Management and Budget Office – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

OMB is issuing the OMB Sequestration Update Report to the President and Congress for Fiscal Year 2024 to report on the status of the discretionary spending limits and on the compliance of pending discretionary appropriations legislation with those limits.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is requesting comments on proposed guidance for assessing changes in environmental and ecosystem services in benefit-cost analysis.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will propose draft guidance called Guidance for Assessing Changes in Environmental and Ecosystem Services in Benefit-Cost Analysis. This notice requests public nominations of experts to participate in an independent scientific peer review of this forthcoming proposed Guidance.

The Chief Statistician of the United States (CSOTUS) in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, was charged in the Executive Order (E.O. 14081), ``Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy,'' with improving and enhancing Federal statistical data collection designed to characterize and measure the economic value of the U.S. bioeconomy. The CSOTUS was also charged with establishing an Interagency Technical Working Group to recommend bioeconomy-related revisions for the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and the North American Product Classification System (NAPCS).\1\ The bioeconomy refers to a segment of the total economy utilizing or derived from biological resources, and includes manufacturing processes, technologies, products and services. These may encompass, wholly or in part, industries and products including fuel, food, medicine, chemicals, and technology. This Federal Register Notice (FRN) is a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on existing or potential bioeconomy-related industries and products that are established, emerging, or currently embedded in existing industry/manufacturing processes.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is requesting comments on proposed Circular A-4, ``Regulatory Analysis.''

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is drafting proposed revisions to its Circular A-4: Regulatory Analysis. This notice requests public nominations of experts to participate in an independent scientific peer review of an updated draft of Circular A-4: Regulatory Analysis.

Pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974 and Office of Management and Budget Circular No. A-130, Appendix I, Federal Agency Responsibilities for Maintaining Records About Individuals, notice is hereby given that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is establishing the following new system of records: ``OMB Public Input System of Records, OMB/INPUT/01'' (OMB Public Input System). OMB engages in a number of activities, including issuing guidance, policy, and regulatory actions, many of which invite the public and interested stakeholders to provide input to OMB. The OMB Public Input System covers the collection of that public input received through the Federal Docket Management System, Reginfo.gov, email, hardcopy communications, and other authorized means.

The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is proposing to revise the information collection 0348-0065 that it uses for members of the public who request a meeting with OIRA on rules under review pursuant to Executive Order 12866. The information collected would be subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and this notice announces and requests comment on OIRA's proposal for such a collection.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) revised Circular No. A-94 in 1992. With that action, OMB specified certain discount rates to be updated annually when the interest rate and inflation assumptions used to prepare the Budget of the United States Government were changed. These updated discount rates are found in Appendix C of the Circular and are to be used for cost-effectiveness analysis, including lease-purchase analysis, as specified in the revised Circular. These rates do not apply to regulatory analysis. The revised Circular can be accessed at https://www.whitehouse.gov/ wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Appendix-C.pdf.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is proposing to revise OMB Guidance for Grants and Agreements. The proposed revisions are limited in scope to support implementation of the Build America, Buy America Act provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; and to clarify existing requirements. These proposed revisions provide further guidance on implementing these statutory requirements, and improve Federal financial assistance management and transparency.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requests comments on the initial proposals from the Federal Interagency Technical Working Group on Race and Ethnicity Standards (Working Group) for revising OMB's 1997 Statistical Policy Directive No. 15: Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity (SPD 15).\1\ Responses to this Notice will be shared with the Working Group and will help the Working Group develop their final recommendations to OMB and will also help OMB determine how to revise SPD 15 to improve the quality and usefulness of Federal race and ethnicity data.

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB)on behalf of the co-chairs of the Interagency Policy Working Group on Statistics for Environmental-Economic Decisions (Working Group), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and Department of Commerce (DOC)requests information and comments on questions posed by the Working Group to help inform the development of Government-wide natural capital accounts and standardized environmental-economic statistics. The Working Group has developed a draft Strategic Plan that recommends short- and long-term strategic goals, as well as objectives and proposed strategies to achieve a routinely produced set of Government-wide natural capital accounts and standardized environmental-economic statistics that complement and operate in alignment with core national economic accounts and statistics. To support the Strategic Plan, OMB seeks information on likely and potential applications for U.S. natural capital accounts, established statistics and accounts that would strengthen the U.S. system, relevant external factors that may affect implementation of the Strategic Plan, and relevant ancillary or indirect consequences of developing natural capital accounts or associated statistics.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is publishing its semiannual agenda of upcoming activities for Federal regulations, OMB Guidance, Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Policy Letters, and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Board Cost Accounting Standards. OMB Guidance and OFPP Policy Letters are published in accordance with OMB's internal procedures for implementing Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993)). OMB policy guidelines are issued under authority derived from several sources, including: Subtitles I, II, and V of title 31, U.S. Code; Executive Order 11541; and other specific authority as cited. OMB Guidance and OFPP Policy Letters communicate guidance and instructions of a continuing nature to Executive branch agencies. As such, most OMB Guidance and OFPP Policy Letters are not regulations. Nonetheless, because these issuances are typically of interest to the public, they are generally published in the Federal Register at both the proposed (for public comment) and final stages. For this reason, they are presented below in the standard format of ``pre-rule,'' ``proposed rule,'' and ``final rule'' stages. CASB Cost Accounting Standards are issued under authority derived from 41 U.S.C. 1501 et seq. Cost Accounting Standards are rules governing the measurement, assignment, and allocation of costs to contracts entered with the United States Government. For purposes of this agenda, we have excluded directives that outline procedures to be followed in connection with the President's budget and legislative programs, as well as directives that affect only the internal functions, management, or personnel of Federal agencies.

This document announces the availability of the second of two 2021 Compliance Supplement Addenda (2021 Addendum 2) for the Office of Management and Budget's uniform administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements regulations. The first 2021 Addendum 1 was published in the Federal Register on December 3, 2021. This document also offers interested parties an opportunity to comment on the 2021 Addendum 2.

As part of the implementation of the Foundations for Evidence- Based Policymaking Act of 2018, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requests comments on the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy's recommendation for a Standard Application Process (SAP) for requesting access to certain confidential data assets. The SAP is to be a process through which agencies, the Congressional Budget Office, State, local, and Tribal governments, researchers, and other individuals, as appropriate, may apply to access confidential data assets accessed or acquired by a statistical agency or unit for the purposes of developing evidence. This new process would be implemented while maintaining stringent controls to protect confidentiality and privacy, as required by the law.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announces its final decisions to accept the recommendations of the Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC), as outlined in the July 2, 2021, Federal Register notice. OMB accepts the ECPC recommendations for the 2022 revisions to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), as well as the recommendations to update OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 8, North American Industry Classification System: Classification of Establishments and to eliminate OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 9, Standard Industrial Classification of Enterprises. In large part, the series of revisions for NAICS are designed to address decreasing usefulness of employing the mode of delivery (online versus in store/print) as an industry delineation criterion in the Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, and Information sectors. In short, the internet has developed from a specialized activity to a generic method of delivery for goods and services. Therefore, the 2022 revisions to NAICS reflect a deemphasis on the delivery method as an industry function used in NAICS classification. In addition, OMB has accepted the ECPC recommendations with respect to biobased products manufacturing and renewable chemicals manufacturing topic areas, including the decision to continue research and outreach in this important emerging area. There are four parts in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below, which provide more information. Part I summarizes the background of NAICS and this revision cycle. Part II contains a summary of public comments in response to the July 2, 2021, Federal Register notice. Part III includes a summary of the ECPC recommendations. Part IV outlines OMB's final decisions.

The United States Digital Service (USDS) within the Office of Management and Budget is announcing an opportunity for public comment on a new proposed collection of information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of a currently approved collection, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on a new collection proposed by USDS.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publishes the names of the members selected to serve on its Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board (PRB). This notice supersedes all previous notices of the PRB membership.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is seeking public comment on a draft strategy document titled ``Moving the U.S. Government Towards Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles.''

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is publishing its semiannual agenda of upcoming activities for Federal regulations, OMB Guidance, Office of Federal Procurement Policy (OFPP) Policy Letters, and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Board Cost Accounting Standards. OMB Guidance and OFPP Policy Letters are published in accordance with OMB's internal procedures for implementing Executive Order 12866 (58 FR 51735 (Oct. 4, 1993)). OMB policy guidelines are issued under authority derived from several sources, including: Subtitles I, II, and V of title 31, U.S. Code; Executive Order 11541; and other specific authority as cited. OMB Guidance and OFPP Policy Letters communicate guidance and instructions of a continuing nature to executive branch agencies. As such, most OMB Guidance and OFPP Policy Letters are not regulations. Nonetheless, because these issuances are typically of interest to the public, they are generally published in the Federal Register at both the proposed (for public comment) and final stages. For this reason, they are presented below in the standard format of ``pre-rule,'' ``proposed rule,'' and ``final rule'' stages. CASB Cost Accounting Standards are issued under authority derived from 41 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.. Cost Accounting Standards are rules governing the measurement, assignment, and allocation of costs to contracts entered into with the United States Government. For purposes of this agenda, we have excluded directives that outline procedures to be followed in connection with the President's budget and legislative programs, as well as directives that affect only the internal functions, management, or personnel of Federal agencies.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) seeks public comment on the advisability of adopting the proposed North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) updates for 2022 recommended by its Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC), which comprises representatives of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, and other government agencies. The ECPC recommends an update of the industry classification system to clarify existing industry definitions and content, recognize new and emerging industries, combine industries, and correct errors and omissions. The ECPC also recommends an update of OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 8, Standard Industrial Classification of Establishments, and to withdraw OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 9, Standard Industrial Classification of Enterprises. In large part, this proposed series of revisions are designed to address the view of the ECPC regarding the decreasing usefulness of employing the mode of delivery (online versus in store/print) as an industry delineation criterion in the Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, and Information sectors. In short, the internet has developed from a specialized activity to a generic method of delivery for goods and services. Therefore, the ECPC has developed recommendations that reevaluate and deemphasize the delivery method as an industry function used in NAICS classification. There are four parts in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Part I summarizes the background for the proposed revisions to NAICS 2017. Part II contains a summary of public comments regarding priorities for changes to NAICS in 2022, the ECPC recommendation to update OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 8, Standard Industrial Classification of Establishments, and the ECPC recommendation to withdraw OMB Statistical Policy Directive No. 9, Standard Industrial Classification of Enterprises. Part III includes a list of title changes for NAICS industries that clarify, but do not change, the existing content of the industries. Part IV provides a comprehensive listing of proposed changes for national industries and their links to NAICS 2017 industries.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) publishes the names of the members selected to serve on its Senior Executive Service (SES) Performance Review Board (PRB). This notice supersedes all previous notices of the PRB membership.

Recent Executive Orders have charged the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in partnership with the heads of agencies, to identify, by July 2021, effective methods for assessing whether agency policies and actions (e.g., programs, services, processes, and operations) equitably serve all eligible individuals and communities, particularly those that are currently and historically underserved. As part of this effort, agencies are directed to consult with members of communities that have been historically underrepresented in the Federal Government and underserved by, or subject to discrimination in, Federal policies and programs, and to evaluate opportunities, as allowable, to increase coordination, communication, and engagement with community- based and civil rights organizations. Through this request for information (RFI), OMB seeks input, information, and recommendations from a broad array of stakeholders in the public, private, advocacy, not-for-profit, and philanthropic sectors, including State, local, Tribal, and territorial areas, on available methods, approaches, and tools that could assist in this effort. OMB will consider the usability, applicability, and rigor of submissions in response to this RFI as OMB gathers resources to support agencies as they conduct internal assessments on the state of equity in their policies, programs, services, processes, and operations. OMB will also use what it learns from responses to this RFI as OMB works to expand use of equity-assessment methods and approaches across the Federal Government, as agencies develop agency Equity Action Plans (due to the Domestic Policy Council by January 19, 2022) outlining steps they will take to address identified gaps in equity.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is correcting the final guidance that appeared in the Federal Register on August 13, 2020. That document incorrectly cited specific sections or laws and inadvertently omitted specific language from the revisions. This amendment fixes citations and references and clarifies specific language.