[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 33 (Friday, February 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 8290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4185]


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COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR SEVERELY DISABLED


Procurement List Additions

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely 
Disabled.

ACTION: Additions to the Procurement List.

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SUMMARY: This action adds to the Procurement List commodities and 
services to be furnished by nonprofit agencies employing persons who 
are blind or have other severe disabilities.

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely 
Disabled, Crystal Gateway 3, Suite 310, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, Virginia 22202-4302.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Milkman (703) 603-7740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 23, and November 16, 1998 and 
January 4, 1999, the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind 
or Severely Disabled published notices (63 F.R. 56906, 63670 and 64 
F.R. 76) of proposed additions to the Procurement List.
    The following comments pertain to Laundry Service, Fleet and 
Industrial Supply Center, Norfolk, New England Regional Requirements 
for the following locations: New London Naval Submarine Base, 
Connecticut; Newport Naval Education and Training Center, Rhode Island; 
and Winter Harbor Naval Security Group, Maine.
    Comments were received from two of the three current contractors 
for the service and from the Congressional representatives of these two 
contractors. Both contractors objected to the possibility of losing 
their contracts, which they noted are an important part of their sales 
and a dependable source of revenue, in one case for almost nine years. 
The other contractor noted that its president has a disability, and the 
other indicated that some of its employees have disabilities. The 
latter contractor indicated that losing this contract would require it 
to terminate a number of its employees. The two Members of Congress 
seconded the comments made by their respective constituents.
    The Committee understands the concerns of the commenting 
contractors, but is also aware that it has a statutory mission to 
create jobs for people with severe disabilities. Such individuals have 
an unemployment rate well in excess of other groups, such as the 
contractor employees who may be displaced by the Committee's action, 
but can more easily find replacement employment than the people with 
disabilities which the Committee's action will employ. The percentage 
of sales which each contractor would lose is below the level which the 
Committee normally considers to be severe adverse impact, even taking 
into account the number of years the firms have been performing the 
laundry services.
    With respect to one contractor's statement that his firm employs 
persons with disabilities, the Committee noted that those individuals 
do not meet the statutory definition of severe disabilities (other than 
blindness) used by the Committee. Under that definition, a person must 
not only have a disability, but be currently incapable of competitive 
employment as a result of the disability. Thus, the employees with 
disabilities whom the contractors mentioned are, like their fellow 
workers without disabilities, in a better position to find other 
employment than the individuals with severe disabilities who will 
benefit from the Committee's action. Accordingly, the Committee has 
concluded that the addition of this service to the Procurement List is 
not likely to have a severe adverse impact on the contractors or their 
employees.
    After consideration of the material presented to it concerning 
capability of qualified nonprofit agencies to provide the commodities 
and services and impact of the additions on the current or most recent 
contractors, the Committee has determined that the commodities and 
services listed below are suitable for procurement by the Federal 
Government under 41 U.S.C. 46-48c and 41 CFR 51-2.4.
    I certify that the following action will not have a significant 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. The major factors 
considered for this certification were:
    1. The action will not result in any additional reporting, 
recordkeeping or other compliance requirements for small entities other 
than the small organizations that will furnish the commodities and 
services to the Government.
    2. The action will not have a severe economic impact on current 
contractors for the commodities and services.
    3. The action will result in authorizing small entities to furnish 
the commodities and services to the Government.
    4. There are no known regulatory alternatives which would 
accomplish the objectives of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46-
48c) in connection with the commodities and services proposed for 
addition to the Procurement List.
    Accordingly, the following commodities and services are hereby 
added to the Procurement List:

Commodities

Odor Barrier Waste Storage Container
    7240-00-NIB-0001
    7240-00-NIB-0002

Services

Laundry Service, Fleet and Industrial Supply Center, Norfolk

    New England Regional Requirements for the following locations:

New London Naval Submarine Base, Connecticut
Newport Naval Education and Training Center, Rhode Island
Winter Harbor Naval Security Group Activity, Maine

Mail and Messenger Service, US Army Test and Evaluation Command, 
Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland

    This action does not affect current contracts awarded prior to 
the effective date of this addition or options that may be exercised 
under those contracts.
Beverly L. Milkman,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 99-4185 Filed 2-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6353-01-P