[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 15, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42144-42146]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20171]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
[Docket No. 950628170-5170-01]
RIN 0693-AB23


Approval of Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 
195, Federal Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for 
Telecommunications

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to announce that the Secretary 
of Commerce has approved a new standard, which will be published as 
FIPS Publication 195, Federal Building Grounding and Bonding 
Requirements for Telecommunications.
    On December 6, 1994, notice was published in the Federal Register 
(59 FR 62712-62714) that a Federal Information processing Standard 
(FIPS) for Federal Building Grounding and Bonding Requirements for 
Telecommunications was being proposed for Federal use.
    NIST reviewed written comments submitted by interested parties and 
other available material. On the basis of this review, NIST recommended 
that the Secretary approve the standard as a Federal Information 
Processing Standard (FIPS), and prepared a detailed justification 
document for the Secretary's review in support of that recommendation.
    The detailed justification document which was presented to the 
Secretary, and which includes an analysis of the written comments 
received, is part of the public record and is available for inspection 
and copying in the Department's Central Reference and Records 
Inspection Facility, Room 6020, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th Street 
between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW, Washington, DC 
20230.
    This 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This standard becomes effective February 12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may purchase copies of this standard, 
including the technical specifications section, from the National 
Technical Information Service (NTIS). Specific ordering information 
from NTIS for this standard is set out in the Where to Obtain Copies 
Section of the announcement section of the standard.

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: August 8, 1995.
Samuel Kramer,
Associate Director.
Proposed Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 195 
(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 for 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 

[[Page 42145]]
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.
    d. Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) 
175, Federal Building Standard for Telecommunications Pathways and 
Spaces.
    e. Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) 
176, Residential and Light Commercial Telecommunications Wiring 
Standard.
    f. Federal Information Processing Standards Publication (FIPS PUB) 
187, Administrative Standard for the Telecommunications Infrastructure 
of Federal Buildings.
    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.
    This standard should be useful to anyone engaged in the design, 
maintenance, renovation, or retrofit or 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.

8. Applicability

    This standard shall be used by all departments and agencies of the 
Federal Government in the planning, design, and installation of 
telecommunications grounding systems in new Federal buildings. Use of 
this standard is recommended in the maintenance, renovation, or 
retrofit of telecommunications grounding systems in 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 
building 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 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 planning, design, and installation of 
telecommunications grounding systems within new Federal buildings, 
effective February 12, 1996.
    Use of the standard is recommended in the maintenance, renovation, 
or retrofit of the telecommunications grounding systems within existing 
buildings.

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; Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

[[Page 42146]]

    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 195 (FIPSPUB195), 
and the title. Payment may be made by check, money order, purchase 
order, credit card, or deposit account.

[FR Doc. 95-20171 Filed 8-14-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-CN-M