[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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