[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 221 (Monday, November 17, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 64847-64849]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28551]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Parts 1801, 1803 Through 1809, 1811, and 1812

RIN 2700-AC65


Re-Issuance of NASA FAR Regulations Consistent With the Federal 
Acquisition Regulations System Guidance and Policy

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: This proposed rule would amend the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) 
by removing from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) those portions 
of the NFS containing information that consists of internal Agency 
administrative procedures and guidance that does not control the 
relationship between NASA and contractors or prospective contractors. 
This proposed rule is consistent with the guidance and policy in FAR 
Part 1 regarding what comprises the Federal Acquisition Regulations 
System and requires publication for public comment. The NFS document 
will continue to contain both information requiring codification in the 
CFR and internal Agency guidance in a single document that is available 
on the Internet. This proposed rule will reduce the administrative 
burden and time associated with maintaining the NFS by only publishing 
in the Federal Register for codification in the CFR material that is 
subject to public comment.

DATES: Comments should be submitted on or before January 16, 2004, to 
be considered in formulation of the final rule.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should submit written comments to Celeste 
Dalton, NASA, Office of Procurement, Contract Management Division (Code 
HK), Washington DC 20546 or via the Internet at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Celeste Dalton, NASA, Office of 
Procurement, Contract Management Division (Code HK); (202) 358 1645; e-
mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    Currently, the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) contains information to 
implement or supplement the FAR. This information contains NASA's 
policies, procedures, contract clauses, solicitation provisions, and 
forms that govern the contracting process or otherwise control the 
relationship between NASA and contractors or prospective contractors. 
The NFS also contains information that consists of

[[Page 64848]]

internal Agency administrative procedures and guidance that does not 
control the relationship between NASA and contractors or prospective 
contractors. Regardless of the nature of the information, as a policy, 
NASA has submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs 
(OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and published 
in the Federal Register all changes to the NFS. FAR 1.101 states in 
part that the ``Federal Acquisition Regulations System consists of the 
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), which is the primary document, 
and agency acquisition regulations that implement or supplement the 
FAR. The FAR System does not include internal agency guidance of the 
type described in 1.301(a)(2).'' FAR 1.301(a)(2) states in part ``an 
agency head may issue or authorize the issuance of internal agency 
guidance at any organizational level (e.g., designations and 
delegations of authority, assignments of responsibilities, work-flow 
procedures, and internal reporting requirements).'' Further, FAR 1.303 
states that issuances under FAR 1.301(a)(2) need not be published in 
the Federal Register. Based on the foregoing, NASA is not required to 
publish and codify internal Agency guidance.
    This proposed rule will modify the existing practice by only 
publishing those regulations which may have a significant effect beyond 
the internal operating procedures of the Agency or have a significant 
cost or administrative impact on contractors or offerors.
    The NFS will continue to integrate into a single document both 
regulations subject to public comments and internal Agency guidance and 
procedures that do not require public comment. Those portions of the 
NFS that require public comment will continue to be amended by 
publishing changes in the Federal Register. NFS regulations that 
require public comment are issued as Chapter 18 of Title 48, CFR. 
Changes to portions of the regulations contained in the CFR, along with 
changes to internal guidance and procedures, will be incorporated into 
the NASA-maintained Internet version of the NFS through Procurement 
Notices (PNs). The single official NASA-maintained version of the NFS 
will remain available on the Internet. NASA personnel must comply with 
all regulatory and internal guidance and procedures contained in the 
NFS.
    This proposed rule will result in savings in terms of the number of 
rules subject to publication in the Federal Register and provide 
greater responsiveness to internal administrative changes.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This proposed rule is not expected to have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities with the meaning of 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., because this 
proposed rule would only remove from the CFR information that is 
considered internal Agency administrative procedures and guidance. The 
information removed from the CFR will continue to be made available to 
the public via the Internet.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

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

List of Subjects in 48 CFR parts 1801, 1803 through 1809, 1811, and 
1812

    Government procurement.

Tom Luedtke,
Assistant Administrator for Procurement.
    Accordingly, 48 CFR parts 1801, 1803 through 1809, 1811, and 1812 
are proposed to be amended as follows:
    1. The authority citation for 48 CFR parts 1801, 1803 through 1809, 
1811, and 1812 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(1).

PART 1801--FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS SYSTEM

    2. Revise section 1801.105-1 to read as follows:


1801.105-1  Publication and code arrangement.

    (b)(i) The NFS is an integrated document that contains both 
acquisition regulations that require public comment and internal Agency 
guidance and procedures that do not require public comment. NASA 
personnel must comply with all regulatory and internal guidance and 
procedures contained in the NFS.
    (ii) NFS regulations that require public comment are issued as 
chapter 18 of title 48, CFR.
    (iii) The single official NASA-maintained version of the NFS is on 
the Internet (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/regs/nfstoc.htm).

PART 1801--[AMENDED]

    3. Amend part 1801 by removing subparts 1801.2, 1801.3, 1801.4, 
1801.6, and 1801.7.

PART 1803--IMPROPER BUSINESS PRACTICES AND PERSONAL CONFLICTS OF 
INTEREST

    4. Amend part 1803 by removing sections 1803.101, 1803.101-1, 
1803.101-2, 1803.104-4, and 1803.104-7; and subparts 1803.2, 1803.3, 
1803.5, 1803.6, 1803.7, and 1803.8.

PART 1804--ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

    5. Amend part 1804 by removing section 1804.103, subparts 1804.2, 
1804.5, 1804.6, 1804.8, 1804.9, 1804.70, 1804.71, 1804.72, and 1804.73.

PART 1805--PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS

    6. Amend part 1805 by--
    (a) Removing subparts 1805.1 and 1805.2;
    (b) In section 1805.303, removing paragraphs (a)(i)(A), (a)(i)(B), 
(a)(ii), and (a)(iii);
    (c) Removing sections 1805.303-70 and 1805.303-71; and
    (d) Removing subparts 1805.4 and 1805.5.

PART 1806--COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS

    7. Amend part 1806 by--
    (a) In section 1806.202, removing paragraph (b); and
    (b) Removing section 1806.202-70 and subparts 1806.3 and 1806.5.

PART 1807--ACQUISITION PLANNING

    8. Amend part 1807 by--
    (a) Removing sections 1807.103, 1807.104, 1807.105, and 1807.170;
    (b) Revising section 1807.107-70;
    (c) Removing subparts 1807.2, 1807.3, 1807.5, 1807.70, and 1807.71;
    (d) Revising section 1807.7200; and
    (e) Removing sections 1807.7202, 1807.7203, 1807.7204, and 
1807.7205.
    Revised sections 1807.107-70 and 1807.7200 read as follows:


1807.107-70  Orders against Federal Supply Schedule contracts or other 
indefinite-delivery contracts awarded by another agency.

    The FAR and NFS requirements for justification, review, and 
approval of bundling of contract requirements also apply to an order 
from a Federal Supply Schedule contract or other indefinite-delivery 
contract awarded by another agency if the requirements consolidated 
under the order meet the definition of ``bundling'' at FAR 2.101.
* * * * *

[[Page 64849]]

1807.7200  Policy.

    (a) As required by the Business Opportunity Development Reform Act 
of 1988, it is NASA policy to--
    (1) Prepare an annual forecast and semiannual update of expected 
contract opportunities or classes of contract opportunities for each 
fiscal year;
    (2) Include in the forecast contract opportunities that small 
business concerns, including those owned and controlled by socially and 
economically disadvantaged individuals, may be capable of performing; 
and
    (3) Make available such forecasts to the public.
    (b) The annual forecast and semiannual update are available on the 
NASA Acquisition Internet Service (http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/procurement/).

PART 1808--REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

    9. Amend part 1808 by removing sections 1808.003, 1808.003-70, 
1808.003-71, 1808.003-72, 1808.003-73, subparts 1808.1, 1808.4, 1808.6, 
1808.7, section 1808.802, and subpart 1808.11.

PART 1809--CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

    10. Amend part 1809 by removing sections 1809.106, 1809.106-1, 
1809.106-2, 1809.106-3, 1809.106-70, 1809.200, 1809.202, 1809.203, 
1809.203-70, 1809.203-71, paragraphs (b)(i) and (b)(ii) in section 
1809.206-1, 1809.404, 1809.405, 1809.405-1, 1809.405-2, 1809.406, 
1809.406-3, 1809.407, 1809.407-3, 1809.408, 1809.470, 1809.470-1, 
1809.470-2, 1809.470-3, 1809.500, 1809.503, and 1809.506.

PART 1811--DESCRIBING AGENCY NEEDS

    11. Amend part 1811 by removing section 1811.002, subpart 1811.1, 
sections 1811.403, 1811.403-70, 1811.404, and subparts 1811.5 and 
1811.6.

PART 1812--ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS

    12. Amend part 1812 by removing subpart 1812.1, and sections 
1812.302 and 1812.404.
[FR Doc. 03-28551 Filed 11-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-01-P