[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