[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]
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