[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 105 (Tuesday, June 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29976-29977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-14458]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0023]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled Balance of Payments 
Program Certificate

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

ACTION: Notice of request for comments regarding an extension to an 
existing OMB clearance (9000-0023).

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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

[[Page 29977]]

an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement 
concerning Balance of Payments Program Certificate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Linfield, Office of Federal 
Acquisition Policy, GSA (202) 501-1757.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other 
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for 
reducing this burden, to: FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102, NEOB, 
Washington, DC 20503, and a copy to the General Services 
Administration, FAR Secretariat (MVRS), 1800 F Street, NW, Room 4037, 
Washington, DC 20405.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    Under the Balance of Payments Program, unless specifically exempted 
by statute or regulation, the Government gives preferences to the 
acquisition of domestic end products or services, provided that the 
cost of the domestic items is reasonable. The Balance of Payments 
Program differs from the Buy American Act in that it applies to 
acquisitions for use outside the United States.
    The contracting officer uses the information to identify which end 
products or services are domestic, and which are of foreign origin. In 
order to be considered domestic, the cost of its components mined, 
produced, or manufactured in the United States must exceed 50 percent 
of the cost of all its components. Services are considered domestic if 
25 percent or less of their total cost are attributable to performance 
occurring outside the United States. The contracting officer determines 
reasonableness of cost by applying an evaluation factor of 50 percent. 
If this procedure results in a tie, the domestic offer shall be 
considered successful.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average .167 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, 
1,243; responses per respondent, 5; total annual responses, 6,215; 
preparation hours per response, .167; and total response burden hours, 
1,038.
    Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requester may obtain a copy of the 
justification from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat 
(MVRS), 1800 F Street, NW, Room 4037, Washington, DC 20405, telephone 
(202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0023, Balance of 
Payments Program Certificate, in all correspondence.

    Dated: May 21, 1998.
Sharon A. Kiser,
FAR Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 98-14458 Filed 6-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-34-U