[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71623-71624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34368]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0041]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled Technical Proposal-
Two-Step Sealed Bidding

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.

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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 Technical 
Proposal-Two-Step Sealed Bidding. The clearance currently expires on 
April 30,1999.

DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before March 1, 1999.

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 (MVRS), 1800 F Street,

[[Page 71624]]

NW, Room 4035, Washington, DC 20405. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-
0041, Technical Proposal-Two-Step Sealed Bidding, in all 
correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ralph DeStefano, Federal Acquisition 
Policy Division, GSA (202) 501-1758.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    Two-step sealed bidding is a method of contracting designed to 
obtain the benefits of sealed bidding when adequate specifications are 
not available. An objective is to permit the development of a 
sufficiently descriptive and not unduly restrictive statement of the 
Government's requirements, including an adequate technical data 
package, so that subsequent acquisitions may be made by conventional 
sealed bidding. This method is especially useful in acquisitions 
requiring technical proposals, particularly those for complex items. It 
is conducted in two steps:
    (a) Step 1 consists of the request for, submission, evaluation, and 
(if necessary) discussion of a technical proposal. No pricing is 
involved. The objective is to determine the acceptability of the 
supplies or services offered. As used in this context, the word 
``technical'' has a broad connotation and includes, among other things, 
the engineering approach, special manufacturing processes, and special 
testing techniques. It is the proper step for clarification of 
questions relating to technical requirements.
    (b) Step 2 involves the submission of sealed price bids by those 
who submitted acceptable technical proposals in step 1.
    The requested information is needed, in the absence of adequate 
specifications, to develop a sufficiently descriptive and not unduly 
restrictive statement of the Government's requirements and to determine 
the acceptability of proposals received. The contracting officer 
evaluates the acceptability of the information received, based on the 
criteria in the request for proposals.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average 8 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, 
3,225; responses per respondent, 1; total annual responses, 3,225; 
preparation hours per response, 8; and total response burden hours, 
25,800.

OBTAINING COPIES OF PROPOSALS: Requester may obtain a copy of the 
justification from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat 
(MVRS), Room 4035, 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20405, telephone 
(202) 208-7312. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0041, Technical 
Proposal-Two-Step Sealed Bidding, in all correspondence.

    Dated: December 22, 1998.
Victoria E. Moss,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 98-34368 Filed 12-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-34-U