[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 188 (Monday, September 29, 2003)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 56112-56113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24339]



[[Page 56111]]

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Part IV





General Services Administration





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41 CFR Part 102-192



Federal Management Regulation; Mail Management; Interim Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 188 / Monday, September 29, 2003 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 56112]]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

41 CFR Part 102-192

[FMR Amendment 2003-2; FMR Case 2003-102-1]
RIN 3090-AH13


Federal Management Regulation; Mail Management

AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Interim rule.

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SUMMARY: The General Services Administration is amending the Federal 
Management Regulation (FMR) to extend the deadline for agencies to 
convert to commercial payment to the United States Postal Service 
instead of the Official Mail Accounting System (OMAS). This requires 
amending the interim rule published in the Federal Register June 6, 
2002, to reflect the extension of the deadline from October 1, 2003, to 
December 31, 2003. The FMR and corresponding documents are available 
via the Internet at http://www.gsa.gov.

DATES: Effective Date: September 29, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should submit comments in writing on or 
before November 28, 2003 to be considered in the formulation of a final 
rule.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to--General Services Administration, 
Regulatory Secretariat (MVA), 1800 F Street, NW., Room 4035, ATTN: 
Laurie Duarte, Washington, DC 20405.
    Submit electronic comments via the Internet to--fmrcase.2003-102-
[email protected].
    Please submit comments only and cite FMR Amendment 2003-2, FMR case 
2003-102-1 in all correspondence related to this case.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Regulatory Secretariat, at (202) 
208-7312, for information pertaining to status or publication 
schedules. For clarification of content, contact Mr. Henry Maury, 
Office of Governmentwide Policy, Mail Communications Policy Division 
(MTM), at (202) 208-7928. Please cite FMR Amendment 2003-2, FMR case 
2003-102-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The General Services Administration (GSA) issued the Federal Mail 
Regulation (FMR) Interim Rule (41 CFR parts 101-9 and 102-192) in the 
Federal Register at 67 FR 38896, June 6, 2002. The Interim Rule states 
that ``Beginning October 1, 2003, all payments to the United States 
Postal Service must be made using commercial payment processes, not 
OMAS'' (the Official Mail Accounting System). This approach has been 
used successfully by the Department of Defense to make program managers 
accountable for mail expenditures within the Department and has 
resulted in dramatic reductions in postage costs. GSA believed 
requiring this same approach in the Interim Rule would lead to similar 
benefits among the civilian agencies.
    Shortly after we issued the Interim Rule, the Treasury Department 
asked GSA to reconsider its position on this policy. Treasury pointed 
out that commercial postage payment mechanisms use arrangements with 
commercial banks to replenish the postage balances maintained in the 
postage meters that agencies would be using. Because of the commercial 
fees involved as well as the negative impact on the overall Federal 
cash management position, Treasury asked GSA to work with the Postal 
Service to find a way to keep the money inside the Treasury; that is, 
to have the agencies continue making payments through the Interagency 
Payment and Collection System (IPAC), which is how OMAS payments are 
made today. We assembled an interagency team and worked for a full year 
on different approaches to accomplish this. The team concluded that in 
order to satisfy Treasury's request and keep most of the money inside 
the Government, a small number of high-volume, centrally managed 
Federal mail programs will have to continue to use the OMAS/IPAC 
process for the foreseeable future.
    However, we are still committed to implementing a more accountable 
system for making postage payments throughout the Federal government 
and believe that commercial postage payment processes provide the 
quickest and simplest way of doing this. Since the negotiation process 
with the Treasury, the Postal Service, and GSA has taken so long, we 
are extending the deadline for converting to commercial postage payment 
processes to December 31, 2003.
    Any agency planning to continue using the OMAS/IPAC system beyond 
December 31, 2003 will have to request a deviation. This requirement 
applies to agencies planning to use OMAS/IPAC indefinitely and agencies 
planning to convert to commercial payments after December 31, 2003.
    All deviation requests will be required to include a discussion of 
how the agency has implemented, or plans to implement, an accountable 
system for making postage payments. Deviation requests that do not 
address the agency's intentions to install such an accountable system 
will not be approved. Detailed information on the expected nature and 
level of detail of such discussions will be included in the guidance on 
preparing deviation requests. This guidance will be issued by e-mail 
and Internet publication. The Web site is http://www.gsa.gov/mailpolicy.

B. Executive Order 12866

    The General Services Administration (GSA) has determined that this 
final rule is not a significant regulatory action for the purposes of 
Executive Order 12866.

C. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule is not required to be published in the Federal 
Register for comment. Therefore, the Regulatory Flexibility Act does 
not apply.

D. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
the FMR do not impose information collection requirements that require 
the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 
3501, et seq.

E. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This final rule is exempt from Congressional review under 5 U.S.C. 
801 since it relates solely to agency management and personnel.

List of Subjects in 41 CFR Part 102-192

    Government contracts, Intergovernmental relations, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Security measures.

    Dated: September 18, 2003.
Stephen A. Perry,
Administrator of General Services.

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For the reasons set forth in the preamble, GSA amends 41 CFR part 102-
192 as set forth below:

PART 102-192--MAIL MANAGEMENT

0
1. The authority citation for 41 CFR part 102-192 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: Sec. 2, Pub. L. 94-575, as amended, 44 U.S.C. 2904, 
40 U.S.C. 121(c).

[[Page 56113]]

Sec.  102-192.50  [Amended]

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2. Amend Sec. 102-192.50 in paragraph (c) by removing ``October 1, 
2003'' and adding ``December 31, 2003'' in its place.

[FR Doc. 03-24339 Filed 9-26-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-14-P