General Services Administration 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

GSA is amending the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to remove and reserve the regulations implementing the Administrator of General Services' authority to authorize agencies to conduct telework travel expenses test programs. The Administrator's authority to authorize agencies to conduct such test programs expired in accordance with the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. GSA is also removing and reserving regulations, that contain suggested guidance for conference planning.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the General Services Administration 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 contract administration and quality assurance.

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 2020 to provide for accelerated payments to small business contractors and subcontractors and a comparable statute applicable only to the Department of Defense.

DoD, GSA, and NASA issued a proposed rule on July 30, 2021, amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement an Executive order (E.O.) addressing domestic preferences in Government procurement. The deadline for submitting comments is being extended from September 28, 2021 to October 28, 2021 to provide additional time for interested parties to provide comments on the FAR case.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), GSA will invite the public to comment on a renewal and extension concerning the CDP Supply Chain Climate Change Information Request.

This proposed rule would clarify that agencies can reimburse rental car fees (up to a certain number of days) for Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS) relocations as a miscellaneous expense allowance to account for privately owned vehicle (POV) shipping delays at the employee's new official station. The proposed rule also updates rental car insurance policy to state that the Government will pay for both collision damage waiver(s) and theft insurance on rental car used OCONUS and also clarifies that rental cars may be used for the same purposes as a Government vehicle (other than a Government aircraft). Finally, the proposed rule substitutes the terms ``gas'' and ``gasoline'' with the term ``fuel'' where appropriate. The term ``fuel'' is broader as it still includes gasoline as a fuel source and also encompasses alternate vehicle energy sources, like electricity. A definition of the term ``Fuel'' is added to the FTR.

The Federal Chief Data Officers Council (CDO Council) is having a public meeting which will introduce the public to CDO Council priorities, first year accomplishments and working group updates. Additionally, the CDO Council will host panel discussions of Federal data leaders. The meeting will also share information about Evidence Act Councils data collaboration efforts across the Federal government. The CDO Council will introduce a Request for Information (RFI) for the public to provide input on key questions to support the council's mission and focus areas. Responses to this RFI will inform the Council's efforts and will be shared with the relevant groups in the Council.

The General Services Administration (GSA) is issuing a final rule amending the General Services Administration Acquisition Regulation (GSAR) to update an outdated reference to a legacy website.

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 of a previously approved information collection requirements regarding certain Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 36 construction contract requirements.

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 existing OMB clearance regarding a notarized document submittal for System for Award Management (SAM) Registration.

The GSA FY 2022 per diem reimbursement rates review has resulted in meal allowance changes for certain locations within CONUS to provide for reimbursement of Federal employees' subsistence expenses while on official travel. The FY 2022 maximum lodging allowance rates will remain unchanged at the FY 2021 levels.

This document makes amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) in order to make needed editorial changes.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement section 1811 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 to provide procurement center representatives with the discretion to review any acquisition.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are issuing a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to incorporate recent revisions and updates to accessibility standards issued by the U.S. Access Board.

DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement an Executive order (E.O.) addressing domestic preferences in Government procurement.

This agenda announces the proposed regulatory actions that GSA plans for the next 12 months and those that were completed since the fall 2020 edition. This agenda was developed under the guidelines of Executive Orders 12866 ``Regulatory Planning and Review,'' and Executive Order 13563 ``Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review.'' GSA's purpose in publishing this agenda is to allow interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rulemaking process. GSA also invites interested persons to recommend existing significant regulations for review to determine whether they should be modified or eliminated. Published proposed rules may be reviewed in their entirety at the Government's rulemaking website at https://www.regulations.gov. Since the fall 2007 edition, the internet has been the basic means for disseminating the Unified Agenda. The complete Unified Agenda will be available online at www.reginfo.gov, in a format that offers users a greatly enhanced ability to obtain information from the Agenda database. Because publication in the Federal Register is mandated for the regulatory flexibility agendas required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 602), GSA's printed agenda entries include only: (1) Rules that are in the Agency's regulatory flexibility agenda, in accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, because they are likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; and (2) Any rules that the Agency has identified for periodic review under section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Printing of these entries is limited to fields that contain information required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act's Agenda requirements. Additional information on these entries is available in the Unified Agenda published on the internet. In addition, for fall editions of the Agenda, the entire Regulatory Plan will continue to be printed in the Federal Register, as in past years, including GSA's regulatory plan.

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 regarding solicitation provisions and contract clauses, placement of orders clause, and ordering information clause.

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the General Services Administration 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 Environmental Conservation, Occupational Safety, and Drug- Free Workplace.

This bulletin announces the designation of a Federal building.

GSA has prepared a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and separate Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) which analyzed the potential impacts from the proposed construction of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) standalone bus inspection facility at the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry (LPOE) in San Diego, California. The two alternatives analyzed include: New ``Basic'' Facility Buildout; No Build Action. GSA is advising the public that the Final EA and FONSI are available for public comment.

GSA is accepting written public comments on the work of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States (Commission). Further, GSA is providing notice of an open public virtual meeting of the Commission in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. For information on the topics discussed, please see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice. This meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed at www.whitehouse.gov/pcscotus/. Information about the public meeting will be posted at www.whitehouse.gov/pcscotus/ prior to the meeting.

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 of GSA Form 1142, Release of Claims, regarding final payment under construction and building services contract.

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 an extension concerning Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) part 47 transportation requirements. 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 September 30, 2021. DoD, GSA, and NASA propose that OMB extend its approval for use for three additional years beyond the current expiration date.

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 regarding Contractor's Qualifications and Financial Information through GSA Form 527.

The General Services Administration (GSA), in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, is proposing to amend the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) to authorize Withholding Tax Allowance (WTA) and Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA) to all individuals who receive relocation allowances paid by the Federal Government. This amendment is in accordance with legislative changes to GSA's statutory authority for taxes on reimbursements for travel, transportation, and relocation expenses as enacted in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.