[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 75 (Friday, April 18, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 19206]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10059]



  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 75 / Friday, April 18, 1997 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19206]]



DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[FAR Case 97-603]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled Empowerment 
Contracting

AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding a new OMB 
clearance.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 
Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) a request to review and approve a new information collection 
requirement concerning Empowerment Contracting (FAR Case 97-603).

DATES: Comment Due Date: June 17, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect 
of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing 
this burden, should be submitted to: FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102, 
NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, and a copy to the General Services 
Administration, FAR Secretariat, 1800 F Street, NW, Room 4037, 
Washington, DC 20405. Please cite FAR case 97-603, Empowerment 
Contracting, in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Moss, Office of Federal 
Acquisition Policy, GSA (202) 501-4764.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    In order to promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement, 
it is necessary to secure broad-based competition for Federal 
contracts. This broad competition is best achieved where there is an 
expansive pool of potential contractors capable of producing quality 
goods and services at competitive prices. A great and largely untapped 
opportunity for expanding the pool of such contractors can be found in 
economically distressed communities. Fostering growth of Federal 
contractors in economically distressed communities and ensuring that 
those contractors become viable businesses for the long term will 
promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement and help to 
empower those communities.
    This proposed rule implements Executive Order 13005, ``Empowerment 
Contracting,'' dated May 21, 1996. The Order establishes the 
Empowerment Contracting Program, which seeks to promote economy and 
efficiency in Federal procurement by expanding the pool of potential 
contractors from the Nation's economically distressed areas that are 
capable of providing supplies and services at competitive prices.
    This proposed rule establishes in the FAR Phase I of an Empowerment 
Contracting Program to assist businesses located in areas of general 
and severe economic distress by providing for price and non-price 
evaluation adjustments for qualified firms. Phase I is limited to 
specified standard industrial classification major groups.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average 0.96 hours per response, including the time for 
reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 
maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
collection of information.
    The annual reporting burden is estimated as follows: Respondents 
6,648; responses per respondent, 1; total annual responses, 6,648; 
preparation hours per response, 1.93; and total response burden hours, 
12,852.

Obtaining Copies of Justifications

    Requester may obtain a copy of the justification from the General 
Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (MVRS), Room 4037, 1800 F 
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20405, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite 
FAR case 97-603, Empowerment Contracting, in all correspondence.

    Dated: April 14, 1997.
Sharon A. Kiser,
FAR Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 97-10059 Filed 4-17-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P