[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 211 (Wednesday, October 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 55950]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27821]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 211 / Wednesday, October 30, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 55950]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Procurement and Property Management


Proposed Collection; Comment Request Concerning Procurement: 
Preparation of Technical and Business Proposals

AGENCY: Procurement and Property Management, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments regarding a proposed revision 
to and extension of an approved information collection requirement.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), Procurement and Property Management (PPM) intends 
to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to 
review and approve an extension of a currently approved information 
collection related to performance under contracts for research, 
development, or advisory and assistance services. PPM invites comment 
on this information collection. This information requirement is 
currently approved by OMB for use through November 30, 1996. PPM 
proposes that OMB extend its approval for use through November 30, 
1999.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by December 30, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to: Joseph J. Daragan, Procurement Analyst, 
Procurement and Property Management, STOP 9303, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9303. 
Comments may also be submitted via fax at (202) 720-8972, or through 
the Internet at [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph J. Daragan, Procurement and 
Property Management, STOP 9303, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9303, (202) 720-5729.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Title: Procurement: Preparation of Technical and Business 
Proposals.
    Background: The Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) currently 
prescribes a solicitation provision standardizing the arrangement and 
format of technical and business proposals that are submitted by 
offerors who elect to respond to the agency's request for proposals. 
Information collection pursuant to this provision has been approved by 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB Control 
Number 0505-0013. The AGAR also prescribes a solicitation provision for 
collection of financial and organizational information. Information 
collection pursuant to this provision has also been approved by OMB and 
assigned OMB Control Number 0505-0010. These provisions have been 
consolidated and streamlined in the proposed revision to the AGAR. To 
reflect this consolidation, USDA wishes to combine both information 
collection requests into a single request for approval and extension of 
an information collection. As revised, the request would cover 
collection of all cost, technical, and business information needed by 
USDA contracting offices to evaluate offers, to the extent collection 
of such information is not required by the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation.
    OMB Number: 0505-0013. The proposed revision would incorporate an 
information collection approved as OMB Number 0505-0010 into this 
collection.
    Expiration Date: Both OMB Number 0505-0010 and OMB Number 0505-0013 
expire on 11/30/96.
    Type of request: Revision to, and extension of, a currently 
approved collection.
    Proposed use of information: Technical and business proposals 
received from offerors, including information about offerors' 
organization and financial systems, are used when conducting negotiated 
procurement to evaluate and determine the feasibility of the 
prospective contractor's technical approach, management, and cost/price 
to accomplish the task and/or provide the supplies or services required 
under a resultant contract.
    Respondents: State or local governments; businesses or other for-
profit; small businesses or organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,200.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One (1).
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden to prepare technical 
and business proposals as part of a response to a solicitation is 
estimated to average 35 hours per response. This estimate does not 
include burden associated with providing information required in 
accordance with information collections prescribed by the Federal 
Acquisition Regulation. Only businesses submitting offers in response 
to a solicitation are affected by this collection.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 112,000 hours.
    Comments received will be considered in order to: (a) evaluate 
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the 
proper performance of the functions of USDA contracting offices, 
including whether the information will have a practical utility; (b) 
evaluate the accuracy of PPM's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) enhance the quality, utility and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who respond, including through the 
use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology. All responses to this notice will be summarized and 
included in the request for OMB approval, and will become a matter of 
public record.
W. R. Ashworth,
Director, Procurement and Property Management.
[FR Doc. 96-27821 Filed 10-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-98-P