Department of Defense June 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

The Department of Defense has submitted to OMB for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Secretary of Defense announces a proposed public information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the agency's 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 through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.

The Department of Defense is publishing the unclassified text of an arms sales notification.

The Director, Defense Health Agency (DHA), has approved the creation of a demonstration to waive cost-sharing for up to three physical therapy (PT) visits for TRICARE beneficiaries with low back pain (LBP). The purpose of the demonstration is to encourage the uptake of PT services for the treatment and management of LBP and to incentivize beneficiaries towards higher-value care and away from lower-value care. This demonstration will operate in 10 states, test whether waiving cost-sharing increases the uptake of PT services among patients with LBP, and measure the impact of LBP on lower-value services such as imaging, opioids, and surgery.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to further implement the statute which requires an adjustment every five years of statutory acquisition- related thresholds for inflation. The adjustment uses the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, and does not apply to the Construction Wage Rate Requirements statute (Davis-Bacon Act), Service Contract Labor Standards statute, and trade agreements thresholds. DoD, GSA, and NASA are also proposing to use the same methodology to adjust nonstatutory FAR acquisition-related thresholds in 2020.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that it is renewing the charter for the Defense Business Board (``the Board'').

On June 9, 2020, the DoD published a notice announcing the next meeting of the Defense Innovation Board (``the Board'') on June 23, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that this Federal advisory committee meeting has been cancelled, due to ongoing challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014 authorizes a non-federal interest to levy port or harbor dues in the form of tonnage duties or fees in conjunction with a harbor navigation project whose usable increment of the project is complete to finance the cost, construction or maintenance of the project. The Sabine-Neches Navigation District (SNND) is a political subdivision of the State of Texas and the non-federal sponsor of the Sabine-Neches Waterway Channel Improvement Project (SNWW CIP). The SNND anticipates completion of the first usable increment of the SNWW CIP in the next 180 days. Upon completion of the first usable increment, SNND intends to levy port or harbor dues pursuant to 33 U.S.C. 2236. Notification in the Federal Register prior to an initial levy of port or harbor dues is required by the statute.

The Commander of the Northwestern Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is soliciting applications to fill vacant stakeholder representative member positions on the Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee (MRRIC). Members are sought to fill vacancies on a committee to represent various categories of interests within the Missouri River basin. The MRRIC was formed to advise the Corps on a study of the Missouri River and its tributaries and to provide guidance to the Corps with respect to the Missouri River recovery and mitigation activities currently underway. The Corps established the MRRIC as required by the U.S. Congress through the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA), Section 5018.

DHA is modifying the System of Records titled, ``Military Health Information System (MHIS),'' EDHA 07 to facilitate public health activities and research efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this System of Records will become the DoD-wide SORN with enterprise application across the department. The proposed modifications include clarifying the purposes for the handling and use of data to improve quality assurance within healthcare operations (such as data analytics and clinical research) to address COVID-19. Modifications also include broadening the categories of individuals to cover all associated information systems and updating routine uses to enable better collaboration with federal agencies and academic institutions to accommodate the COVID-19 Insights Project. The Military Health Information System (MHIS) collects and maintains data that supports benefits determination for Military Health System (MHS) beneficiaries between the DoD, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) healthcare programs. This data also provides Federal Agencies the ability to support continuity of care for patrons, ensures more efficient adjudication of claims, enables quality assurance and healthcare operations, and supports a myriad of healthcare policy, public health, military mission, data analysis, and clinical research activities.

The Department of the Army proposes to revise its regulation on the Manufacturing, Sale, Wear, and Quality Control of Heraldic Items which prescribes the Army Heraldic Quality Control Program and the certification process for manufacturers in order to make Military Insignia. The rule also establishes procedures governing the manufacture, commercial sale, reproduction, possession, and wear of military decorations, medals, badges, insignia and their components and appurtenances. The proposed revisions include the addition of a five- year renewal period for manufacturer certification and insignia authorizations and changes to the procedure for authorizing the use of insignia on commercial items.

Pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act and implementing regulations, the Department of the Air Force hereby gives notice of its intent to grant an exclusive patent license agreement to Temple UniversityOf The Commonwealth System Of Higher Education, having a place of business at 1801 N. Broad St, Conwell Hall Rm 401, Philadelphia, PA 19122.

Pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act and implementing regulations, the United States Air Force (Air Force) is issuing this notice of intent to grant a partially exclusive patent license agreement with respect to the field of remote care management of patients with autoimmune disease (which are conditions caused by increased reactivity of the immune system causing tissue damage) to Adyptation Inc., a C- Corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing in the State of Delaware, having a place of business at 3040 South Tech Blvd., Miamisburg, OHIO.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Board of Actuaries will take place.

On December 21, 2018, DoD published a final rule to implement sections of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017, including a section that added Australia and the United Kingdom to the definition of the ``National Technology and Industrial Base.'' This action corrects several sections of the regulations where the revised definition of the ``National Technology and Industrial Base'' was inadvertently not implemented. This document corrects the final regulations in order to acquire from Australia or the United Kingdom, without waiver, certain naval vessel components.

DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement to implement a section of the United States Code that requires the collection of data on certain DoD service contracts.

DoD is making needed technical amendments to update the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).

DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement a section of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.

DoD is issuing a final rule amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement several sections of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 to address how contracting officers may require the offeror to submit relevant information to support market research for price analysis, and allow an offeror to submit information relating to the value of a commercial item to aid in the determination of the reasonableness of the price of such item.

This final rule removes the DoD part that contains its responsibilities under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). The part duplicates DoD's internal policy assigning DoD responsibilities and providing internal procedures for informing Service members, former Service Members, and individuals who apply for uniformed service of their civilian employment and reemployment rights, benefits, and obligations. This internal policy does not require codification, therefore, DoD will remove this part and publish notification in the Federal Register informing the public of administrative information concerning a request for pertinent information regarding periods of uniformed service.

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 2017, which requires examples of failure to make good faith efforts to comply with a small business subcontracting plan.

The DoD is publishing this notice to announce that it is renewing the charter for the National \Intelligence\ University Board of Visitors (``the Board'').

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, Planning Division is notifying interested parties that it is withdrawing the Notice of Intent (NOI) to develop an EIS for the NYNJHAT Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) Feasibility Study. The NOI to Prepare an EIS was published in the Federal Register on January 13, 2020.