[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 52 (Friday, March 15, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 10734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6196]



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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Proposed Collection of Information; Comment Request--Procurement 
of Goods and Services

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 
35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission requests comments on a 
proposed extension of approval of a collection of information 
associated with the procurement of goods and services. Forms used by 
the Commission for procurement of goods and services request persons 
who quote, propose, or bid on contracts to provide information needed 
to evaluate quotes, proposals, and bids in accordance with applicable 
laws and regulations.
    The Commission will consider all comments received in response to 
this notice before requesting reinstatement of approval of this 
collection of information from the Office of Management and Budget.

DATES: Written comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary 
not later than May 14, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be captioned ``Procurement of Goods 
and Services; Paperwork Reduction Act'' and mailed to the Office of the 
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC 20207, or 
delivered to that office, room 502, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, 
Maryland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about the proposed 
reinstatement of approval of the collection of information, or to 
obtain a copy of the forms used by the Commission for procurement of 
goods and services, call or write Nicholas V. Marchica, Director, 
Office of Planning and Evaluation, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 
Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-0416, extension 2243.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission's procurement of goods and 
services is governed by the Federal Property and Administrative 
Services Act of 1949, as amended (41 U.S.C. 253 et seq.). That law 
requires the Commission to procure goods and services under conditions 
most advantageous to the government, considering cost and other 
factors.

A. Information Required by Procurement Forms

    The Commission requires persons and firms to submit quotations, 
proposals, and bids for contracts to provide goods and services on 
standardized forms. These forms request information from offerors about 
costs or prices of goods and services to be supplied; specifications of 
goods and descriptions of services to be delivered; competence of the 
offeror to provide the goods or services; and other information about 
the offeror such as the size of the firm and whether it is minority 
owned. The Commission uses the information provided by offerors to 
determine the reasonableness of prices and costs and the responsiveness 
of potential contractors to undertake the work involved so that all 
bids may be awarded in accordance with Federal procurement laws.
    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the collection 
of information requirements in the procurement forms used by the 
Commission under control number 3041-0059. OMB's most recent extension 
of approval will expire on May 31, 1996. The CPSC now proposes to 
request extension of approval without change for the information 
collection requirements in the forms used for procurement of goods and 
services.

B. Information Collection Burden

    The Commission staff estimates that each year about 2,500 persons 
and firms submit quotations, proposals, and bids on one or more 
procurement contracts with the agency. The Commission staff estimates 
further that, on average, the burden imposed by the regulations on each 
of these persons or firms in a given year is approximately 3 hours. 
Thus, the total annual burden imposed by the request for information in 
the Commission's procurement forms on all bidders is about 7,500 hours 
per year.
    The Commission staff estimates that the hourly wage for the time 
required to obtain and provide the information required by procurement 
forms is about $35 per hour, and that the annual total cost to all 
offerors is approximately $262,500.
    During a typical year, the Commission will expend approximately 161 
months of professional staff time reviewing the information required to 
be submitted on procurement forms. The annual cost to the Federal 
Government of the collection of information in the procurement forms is 
estimated to be $230,000.

C. Request for Comments

    The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
persons about the proposed extension of approval of the collection of 
information in forms used for the procurement of goods and services. 
The Commission specifically solicits information about the hourly 
burden and monetary costs imposed by the collection of information on 
persons and firms who quote, propose, and bid for contracts with the 
Commission. The Commission also seeks information relevant to the 
following topics:
     Whether the collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the Commission's functions;
     Whether the information will have practical utility for 
the Commission;
     Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected could be enhanced; and
     Whether the burden imposed by the collection of 
information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic or other 
technological collection techniques, or other forms of information 
technology.

    Dated: March 11, 1996.
Sadye E. Dunn,
 Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 96-6196 Filed 3-14-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P