planetary Science Advisory Committee. 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.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to add Australia as a World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA) country.