[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 158 (Monday, August 17, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 43890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-21908]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

48 CFR Part 246

[DFARS Case 97-D038]


Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Quality 
Assurance Among North Atlantic Treaty Organization Countries

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Director of Defense Procurement has issued a final rule 
amending the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 
to update guidance pertaining to mutual acceptance of government 
quality assurance among North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
countries.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 17, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Layser, Defense Acquisition 
Regulations Council, PDUSD (A&T) DP (DAR), IMD 3D139, 3062 Defense 
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3062. Telephone (703) 602-0131; telefax 
(703) 602-0350. Please cite DFARS Case 97-D038.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    This final rule amends DFARS 246.406 to update guidance pertaining 
to NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4107, Mutual Acceptance of 
Government Quality Assurance and Usage of the Allied Quality Assurance 
Publications, and to remove obsolete references to STANAG 4108, Allied 
Quality Assurance Publications.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The final rule does not constitute a significant revision within 
the meaning of FAR 1.501 and Public Law 98-577 and publication for 
public comment is not required. However, comments from small entities 
concerning the affected DFARS subpart will be considered in accordance 
with 5 U.S.C. 610. Such comments should cite DFARS Case 97-D038.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the final rule 
does not impose any information collection requirements that require 
the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 
3501, et seq.

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 246

    Government procurement.
Michele P. Peterson,
Executive Editor, Defense Acquisition Regulations Council.

    Therefore, 48 CFR part 246 is amended as follows:
    1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Part 246 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 41 U.S.C. 421 and 48 CFR Chapter 1.

PART 246--QUALITY ASSURANCE

    2. Section 246.406 is amended by revising paragraph (1); and in 
paragraph (3), in the parenthetical sentence, by removing ``225.74'' 
and inserting in its place ``225.78''. The revised text reads as 
follows:


246.406  Foreign governments.

    (1) Quality assurance among North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
(NATO) countries.
    (i) NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4107, Mutual Acceptance 
of Government Quality Assurance and Usage of the Allied Quality 
Assurance Publications--
    (A) Contains the processes, procedures, terms, and conditions under 
which one NATO member nation will perform quality assurance for another 
NATO member nation or NATO organization;
    (B) Standardizes the development, updating, and application of the 
Allied Quality Assurance Publications; and
    (C) Has been ratified by the United States and other nations in 
NATO with certain reservations identified in STANAG 4107.
    (ii) Departments and agencies shall follow STANAG 4107 when--
    (A) Asking a NATO member nation to perform quality assurance; or
    (B) Performing quality assurance when requested by a NATO member 
nation or NATO organization.
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[FR Doc. 98-21908 Filed 8-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M