[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4897-4899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1750]



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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 3090-0291; Docket No. 2010-0002; Sequence 19]


Submission for OMB Review; OMB Control No. 3090-0291; FSRS 
Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information Reporting 
Requirements

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

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding a new OMB 
information clearance.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat will be submitting 
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and 
approve an emergency new information collection requirement regarding 
FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information 
Reporting Requirements.
    Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
functions of the FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related 
Information Reporting Requirements, whether it will have practical 
utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection 
of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and 
methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, 
through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

DATES: Submit comments on or before February 28, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 3090-
0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information by 
any of the following methods:
     Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by inputting ``Information 
Collection 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-
Related Information Reporting Requirements'' under the heading ``Enter 
Keyword or ID'' and selecting ``Search''. Select the link ``Submit a 
Comment'' that corresponds with ``Information Collection 3090-0291, 
FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information 
Reporting Requirements.'' Follow the instructions provided at the 
``Submit a Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if 
any), and ``Information Collection 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and 
Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information Reporting (line up with left 
margin) Requirements'' on your attached document.
     Fax: 202-501-4067.
     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20417. ATTN: 
Hada Flowers/IC 3090-0291.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information 
Collection 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-
Related Information Reporting Requirements, in all correspondence 
related to this collection. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
and/or business confidential information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Janice Miller, Program Analyst, 
Office of Technology Strategy/Office of Governmentwide Policy, GSA, at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, 
Public Law 109-282 (Transparency Act) requires information disclosure 
of entities receiving Federal financial assistance through Federal 
awards such as Federal contracts, sub-contracts, grants and sub-grants, 
FFATA Sec.  2(a), (2), (i), (ii). Beginning October 1, 2010, this 
Paperwork Reduction Act submission directs compliance with the 
Transparency Act to report prime and first-tier sub-award data. Federal 
agencies and prime awardees will ensure disclosure of Federal contract 
and grant sub-award and compensation data. This information collection 
requires information necessary for prime awardee registration into the 
FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) and review of its entity-related 
information, at http://www.fsrs.gov. An entity may be required to 
provide information to include:
     DUNS number.
     Name and address of entity.
     Parent DUNS number.
     Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN).
     CFDA Number.
     Federal Awarding Agency of the Grant.
    If a prime awardee has already registered in the system to report 
contracts-related Transparency Act financial data, a new log-in will 
not be required.

B. Discussion of Public Comments

    Burden Imposed. Two comments were received on the burden imposed by 
this information collection. One respondent commented that it appears 
from the precision of the data used to identify the number of 
respondents (49,308) GSA is relying on a specific source rather than 
simply estimating a number. Because there is no identification about 
where these data on respondents comes from, it is virtually impossible 
to assess whether they are accurate or based on valid assumptions and 
methodologies. The respondent requests that GSA and OMB publish 
additional information about the sources of data in this request so 
that they can be assessed in accordance with the letter and spirit of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act. The respondent also added that the simple 
round number of .5 hours per response identified in the estimate belies 
the effort that they and other similarly situated organizations would 
be required to undertake. One respondent requested that the burden 
estimate be re-evaluated.
    Response: The number of respondents (49,308) is based on the total 
reported prime grant awardees reporting into USAspending.gov in FY 2009 
(see Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, FSRS 
Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information, footnote 
1, p. 10, at http://www.reginfo.gov). The burden time of .5 
hour per response was based on the assumption that prime grant awardees 
are already required to be registered in the Central Contractor 
Registration (CCR). With a direct feed from CCR, FSRS pulls information 
associated with the prime awardee's DUNS number. Pre-populating entity 
data from CCR into FSRS significantly reduces the burden associated 
with a prime recipient's registration into FSRS. As a result, prime 
grant awardees will only be required to manually input a minimal amount 
of contact information when registering in FSRS.
    Multiple Recipients. One comment was received expressing concern 
with the reporting and pre-population of fields and the ability to list 
multiple subawards on a single Federal award (FAIN) which is common on 
awards supporting clinical trials. The ability to create and submit a 
single report rather than submitting each subaward separately will be 
an important functionality for some grantees. The respondent also 
states that the batch-file reporting is particularly important if

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only one FSRS report per FAIN can be submitted during a single 30-day 
reporting period.
    Response: Both requested capabilities already exist in FSRS: A 
FFATA subaward report can contain multiple subawards against a single 
Federal award (as reported by Federal Award Identifier Number or FAIN). 
In fact, the FFATA subaward report should contain all subaward activity 
for that report month for that particular FAIN. There are also three 
methods for submitting multiple FFATA subaward reports: A batch upload 
template using Microsoft Excel, an XML report submission template and 
an XML web service. Technical documentation can be found on all three 
multiple report submission methods and on FSRS functionality on the 
Resources page from within the FSRS Web site or by direct link to 
https://www.fsrs.gov/resources.
    Batch-File Submission. One respondent stated that the capability of 
uploading data from a batch file into FSRS does not take advantage of 
the agency and CCR data available as it does when entering data through 
the Web site. The batch file would need to include not only all of the 
local data, but all of the CCR and agency data would need to be entered 
locally as well in order to complete the report. Therefore, there is no 
pre-population advantage. The respondent urged that the batch-file 
process be modified to take advantage of the CCR and agency systems and 
eliminate the need to re-key data, such that the data sets needed to 
complete the report would be the same whether filed via batch or Web 
site data entry.
    Response: There are three methods for submitting multiple FFATA 
subaward reports: A batch upload template using Microsoft Excel, an XML 
report submission template and an XML web service. These methods do 
take advantage of the system interfaces with CCR and the agencies' 
reported award data. Technical documentation can be found on all three 
multiple report submission methods and on FSRS functionality on the 
Resources page from within the FSRS Web site or by direct link to 
https://www.fsrs.gov/resources.
    Foreign Entities as Subrecipients. Two comments were received 
stating that the value of the DUNS approach is less clear when working 
with foreign entities as subrecipients. These entities may or may not 
have a DUNS number and may or may not have ready access to apply for a 
DUNS number. One respondent stated that because of poor infrastructure, 
the telecommunication required to process a DUNS registration would 
prove very problematic, and that there is a vast difference between 
feasible reporting requirements for a municipality in the U.S. and for 
a small community of self-help organizations operating in a remote 
region of Africa. The respondent expressed concern regarding requiring 
local partner organizations to obtain a DUNS number and that posting of 
their data on a public website may pose unacceptable security risks for 
them. One respondent noted that the Final Guidance concerning Financial 
Assistance Use of Universal Identifier and Central Contractor 
Registration (2 CFR subtitle A, chapter 1, and part 25) requires 
subrecipients to obtain a DUNS number but an agency can exempt entities 
from the requirement in certain circumstances [Sec.  25.110(d)] with 
the caution that such exemptions should be rare. The respondent 
believes that agencies may need to exercise this authority more 
frequently than anticipated by OMB in the case of foreign 
subrecipients. The respondent urged OMB to consider giving agencies the 
option to apply the exemption from obtaining a DUNS number for foreign 
recipients at any value (values greater than $25,000), and that 
agencies should be directed to describe how an exemption under any of 
the conditions is obtained by the prime recipient.
    Response: Based on OMB guidance, FSRS requires a valid DUNS number 
be used to (1) register as a prime grant awardee to report subaward 
activity in FSRS; and (2) report a subawardee. Without a valid DUNS 
number, subaward reporting cannot occur. Currently, 2 CFR Subtitle A, 
Chapter A Part 25 does allow for agency exemptions in certain 
circumstances. In those instances, agencies would not be able to report 
subaward activity in FSRS. GSA and OMB recognize the safety and 
security concerns regarding some types of foreign recipients and will 
provide additional guidance regarding the reporting of sensitive 
information. Any revisions to the requirements based on this guidance 
will be incorporated in a subsequent Paperwork Reduction Act submission 
for this information collection.
    Foreign Assistance Awards--Data Elements. Four respondents 
suggested that the data collection fields and forms be reviewed to take 
into consideration foreign assistance awards. For example, as these 
programs are not conducted within U.S. congressional districts, the 
``principal place of performance'' data field on the Prime Award Data 
Elements form could be modified to include a checkbox to make 
``overseas'' if the purpose of the award is foreign assistance and the 
principal place of performance is not within the U.S. One respondent 
commented that the granularity of the notices is not a helpful or 
useful snapshot of how the U.S. Government is spending taxpayer dollars 
in development programs, and that additional elements would need to be 
added to the database in order to (1) maintain the accuracy of the 
information entered; (2) reduce misconceptions; and (3) ensure the 
safety of staff in politically sensitive countries.
    Response: With a direct feed from USAspending.gov, FSRS displays 
the prime award data as reported by the awarding Federal agency. For 
subaward information, FSRS is able to accept foreign recipient 
locations and/or project place of performance. When completing an 
editable location field, the prime awardee selects ``Non-US'' from the 
State drop-down menu. When Non-US is selected for State, then a non-
United States country must be selected and the zip code field and the 
congressional district become optional. With some limited exceptions, 
the reporting requirements apply to all prime awardees of Federal 
grants, including foreign prime recipients and foreign subawardees. 
Please refer to the data definitions found on the Resources page from 
within the FSRS Web site or by direct link to https://www.fsrs.gov/resources for more information on the data elements themselves. Contact 
your awarding agency with any specific questions regarding 
applicability.
    Purpose of the Information Collection Request. One respondent asked 
what this ICR really does and why was it an emergency new information 
collection requirement.
    Response: This information collection requires information 
necessary for prime awardee registration into the FFATA Subaward 
Reporting System (FSRS) and the review of its entity-related 
information. Emergency review and clearance of this new information 
collection requirement is essential to the implementation of the 
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (``FFATA'' or 
``Transparency Act''). Without OMB approval, prime grant awardees would 
not have been able to report subaward and executive compensation data 
pursuant to the Transparency Act's transparency requirements for new 
grant awards as of October 1, 2010. Information on grants subaward and 
executive compensation will be collected on the FSRS Web site, http://www.fsrs.gov. The FSRS Web site is part of the Integrated Acquisition 
Environment and is managed at GSA. This information collection requests

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approval of the information needed to properly register an entity in 
FSRS to facilitate the statutorily required reporting of Transparency 
Act information (DUNS number, name of entity, address, parent DUNS 
number, Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN), CFDA number and the 
Federal awarding agency of the grant).

C. Annual Reporting Burden

    Respondents: 49,308.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Hours per Response: .5 hr.
    Total Burden Hours: 24,645.
    Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the 
information collection documents from the General Services 
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20417, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB Control 
No. 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related 
Information Reporting Requirements, in all correspondence.

    Dated: January 21, 2011.
Casey Coleman,
Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-1750 Filed 1-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-WY-P