[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 250 (Thursday, December 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81940-81941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33347]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0180; Docket No. 2010-0079; Sequence 22]


Submission for OMB Review; Biobased Procurements

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

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, 
the Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB) will be submitting to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a new 
information collection requirement regarding biobased procurements.
    Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
functions of the FAR, and 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 January 30, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-
0180, Biobased Procurements, by any of the following methods:
     Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by inputting ``Information 
Collection 9000-0180, Biobased Procurements'' under the heading ``Enter 
Keyword or ID'' and selecting ``Search''. Select the link ``Submit a 
Comment'' that corresponds with ``Information Collection 9000-0180, 
Biobased Procurements''. Follow the instructions provided at the 
``Submit a Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if 
any), and ``Information Collection 9000-0180, Biobased Procurements'' 
on your attached document.
     Fax: (202) 501-4067.

[[Page 81941]]

     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street NE., Washington, DC 20417. Attn: 
Hada Flowers/IC 9000-0180, Biobased Procurements.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information 
Collection 9000-0180, Biobased Procurements, 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: Mr. William Clark, Procurement 
Analyst, Office of Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, at telephone 
(202) 219-1813 or via email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

A. Purpose

    Federal Acquisition Regulation clause 52.223-2, Affirmative 
Procurement of Biobased Products Under Service and Construction 
Contracts, is being revised to require prime contractors to report 
annually the product types and dollar value of U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA)-designated biobased products purchased during the 
preceding fiscal year of a contract. The information reported by prime 
contractors will enable Federal agencies to report annually to the 
Office of Federal Procurement Policy concerning actions taken to 
implement and measure progress in carrying out the preference for 
biobased products required under section 9002 of the Farm Security and 
Rural Investment Act of 2002, codified at 7 U.S.C. 8102.

B. Discussion of Comment

    A notice was published on the Federal Register at 76 FR 41179, on 
July 13, 2011. Only one comment was received in response to the Federal 
Register notice. The respondent stated that the current Federal 
Acquisition Regulation already requires contractors to make maximum use 
of (USDA)-designated biobased products, and, therefore, contractors 
should already be keeping certain records. The respondent concluded 
that the new information collection requirement, for contractors to 
report annually to the Government, should not be burdensome. This 
comment did not result in a change to the estimated burden.

C. Annual Reporting Burden

    Respondents: 48,376.
    Responses Per Respondent: 5.
    Hours Per Response: 5.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,209,400.
    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. 9000-0180, Biobased Procurements, in all correspondence.

    Dated: December 19, 2011.
Laura Auletta,
Acting Director, Office of Goverrnmentwide Acquisition Policy, Office 
of Acquisition Policy, Office of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2011-33347 Filed 12-28-11; 8:45 am]
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