Executive Office of the President 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Cost Accounting Standards Board (the Board), Office of Federal Procurement Policy, has adopted a final rule to amend Cost Accounting Standard (CAS) 412, ``Cost Accounting Standard for composition and measurement of pension cost,'' and CAS 415, ``Accounting for the cost of deferred compensation.'' These amendments address issues concerning the recognition of the costs of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) under Government cost-based contracts and subcontracts. These amendments provide criteria for measuring the costs of ESOPs and their assignment to cost accounting periods. The allocation of a contractor's assigned ESOP costs to contracts and subcontracts is addressed in other Standards. The amendments also specify that accounting for the costs of ESOPs will be covered by the provisions of CAS 415, ``Accounting for the cost of deferred compensation,'' and not by any other Standard. This rulemaking is authorized pursuant to Section 26 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Act.

Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), as amended by the ``Openness Promotes Effectiveness in our National Government Act of 2007,'' and Executive Order 13392, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has undertaken and completed a review of its public FOIA regulations that govern certain aspects of its processing of FOIA requests. As a result of this review, the Agency proposes to revise its FOIA regulations to more clearly reflect the current CIA organizational structure, record system configuration, and FOIA policies and practices and to eliminate ambiguous, redundant and obsolete regulatory provisions. As required by the FOIA, the Agency is providing an opportunity for interested persons to submit comments on these proposed regulations.

This notice announces the re-initiation of a review to consider designating the Republic of Azerbaijan as a beneficiary developing country (BDC) for purposes of the GSP program, and solicits public comment relating to the designation. Comments are due by Wednesday April 30, 2008, in accordance with the requirements for submissions, explained below.

The Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Board has adopted, without change, a final rule to add a clause for inclusion in CAS-covered contracts and subcontracts awarded to foreign concerns. The Board is taking this action to provide a standard clause for use by Government and contractor personnel in applying the CAS requirements to contracts and subcontracts awarded to foreign concerns.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Dates and Place: April 8, 2008, Washington, DC. The meeting will be held in Room 100 at the Keck Center of the National Academies at 500 5th St., NW., Washington, DC. Type of Meeting: Open. Further details on the meeting agenda will be posted on the PCAST Web site at: https://ostp.gov/cs/pcast/meetings agendas. Proposed Schedule and Agenda: The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is scheduled to meet in open session on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, at approximately 9 a.m. The chair of the PCAST subcommittee on personalized medicine is tentatively scheduled to lead a discussion on the findings of the PCAST study on personalized medicine. The PCAST also is tentatively scheduled to convene two panels. The first panel will address policy issues associated with realizing the benefits of personalized medicine. The second panel will address approaches and barriers to research partnerships among universities and the private sector. Additionally, PCAST is tentatively scheduled to receive a briefing on the 2008 Science and Engineering Indicators developed by the National Science Board. This session will end at approximately 4 p.m. Additional information and the final agenda will be posted at the PCAST Web site at: https://ostp.gov/cs/pcast/ meetingsagendas. Public Comments: There will be time allocated for the public to speak on the above agenda items. This public comment time is designed for substantive commentary on PCAST's work topics, not for business marketing purposes. Please submit a request for the opportunity to make a public comment five (5) days in advance of the meeting. The time for public comments will be limited to no more than 5 minutes per person. Written comments are also welcome at any time following the meeting. Please notify Dr. Scott Steele, PCAST Executive Director, at (202) 456- 6549, or fax your request/comments to (202) 456-6040.