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

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB) 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 Biobased Procurements. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 49318 on August 20, 2014. No comments were received.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a correction to FAR Case 2012- 023; Uniform Procurement Identification (Item III), which was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 61739, October 14, 2014.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB) will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a new information collection requirement regarding Public Voucher for Purchases and Services other than Personal. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 39395 on July 10, 2014. No comments were received.

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 rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-77, 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 these rules by referring to FAC 2005-77, 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 remove all references to Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Pamphlet No. 7, Use of Irrevocable Letters of Credit, and also provide updated sources of data required to verify the credit worthiness of a financial entity issuing or confirming an irrevocable letter of credit (ILC).

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-77. 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.

NASA hereby provides notice of the cancellation of a proposed rule without further action.

NASA is proposing to amend its patent waivers regulations to update citations and the patent waiver policy, and to clarify and update the patent waiver procedures, so they are more in line with the National Aeronautics and Space Act (Space Act), the authorizing statute.

NASA is updating the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) with the goal of eliminating unnecessary regulation, streamlining overly-burdensome regulation, clarifying language, and simplifying processes where possible. This proposed rule is the second in a series and includes updates and revisions to 14 parts of the NFS. On January 18, 2011, President Obama signed Executive Order (E.O.) 13563, Improving Regulations and Regulatory Review, directing agencies to develop a plan for a retrospective analysis of existing regulations. The revisions to this proposed rule are part of NASA's retrospective plan under E.O. 13563 completed in August 2011.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB) 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 OMB Circular A-119. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 38892 on July 9, 2014. No comments were received.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is deleting existing drug-free workplace requirements for financial assistance in one Title of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and moving it to another Title, consistent with the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) guidance on drug-free workplace requirements for financial assistance. Further, NASA is implementing, and thereby giving regulatory effect to, the OMB guidance on drug-free workplace requirements for financial assistance.

This notice is issued in accordance with 51 U.S.C. 20144(c). The Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) Challenge is scheduled 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. The 2015 MAV Challenge is a prize competition designed to encourage development of new technologies or application of existing technologies in unique ways to autonomously collect and launch a sample cache using robotics and solid propulsion rocketry. NASA is providing the prize purse.

NASA announces its annual invitation for public nominations for service on NASA science advisory subcommittees. The five science advisory subcommittees report to the Science Committee of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC), a Federal Advisory Committee. U.S. citizens may submit self-nominations for consideration to fill unscheduled intermittent vacancies on NASA's science advisory subcommittees. NASA's science advisory subcommittees have member vacancies from time to time throughout the year, and NASA will consider self-nominations to fill such intermittent vacancies. Nominees will only be contacted should a vacancy arise and it is judged that their area(s) of expertise is appropriate for that unscheduled vacancy. NASA is committed to selecting members to serve on its science advisory subcommittees based on their individual expertise, knowledge, experience, and current/past contributions to the relevant subject area. The following qualifications/experience are highly desirable in nominees, and should be clearly presented in their self-nomination letters: At least 10 years post-Ph.D. research experience including publications in the scientific field of the subcommittee for which they are nominated, or comparable experience; Leadership in scientific and/or education and public outreach fields as evidenced by award of prizes, invitation to national and international meetings as speaker, organizer of scientific meetings/workshops, or comparable experience; Participation in NASA programs either as member of NASA mission science team, Research & Analysis program, membership on an advisory/working group or a review panel, or comparable experience; Good knowledge of NASA programs in the scientific field of the subcommittee for which they are applying, including the latest NASA Science Plan (available as a link from https://science.nasa.gov/about- us/science-strategy/), or comparable experience; and, Knowledge of the latest Decadal Survey conducted by the National Research Council or other relevant advisory reports for the scientific field of the subcommittee. Nominees from any category of organizations or institutions within the U.S. are welcome, including, but not limited to, educational, industrial, and not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and other Government agencies. Nominees need not be presently affiliated with any organization or institution. These are not full-time positions and the likelihood that an unscheduled vacancy will occur in the coming year is unknown at this time. Successful nominees will be required to attend meetings of the subcommittee approximately two or three times a year, either in person (NASA covers travel-related expenses for this non-compensated appointment) or via telecon and/or virtual meeting medium. Successful nominees who are not already U.S. Government employees will become Special Government Employees (SGEs). All successful nominees will be required to submit a confidential financial disclosure form, and undergo a conflict of interest review by the NASA Office of the General Counsel, before their appointment is finalized.

NASA is amending its regulations by adding a subpart for traffic enforcement regulations, authorities, and procedures at all NASA Centers and component facilities. Changes are being made to align this part with NASA objectives in the protection of its people and property. Establishing a traffic safety program is essential for the protection and security of NASA bases, stations, facilities laboratories and of its aircraft, spacecraft, missiles and similar vehicles and of its real and personal property, including property in the custody of NASA contractors and subcontractors.

Patent applications on the inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and are available for licensing.

Patent applications on the inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and are available for licensing.

Patent applications on the inventions listed below assigned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have been filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and are available for licensing.

NASA announces its annual invitation for public nominations for service on NASA Federal advisory committees. U.S. citizens may submit self-nominations for consideration as potential members of NASA's Federal advisory committees. NASA's Federal advisory committees have member vacancies from time to time throughout the year, and NASA will consider self-nominations to fill such intermittent vacancies. NASA is committed to selecting members to serve on its Federal advisory committees based on their individual expertise, knowledge, experience, and current/past contributions to the relevant subject area.

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, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB) will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request for extension and revision of the expiration dates of the following four information collection requirements: 9000-0024, 9000-0025, 9000-0141 and 9000-0130. This request also merges the four previously approved information collections into one (OMB Control No. 9000-0024). A notice was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 32957 on June 9, 2014. No comments were received.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB) 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 Contractor Business Ethics Compliance Program and Disclosure Requirements. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 32959 on June 9, 2014. No comments were received.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB) 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 Biobased Procurements.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division 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 payment by electronic fund transfer. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 79 FR 33556 on June 11, 2014. No comments were received.

This notice is issued in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 209(e) and 37 CFR 404.7(a)(1)(i). NASA hereby gives notice of its intent to grant an exclusive license in the United States to practice the inventions described and claimed in USPN 6,730,498, Production of Functional Proteins: Balance of Shear Stress and Gravity, NASA Case No. MSC-22859- 1; USPN 6,946,246, Production of Functional Proteins: Balance of Shear Stress and Gravity, NASA Case No. MSC-22859-2; USPN 7,198,947, Production of Functional Proteins: Balance of Shear Stress and Gravity, NASA Case No. MSC-22859-3; and USPN 7,972,821, Production of Functional Proteins: Balance of Shear Stress and Gravity, NASA Case No. MSC-22859- 5 to GRoK Technologies, LLC, having its principal place of business in Houston, Texas. The patent rights in these inventions have been assigned to the United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prospective exclusive license will comply with the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7.

In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, Public Law 92-463, 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.