[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 200 (Monday, October 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 61428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-23270]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Small Business Size Standards: Waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule

AGENCY: Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Notice of intent to waive the Nonmanufacturer Rule for Small 
Arms Ammunition Manufacturing.

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SUMMARY: The Small Business Administration (SBA) is considering 
granting a waiver of the Nonmanufacturer Rule for Small Arms Ammunition 
Manufacturing. The basis for waivers is that no small business 
manufacturers are supplying these classes of products to the Federal 
government. The effect of a waiver would be to allow otherwise 
qualified regular dealers to supply the products of any domestic 
manufacturer on a Federal contract set aside for small businesses or 
awarded through the SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program.

DATES: Comments and sources must be submitted on or before November 5, 
2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATI0N CONTACT: Edith Butler, Program Analyst, by 
telephone at (202) 619-0422; by FAX at (202) 481-1788; or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 8(a)(17) of the Small Business Act, 
(Act) 15 U.S.C. 637(a)(17), requires that recipients of Federal 
contracts set aside for small businesses or SBA's 8(a) Business 
Development Program provide the product of a small business 
manufacturer or processor, if the recipient is other than the actual 
manufacturer or processor of the product.
    This requirement is commonly referred to as the Nonmanufacturer 
Rule. The SBA regulations imposing this requirement are found at 13 CFR 
121.406 (b). Section 8(a)(17)(b)(iv) of the Act authorizes SBA to waive 
the Nonmanufacturer Rule for any ``class of products'' for which there 
are no small business manufacturers or processors available to 
participate in the Federal market.
    As implemented in SBA's regulations at 13 CFR 121.1204, in order to 
be considered available to participate in the Federal market for a 
class of products, a small business manufacturer must have submitted a 
proposal for a contract solicitation or received a contract from the 
Federal government within the last 24 months. The SBA defines ``class 
of products'' based on six digit coding systems. The first coding 
system is the Office of Management and Budget North American Industry 
Classification System (NAICS). The second is the Product and Service 
Code established by the Federal Procurement Data System.
    The SBA received a request on September 7, 2004 to waive the 
Nonmanufacturer Rule for Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing. In 
response, SBA is currently processing a request to waive the 
Nonmanufacturer Rule for Small Arms Ammunition Manufacturing, North 
American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 332992. The public is 
invited to comment or provide source information to SBA on the proposed 
waiver of the nonmanufacturer rule for this NAICS code.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 637(a)(17).

Emily Murphy,
Acting Associate Administrator for Government Contracting.
[FR Doc. 04-23270 Filed 10-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P