[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 23, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 60009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20801]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Contractor Employee Pension and Medical Benefits

AGENCY: Office of Management, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Management is announcing the availability of a 
summary of the public comments it received in response to a request for 
public comments on the challenge the Department of Energy (Department) 
confronts with respect to the costs and liabilities associated with 
contractor employee pension and medical benefits. The Department's 
request for comments was published in the Federal Register on March 27, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: The summary of public comments is available on the Internet 
at http://management.energy.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Stephanie Weakley, Office of 
Procurement and Assistance Management, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC, 20585, 202-287-1645.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    On April 26, 2006, the Department issued Department of Energy 
Notice 351.1, Contractor Employee Pension and Medical Benefits Policy, 
which updated and revised the Department's policy concerning 
reimbursement of Management and Operating (M&O) and other site 
management contractor pension and medical benefit costs. On June 19, 
2006, the Secretary of Energy suspended implementation of the revised 
policy to permit consultation with stakeholders about the purpose of 
the Notice.
    On March 27, 2007, the Department published a Federal Register 
notice (72 FR 14266) seeking public comments and/or recommendations on 
how the Department should address the challenge it faces due to the 
increasing costs and financial liabilities associated with the 
reimbursement of contractor employee pension and medical benefit costs. 
The Office of Management established a Web site for the public to 
submit their comments and/or recommendations on how the Department 
should address this financial challenge.
    The Office of Management received approximately 475 comments in 
response to the March 27, 2007, request for public comments. The 
overwhelming majority of comments were from current and retired 
Department employees who did not support the new policy in the 
suspended DOE Notice 351.1. The remainder of the comments were 
submitted by private citizens, labor unions, and actuarial firms. As a 
result of its stakeholder outreach and consideration of public 
comments, the Department decided not to reissue DOE N 351.1 after it 
expired by its terms on April 27, 2007. The Department is not 
contemplating further action with regard to contractor employee pension 
and medical benefits at this time.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 15, 2007.
Ingrid Kolb,
Director of Management, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. E7-20801 Filed 10-22-07; 8:45 am]
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