[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 116 (Thursday, June 17, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32749-32750]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15153]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Chapter 1


Federal Acquisition Regulation; Small Entity Compliance Guide

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

ACTION: Small Entity Compliance Guide.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document is issued under the joint authority of the 
Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services and the 
Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
This Small Entity Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with 
Section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act 
of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-121). It consists of a summary of rules appearing 
in Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 97-12 which amend the FAR. The 
rule marked with an asterisk (*) indicates that a regulatory 
flexibility analysis has been prepared in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 604. 
Interested parties may obtain further information regarding these rules 
by referring to FAC 97-12 which precedes this document. These documents 
are also available via the Internet at http://www.arnet.gov/far.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laurie Duarte, FAR Secretariat, (202) 
501-4225.

                                           List of Rules in FAC 97-12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Item                                  Subject                  FAR case           Analyst
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I...................................  Taxpayer Identification Numbers.......      97-003  Olson.
II..................................  * Use of Brand Name Item Descriptions.      96-018  Moss.
III.................................  SBA's 8(a) Business Development             98-011  Moss.
                                       Program (Interim).
IV..................................  Competition Under Multiple Award Task       98-007  DeStefano.
                                       and Delivery Order Contracts.
V...................................  Application of the Brooks Act.........      98-023  O'Neill

[[Page 32750]]

 
VI..................................  Restrictions on the Acquisition of          98-306  Nelson.
                                       Information Technology.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Item I--Taxpayer Identification Numbers (FAR Case 97-003)

    The interim rule published as Item I of the FAC 97-09 is converted 
to a final rule without change. The rule amends FAR Parts 1, 4, 13, 14, 
15, and 52 to implement Subsection (i) of the Debt Collection 
Improvement Act of 1996 and Section 1022 of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 
1997; and to clarify the Government requirements for reporting contract 
and payment information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Item II--Use of Brand Name Item Descriptions (FAR Case 96-018)

    This final rule amends FAR Parts 11, 37, and 52 to clarify guidance 
for the use of brand name purchase descriptions.

Item III--SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program (FAR Case 98-011)

    This interim rule amends FAR Parts 12, 19, and 52 to implement 
changes made in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business 
Development (8(a)BD) Program regulation contained in 13 CFR parts 121, 
124, and 134 regarding the eligibility procedures for admission to the 
8(a)BD and contractual assistance programs.

Item IV--Competition Under Multiple Award Task and Delivery Order 
Contracts (FAR Case 98-007)

    This final rule amends the procedures for placing orders under 
multiple award contracts at FAR 16.505(b). The amendment emphasizes 
that agencies shall use only fair methods when placing orders. For 
example, the contracting officer shall not employ allocation or 
designation of any preferred awardee(s) that would result in less than 
fair consideration being given to all awardees prior to placing each 
order.

Item V--Application of the Brooks Act (FAR Case 98-023)

    This final rule amends FAR Part 36 to remove the reference to the 
National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) at FAR 36.601-4(a)(4).

Item VI--Restrictions on the Acquisition of Information Technology 
(FAR Case 98-306)

    This final rule revises FAR 39.101 to implement Division A, Section 
101(h), Title VI, Section 622 of the Omnibus Appropriations and 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999. Section 622 provides that no 
appropriated funds may be used to acquire information technology that 
does not comply with FAR 39.106, unless the agency's Chief Information 
Officer (CIO) determines that noncompliance with 39.106 is necessary to 
the function and operation of the agency or the acquisition is required 
by a contract in effect before October 21, 1998.

    Dated: June 9, 1999.
Edward C. Loeb,
Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.
[FR Doc. 99-15153 Filed 6-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P