[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 6, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29891]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: December 6, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No. 941114-4314]
RIN 0693-AB23
Proposed Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for
Federal Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for
Telecommunications
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; Request for comments.
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SUMMARY: A Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for Federal
Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for Telecommunications is
being proposed. This proposed standard specifies a uniform grounding
and bonding infrastructure for Federal buildings. The grounding and
bonding infrastructure is consistent with the cabling topology
specified in FIPS PUB 174, Federal Building Telecommunications Wiring
Standard (ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-1991), and installed in accordance with FIBS
PUB 175, Federal Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and
Spaces (ANSI/EIA/TIA-569-1990).
This proposed FIPS adopts a voluntary industry standard (ANSI/TIA/
EIA-607-1994) that was developed with Federal participation and
coordinated by the Federal Telecommunications Standards Committee, an
interagency committee administered by the National Communications
System. The purpose of this notice is to solicit views from the public,
manufacturers, and State and local governments so that their views can
be considered prior to the submission of this proposed FIPS to the
Secretary of Commerce for review and approval.
This proposed FIPS contains two sections: (1) An announcement
section, which provides information concerning the applicability,
implementation, and maintenance of the standard; and (2) a
specifications section which deals with the technical requirements of
the standard. Only the announcement section of the standard is provided
in this notice. Interested parties may obtain copies of the
specifications (ANSI/TIA/EIA-607-1994) from Global Engineering
Documents, Suite 400, 1990 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036,
telephone 1-800-854-7179 or 202-429-2860; FAX 202-331-0960.
DATES: Comments on this proposed FIPS must be received on or before
March 7, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning the adoption of this proposed
FIPS should be sent to: Director, Computer Systems Laboratory, ATTN:
Proposed FIPS for Grounding and Bonding, Technology Building, Room B-
154, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
20899.
Written comments received in response to this notice will be made
part of the public record and will be made available for inspection and
copying in the Central Reference and Records Inspection Facility, Room
6020, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street between Pennsylvania and
Constitution Avenues, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. A. Glenn Hanson, Institute for Telecommunications Sciences,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 325
Broadway, Boulder, CO 80303-3328, telephone 303-497-5449; FAX 303-497-
6982.
Dated: November 29, 1994.
Samuel Kramer,
Associate Director.
Proposed Federal Information Processing Standards Publication
(date)
Announcing the Standard for Federal Building Grounding and Bonding
Requirements for Telecommunications
Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUBS)
are issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
after approval by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to Section 111(d)
of the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 as
amended by the Computer Security Act of 1987, Public Law 100-235.
1. Name of Standard. Federal Building Grounding and Bonding
Requirements for Telecommunications. (Former Draft Federal Standard
1093).
2. Category of Standard. Telecommunications Standard; Grounding and
Bonding.
3. Explanation. This standard, by adoption of ANSI/TIA/EIA-607-
1994, Commercial Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for
Telecommunications, specifies the requirements for a uniform
telecommunications grounding and bonding infrastructure that should be
followed within Federal buildings where telecommunications equipment is
installed. The standard provides the requirements for a ground
reference for telecommunications systems within the telecommunications
entrance facility, the telecommunications closet, and equipment room;
it also provides the requirements for bonding and connecting pathways,
cable shields, conductors, and hardware at telecommunications closets,
equipment rooms, and entrance facilities.
This standard supports the telecommunications infrastructure which
encompasses telecommunications equipment spaces, cable pathways,
grounding, wiring, termination hardware, and other devices, and which
provides the basic support for the distribution of all forms of
information within a building or campus.
The grounding and bonding approach described in this standard is
consistent with the cabling topology specified in Federal Information
Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) 174, Federal Building
Telecommunications Wiring Standard (ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-1991) and
installed in accordance with Federal Information Processing Standards
Publication (FIPS PUB) 175, Federal Building Standard for
Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces (ANSI/EIA/TIA-569-1990).
4. Approving Authority. Secretary of Commerce.
5. Maintenance Agency. National Communications System, Office of
Technology and Standards.
6. Related Documents.
a. Federal Information Resources Management Regulations subpart
201-20.303, Standards, and subpart 201-39.1002, Federal Standards.
b. Federal Standard 1037B, Glossary of Telecommunications Terms.
c. Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB)
174, Federal Building Telecommunications Wiring Standard (Former Draft
Federal Standard 1090).
d. Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB)
175, Federal Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and
Spaces (Former Draft Federal Standard 1091).
e. Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB)
176, Residential and Light Commercial Telecommunications Wiring
Standard (Former Draft Federal Standard 1092).
f. Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB)
187, Administration Standard for the Telecommunications Infrastructure
of Federal Buildings (Former Draft Federal Standard 1094).
At the time of publication of this standard, the editions indicated
above were valid. All publications are subject to revision, and parties
to agreements based on this standard are encouraged to investigate the
possibility of applying the most recent editions of these publications.
7. Objectives. The purpose of this standard is to facilitate the
planning, design, and installation of telecommunications grounding
systems within a Federal government building with or without prior
knowledge of the telecommunications systems that will subsequently be
installed. This telecommunications grounding and bonding infrastructure
supports a multivendor, multiproduct environment as well as the
grounding practices for various systems that may be installed on
customer premises.
8. Applicability. This standard shall be used by all departments
and agencies of the Federal Government in the design, maintenance,
renovation, or retrofit of telecommunications grounding systems within
new or existing Federal buildings. Existing building wiring systems,
especially those installed prior to the emergence of digital
communications and voice/data integration, may not readily accept
application of this standard. Modernization of the existing pathway,
space, and wiring systems to meet the FIPS 174, FIPS 175, FIPS 176, and
FIPS 187 infrastructure standards may require a significant monetary
expenditure. Agencies should conduct a thorough facility analysis of
existing and renovated buildings to determine the cost of applying the
standards, and develop a migration plan where cost savings can be
achieved. This plan will help to ensure timely and efficient completion
of the conversion process. The result of following this standard will
be a telecommunications infrastructure that supports advanced
technology and is compatible with modern telecommunications equipment.
This standard is not intended to hasten the obsolescence of
telecommunications grounding systems currently in use in Federal
facilities; nor is it intended to provide systems engineering or
applications guidelines.
9. Specifications. This FIPS adopts ANSI/TIA/EIA-607-1994,
Commercial Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for
Telecommunications, The American National Standard specifies the
requirements for a uniform telecommunications entrance facility, the
telecommunications grounding and bonding infrastructure for a building
where telecommunications equipment is to be installed. Areas of the
infrastructure include:
(a) A ground reference for telecommunications systems within the
telecommunications entrance facility, the telecommunications closet,
and equipment room.
(b) Bonding and connecting pathways, cable shields, conductors and
hardware at telecommunications closets, equipment rooms, and entrance
facilities.
(c) Interconnectivity to other building grounding systems.
10. Implementation. The use of this standard by Federal departments
and agencies is compulsory and binding for the design, maintenance,
renovation, or retrofit of telecommunications grounding systems within
new or existing Federal buildings, effective ________ (six (6) months
after date of publication of final document in the Federal Register).
Use of the standard is recommended in the telecommunications
grounding systems within existing buildings.
This standard should be useful to anyone engaged in the design,
maintenance, renovation, or retrofit of new or existing buildings. This
standard will also be useful to manufacturers of telecommunications
equipment and to those responsible for purchasing, installing, or
operating such equipment and devices.
11. Waivers. Under certain exceptional circumstances, the heads of
Federal departments and agencies may approve waivers to Federal
Information Processing Standards (FIPS). The head of such agency may
redelegate such authority only to a senior official designated pursuant
to Section 3506(b) of Title 44, U.S. Code. Waivers shall be granted
only when:
a. Compliance with a standard would adversely affect the
accomplishment of the mission of an operator of a Federal computer
system or related telecommunications system, or
b. Cause a major adverse financial impact on the operator which is
not offset by Governmentwide savings.
Agency heads may act upon a written waiver request containing the
information detailed above. Agency heads may also act without a written
waiver request when they determine that conditions for meeting the
standard cannot be met. Agency heads may approve waivers only by a
written decision which explains the basis on which the agency head made
the required finding(s). A copy of each such decision, with procurement
sensitive or classified portions clearly identified, shall be sent to:
National Institute of Standards and Technology; Attn: FIPS waiver
Decisions, Technology Building, Room B-154; Gaithersubrg, MD 20899.
In addition, notice of each waiver granted and each delegation of
authority to approve waivers shall be sent promptly to the Committee on
Government Operations of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Governmental Affairs of the Senate and shall be published promptly
in the Federal Register.
When the determination on a waiver applies to the procurement of
equipment and/or services, a notice of the waiver determination must be
published in the Commerce Business Daily as a part of the notice of
solicitation for offers of an acquisition or, if the waiver
determination is made after the notice is published, by amendment to
such notice.
A copy of the waiver, any supporting documents, the document
approving the waiver and any supporting and accompanying documents,
with such deletions as the agency is authorized and decides to make
under 5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b), shall be part of the procurement
documentation and retained by the agency.
12. Where to Obtain Copies. Copies of this publication are for sale
by the National Technical Information Service, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. (Sale of the included specifications
document is by arrangement with the Electronic Industries Association.)
When ordering, refer to Federal Information Processing Standards
Publication ______ (FIPSPUB ______), and the title. Payment may be made
by check, money order, purchase order, credit card, or deposit account.
[FR Doc. 94-29891 Filed 12-5-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-CN-M