[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 48 (Wednesday, March 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11833-11835]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5480]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPPT-2002-0022; FRL-7292-9]


Access to Confidential Business Information by Centerscope 
Technologies and Titan Systems Corporation

AGENCY:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:  Notice.

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SUMMARY:  The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of several 
corporate mergers/acquisitions involving contractors cleared for Toxic 
Substances Control Act Confidential Business Information (CBI) access.

[[Page 11834]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Barbara A. Cunningham, Acting 
Director, Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of 
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 
554-1404; e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Notice Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general. This action may, 
however, be of interest to those persons who are or may be required to 
conduct testing of chemical substances under the Toxic Substances 
Control Act (TSCA). Since other entities may also be interested, the 
Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may 
be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the 
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?

    1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this 
action under docket identification (ID) number OPPT-2002-0022. The 
official public docket consists of the documents specifically 
referenced in this action, any public comments received, and other 
information related to this action. Although a part of the official 
docket, the public docket does not include CBI or other information 
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official public docket 
is the collection of materials that is available for public viewing at 
the EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading Room, EPA West, 1301 
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center is open 
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading Room telephone number is (202) 
566-1744 and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket, which is located 
in EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-0280.
    2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document 
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register'' 
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
    An electronic version of the public docket is available through 
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may 
use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public 
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official 
public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that 
are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be 
available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly 
available docket materials through the docket facility identified in 
Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the 
appropriate docket ID number.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

     Under contract number 68-W-98-232, Centerscope Technologies, of 
8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD, will assist the 
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) in processing 12(b) 
export notices submitted under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA CBI 
and to issue notification letters to foreign governments.
    Under contract number 68-W-98-045, TSC, of 3033 Science Park Road, 
San Diego, CA is assisting the OPPT in conducting a system analysis and 
provide data base maintenance support to the Confidential Business 
Information Center (CBIC) document tracking system.
     In accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(j), EPA has determined that under 
EPA contract number 68-W-98-232, Centerscope Technologies requires 
access to CBI submitted to EPA under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of 
TSCA, to perform successfully the duties specified under the contract. 
Also, in accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(j), EPA has determined that under 
EPA contract number 68-W-98-045, TSC requires access to CBI submitted 
to EPA under all sections of TSCA, to perform successfully the duties 
specified under the contract.
     Centerscope Technologies personnel have been given access to 
information submitted to EPA under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA. 
Some of the information may be claimed or determined to be CBI. TSC 
personnel were given access to information submitted to EPA under all 
sections of TSCA. Some of the information has been claimed or 
determined to be CBI.
     EPA is issuing this notice to inform all submitters of information 
under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA, that the Agency is providing 
Centerscope Technologies access to these CBI materials on a need-to-
know basis only. EPA is also issuing a notice to inform all submitters 
of information under all sections of TSCA, that the Agency provides TSC 
with access to these CBI materials on a need-to-know basis only. All 
access to TSCA CBI under these contracts is taking place at EPA 
Headquarters.
    Centerscope Technologies and TSC are required to adhere to all 
provisions of the EPA's TSCA Confidential Business Information Security 
Manual.
     Clearance for Centerscope Technologies and TSC to have access to 
TSCA CBI under these contracts may continue until March 31, 2003, and 
January 31, 2003, respectively.
    Centerscope Technologies and TSC personnel are required to sign 
nondisclosure agreements and are briefed on appropriate security 
procedures before they are permitted to have access to TSCA CBI.
    The remainder of this unit discusses the mergers/acquisitions.
    1. EPA's contractor, Optimus Corporation (Optimus), in a contract 
first awarded in 1998, operates the TSCA Hotline and processes export 
notices under section 12(b) of the statute. Garcia Consulting 
Incorporated (GCI) was the original subcontractor for the 12(b) 
function. Both entities and their employees were duly cleared for TSCA 
CBI.
    On January 3, 2000, Stanley Associates, Inc. (Stanley), of 
Alexandria, VA, acquired GCI as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company 
became GCI/Stanley.
    On March 31, 2002, the contract between Optimus (the prime) and 
GCI/Stanley (the subcontractor) expired. On April 1, 2002, Optimus 
contracted with Centerscope Technologies (Centerscope), a corporation 
which shares ownership and management with Optimus, to perform the same 
functions as GCI/Stanley.
    Centerscope was granted access to TSCA CBI through the grant of a 
waiver dated July 3, 2002. This waiver was necessary to allow 
Centerscope Technologies to assist OPPT in processing 12(b) export 
notices submitted under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA and to 
issue notification letters to foreign governments.
    2. EPA's contractor, Titan Systems Corporation (TSC), of San Diego, 
CA, operates the TSCA Confidential Business Information Center at EPA 
Headquarters in Washington, DC. The contract for performing this 
function was first awarded to Computer Based Systems, Inc. (CBSI), of 
Fairfax, VA, on March 17, 1998. At the time of award, CBSI was a wholly 
owned subsidiary of AverStar, Inc. (AverStar). On June 26, 2000, Titan 
Systems, Inc. (Titan) acquired AverStar. On October 4, 2000, CBSI 
changed its corporate identity to reflect the new ownership--becoming 
``Titan Systems Corporation--CBSI Division.''
    TSC was granted access to CBI under all sections of TSCA through 
the grant

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of a waiver dated March 26, 1998. This waiver was necessary to allow 
TSC to assist OPPT in conducting a system analysis and to provide data 
base maintenance support to the CBIC document tracking system.
    At all times during each of these corporate acquisitions or mergers 
described above, all contractor and subcontractor employees were 
trained and cleared for access to TSCA CBI. In addition, all employees 
had signed and remained subject to the standard non-disclosure 
agreements required of all such persons working with TSCA CBI.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, Confidential business information.

    Dated: February 27, 2003.
Allan S. Abramson,
Director, Information Management Division, Office of Pollution 
Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 03-5480 Filed 3-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S