[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 155 (Friday, August 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 41570]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20363]


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COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List; Additions

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely 
Disabled.

ACTION: Additions to the Procurement List.

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SUMMARY: This action adds to the Procurement List commodities to be 
furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who are blind or have 
other severe disabilities.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely 
Disabled, Crystal Square 3, Suite 403, 1735 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, Virginia 22202-3461.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Milkman (703) 603-7740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 29, 1996, the Committee for 
Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled published 
notice (61 F.R. 14088) of proposed addition to the Procurement List. 
Comments were received from the current contractor for the strap 
assembly. The contractor objected to use of sales figures from a 
financial reporting service for assessment of impact on the company of 
adding the assembly to the Procurement List, and provided its own sales 
data. The contractor also noted that it had acquired new sewing 
machines and hired extra people for the contract, and that it employs 
all types of people and does business with a local nonprofit agency for 
the blind. The contractor also claimed an excellent record of past 
performance on its Government contracts.
    The Committee used the sales figures provided by the contractor, 
adjusted to reflect estimated Government buys of the assembly in 1996, 
when it made its assessment of the impact on the contractor of adding 
the assembly to the Procurement List. The resulting percentage of the 
contractor's sales projected to be lost was very small, and 
considerably below that claimed by the contractor. Consequently, the 
Committee does not believe the addition will have a severe adverse 
impact on the contractor.
    The contractor has not provided information which would indicate 
that the sewing machines it acquired could not be used for other 
business. With respect to any new employees who would be discharged if 
the contract were lost, addition of the assembly to the Procurement 
List would create substantial employment for blind individuals, whose 
unemployment rate far exceeds that of individuals without severe 
disabilities. Consequently, the Committee believes that any job loss by 
the contractor's employees is outweighed by the creation of jobs for 
blind individuals.
    The local nonprofit agency for the blind informed the Committee 
that the contractor has given it very little business (none in the past 
two years) and none of this business has been on the strap assembly. 
The nonprofit agency does not believe this addition to the Procurement 
List will affect its business relationship with the contractor. The 
relationship thus is not a reason for the Committee to decline to 
create jobs for blind individuals at another nonprofit agency. After 
consideration of the material presented to it concerning capability of 
qualified nonprofit agencies to provide the commodities and impact of 
the addition on the current or most recent contractors, the Committee 
has determined that the commodities listed below are suitable for 
procurement by the Federal Government under 41 U.S.C. 46-48c and 41 CFR 
51-2.4.
    I certify that the following action will not have a significant 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The major factors 
considered for this certification were:
    1. The action will not result in any additional reporting, 
recordkeeping or other compliance requirements for small entities other 
than the small organizations that will furnish the commodities to the 
Government.
    2. The action will not have a severe economic impact on current 
contractors for the commodities.
    3. The action will result in authorizing small entities to furnish 
the commodities to the Government.
    4. There are no known regulatory alternatives which would 
accomplish the objectives of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46-
48c) in connection with the commodities proposed for addition to the 
Procurement List.
    Accordingly, the following commodities are hereby added to the 
Procurement List:

Strap, Shoring Assembly
5340-03-000-9382
5340-03-000-9383
5340-03-000-9384
5340-03-000-9385
    This action does not affect current contracts awarded prior to the 
effective date of this addition or options that may be exercised under 
those contracts.
Beverly L. Milkman,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 96-20363 Filed 8-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6353-01-P