[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 232 (Friday, December 1, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75288-75289]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-30676]


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GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE


Commercial Activities Panel

AGENCY: General Accounting Office.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Under section 832 of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2001, the Comptroller General is required to convene a 
panel of experts to study the transfer of commercial activities 
currently performed by government employees to federal contractors, a 
procedure commonly known as ``contracting out'' or ``outsourcing.'' To 
ensure a broad array of views on the panel, this notice seeks 
suggestions on the panel's composition. The panel must include 
representatives from the Department of Defense, private industry, 
federal labor

[[Page 75289]]

organizations, and the Office of Management and Budget, although other 
representatives or individuals may be selected as well. All interested 
parties, including federal government agencies, federal employees or 
their representatives, contractors, industry groups, labor unions, and 
individuals are encouraged to submit suggestions on the composition of 
the panel. The Comptroller General will consider all submissions prior 
to appointing the panel. The formation of the panel will be announced 
in a subsequent Federal Register notice early in 2001. The 
authorization act requires the Comptroller General to submit the report 
of the panel on the results of the study to Congress by May 1, 2002.

DATES: Submit comments and submissions on or before January 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments and submissions to the General Accounting 
Office, Office of General Counsel, Room 7476, 441 G St. NW., 
Washington, DC 20548, Attention: William T. Woods. Submit electronic 
comments via e-mail to: [email protected]. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
for other information about electronic filing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William T. Woods, Project Director, 
(202) 512-8214; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 832 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001, Public Law 106-398, October 30, 
2000, directs the Comptroller General of the United States to convene a 
panel of experts to study the policies and procedures governing the 
transfer of commercial activities for the federal government from 
government personnel to a federal contractor. The panel's study is to 
include a review of (1) procedures for determining whether functions 
should continue to be performed by government personnel, (2) procedures 
for comparing the costs of performing functions by government personnel 
with the costs of performing those functions by federal contractors, 
(3) implementation by the Department of Defense of the Federal 
Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-270, 112 Stat. 
2382, 31 U.S.C. 501 note), and (4) procedures of the Department of 
Defense for public-private competitions under Office of Management and 
Budget Circular A-76. By May 1, 2002, the Comptroller General must 
submit to Congress a report of the panel on the results of the study, 
including recommended changes with regard to implementing policies and 
enactment of legislation.
    The Act requires the Comptroller General or a person within GAO 
designated by him to serve as the panel's chairman. The Comptroller 
General must appoint highly qualified and knowledgeable persons to 
serve on the panel and must ensure that the following entities receive 
fair representation on the panel: (1) The Department of Defense, (2) 
persons in private industry, (3) federal labor organizations, and (4) 
the Office of Management and Budget.
    The GAO is in the initial stages of forming a panel to conduct this 
study. To ensure the entities specified in the Act and others receive 
fair representation on the panel, the GAO seeks public input on the 
panel's composition. The GAO invites interested parties to submit 
suggestions on who should serve on the panel, specific agencies and 
organizations that should be represented, and the qualifications of 
panel members. Nominations of particular individuals who should be 
considered for the panel also may be submitted. Please include the name 
and phone number of the person to be contacted for clarification or 
additional information. GAO anticipates that the panel, once formed, 
will solicit substantive comments on the issues to be reviewed through 
public hearings or other means. Therefore, substantive comments on the 
issues to be addressed are not solicited at this time.

Electronic Access and Filing

    This notice is available on GAO's website at http://www.gao.gov 
under ``Commercial Activities Panel.'' Comments and suggestions on the 
panel's composition may be submitted by sending e-mail to: 
[email protected].

    Dated: November 27, 2000.
Jack L. Brock, Jr.,
Managing Director, Acquisition and Sourcing Management, General 
Accounting Office.
[FR Doc. 00-30676 Filed 11-30-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1610-02-P