[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 76 (Monday, April 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19312-19313]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-10193]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 9000-0113]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled Acquisition of 
Helium

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

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding an extension to 
an existing OMB clearance (9000-0113).

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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 an extension of a currently 
approved information collection requirement concerning Acquisition of 
Helium.

DATES: Comment Due Date: June 20, 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 Streets, NW., Room 4037, 
Washington, DC 20405. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0113 in all 
correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Klein, Office of Federal 
Acquisition Policy, GSA (202) 501-3755.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    The Helium Act (Pub. L. 86-777) (50 U.S.C. 167a, et seq.) and the 
Department of the Interior's implementing regulations (30 CFR Parts 601 
and 602) require Federal agencies to procure all major helium 
requirements from the Bureau of Land Management, Department of the 
Interior.
    It has been the Department of the Interior's policy, consistent 
with Congressional intent that Government helium be used in Government 
contracts, and that all Government contracts involving the use of 
significant amounts of helium require that Government helium be used in 
performing the contract. The appropriate vehicle for the establishment 
of requirements pertaining to Government procurement is the Federal 
Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
    Current FAR coverage on the subject references 30 CFR Parts 601 and 
602. These are Department of the Interior regulations dealing with 
helium sales and helium distribution. However, the FAR contains no 
substantive guidance on procurement of helium and does not require 
submission of information that will permit the Bureau of Mines to 
ascertain whether Federal agencies are using Government helium and are 
requiring in their contracts that Government helium be used in 
contracted-for work.
    The new FAR coverage provides an appropriate level of guidance on 
the subject, including a requirement that offerors responding to 
contract solicitations provide information as to their forecast of 
helium required for performance of the contract.
    Such information will facilitate enforcement of the requirements of 
the Helium Act and the contractual provisions requiring the use of 
Government helium by agency contractors, in that it will permit 
corrective action to be taken if the Bureau of Land Management, after 
comparing helium sales data against helium requirement forecasts, 
discovers apparent serious discrepancies.
    The information is used in administration of certain Federal 
contracts to ensure contractor compliance with contract clauses. 
Without the information, the required use of Government helium cannot 
be monitored and enforced effectively.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average .5 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: 
50; responses per respondent: 1; total annual responses: 50; 
preparation hours per response: 5; and total response burden hours: 25.

C. Annual Recordkeeping Burden

    The annual recordkeeping burden is estimated as follows: 
Recordkeepers: 50; hours per recordkeeper: .5; and total recordkeeping 
burden hours: 25.

[[Page 19313]]

Obtaining Copies of Proposals

    Requester may obtain a copy of the justification from the General 
Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (VRS), Room 4037, 1800 F 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please 
cite OMB Control No. 9000-0113, Acquisition of Helium, in all 
correspondence.

    Dated: April 15, 1997.
Sharon A. Kiser,
FAR Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 97-10193 Filed 4-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-34-P