Department of Defense September 17, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces the cancellation of the meeting of the Defense Advisory Board for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve scheduled for Thursday, September 18, 2008 (1300-1500 hrs). The meeting is cancelled due to lack of a quorum.

Under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (5 U.S.C., Appendix, as amended), the Government in the Sunshine Act of 1976 (5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended), and 41 CFR 102-3.150, the Department of Defense announces that the Air University Board of Visitors' meeting will take place on Monday, November 17th, 2008, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and Tuesday, November 18th, 2008, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Air University Commander's Conference Room, Air University Headquarters and again on Tuesday, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., at the Officers' Club, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL 36112. The purpose of this meeting is to provide independent advice and recommendations on matters pertaining to the educational, doctrinal, and research policies and activities of Air University. The agenda will include topics relating to the policies, programs, and initiatives of Air University educational programs. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552b, as amended, and 41 CFR 102-3.155 all sessions of the Air University Board of Visitors' meeting will be open to the public. Any member of the public wishing to provide input to the Air University Board of Visitors should submit a written statement in accordance with 41 CFR 102-3.140(c) and section 10(a)(3) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the procedures described in this paragraph. Written statements can be submitted to the Designated Federal Officer at the address detailed below at any time. Statements being submitted in response to the agenda mentioned in this notice must be received by the Designated Federal Officer at the address listed below at least five calendar days prior to the meeting which is the subject of this notice. Written statements received after this date may not be provided to or considered by the Air University Board of Visitors until its next meeting. The Designated Federal Officer will review all timely submissions with the Air University Board of Visitors' Board Chairperson and ensure they are provided to members of the Board before the meeting that is the subject of this notice. Additionally, any member of the public wishing to attend this meeting should contact either person listed below at least five calendar days prior to the meeting for information on base entry passes.

The Department of the Army announces the availability of the ROD for Army Growth and Force Structure Realignment to Support Operations in the Pacific Theater. This ROD announces the Army's decisions for growing and realigning U.S. Army forces to support operations in the Pacific Theater, which covers more than 50 percent of the earth's surface and includes more than 39 countries. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Department of the Army prepared a Supplemental Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (SPEIS) that evaluated the potential environmental and socioeconomic effects associated with alternatives for Army growth and realignment. In the Final SPEIS (published July 24, 2008), the Army identified Alternative Two as the preferred alternative for implementing growth in U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii (USAG-HI) and Alternative Three as the preferred alternative for implementing growth in U.S. Army Garrisons in Alaska. The ROD explains that the Army will proceed with its preferred alternatives to station approximately 1,980 new Soldiers in Hawaii and approximately 2,200 in Alaska. This decision also validates previous decisions to station a 254 Soldier Expeditionary Sustainment Command (ESC) at Fort Lewis, Washington, and divert the stationing of a 570 Soldier Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, to Fort Drum, New York. These alternatives best support Army-wide modular transformation; support the National Defense and Security Strategies; add the necessary Combat Support (CS) and Combat Service Support (CSS) Soldiers to Army forces; and grow critical support brigades and headquarters to efficiently carry out missions in the Pacific Theater. The decisions contained within the ROD will result in a total growth of Army forces within the Pacific Theater by approximately 4,200 Soldiers and will realign forces to improve readiness and responsiveness to meet future challenges.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have adopted as final, with a minor change to the second interim rule, two interim rules amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement amendments to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. The first interim rule was published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 44546, August 4, 2006. The second interim rule was published in the Federal Register at 72 FR 63084, November 7, 2007.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to change the name of the ``Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization'' to the ``Office of Small Business Programs'' for the Department of Defense.

This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-27. 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.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to clarify that the clause ``Prospective Subcontractor Requests for Bonds'' does not apply to commercial items.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on an interim rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, Section 843 ``Enhanced Competition for Task and Delivery Order Contracts'' (FY08 NDAA). Section 843 of the FY08 NDAA stipulates several requirements regarding enhancing competition within Federal contracting.

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 rules appearing in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2005-27 which amend the 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 2005-27 which precedes this document. These documents are also available via the Internet at http:/ /www.regulations.gov.

This document makes amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation in order to make editorial changes.

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed to adopt a proposed rule, published in the Federal Register at 71 FR 58338, October 3, 2006, as a final rule, with minor changes. The rule amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement revisions to the regulations related to the administration of the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) as they pertain to contracts with foreign concerns, including United Kingdom (U.K.) concerns.