[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 58 (Tuesday, March 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18346-18347]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-06921]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0145; Docket 2012-0076; Sequence 23]


Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review; Use of 
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) as Primary Contractor 
Identification

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

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding an extension to 
an existing OMB clearance.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act Regulatory 
Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously 
approved information collection requirement concerning use of the Data 
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) as primary contractor identification. 
The DUNS number is the nine-digit identification number assigned by Dun 
and Bradstreet Information Services to an establishment. A notice was 
published in the Federal Register at 77 FR 56212, on September 12, 
2012. Three respondents submitted comments.

DATES: Submit comments on or before April 25, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-
0145, Use of Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) as Primary 
Contractor Identification, by any of the following methods:
     Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching ``Information 
Collection 9000-0145, Use of Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) as 
Primary Contractor Identification'' under the heading ``Enter Keyword 
or ID'' and selecting ``Search''. Select the link ``Submit a Comment'' 
that corresponds with ``Information Collection 9000-0145, Use of Data 
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) as Primary Contractor 
Identification''. Follow the instructions provided at the ``Submit a 
Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and 
``Information Collection 9000-0145, Use of Data Universal Numbering 
System (DUNS) as Primary Contractor Identification'' 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 9000-0145, Transportation Requirements.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information 
Collection 9000-0145, Use of Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) as 
Primary Contractor Identification, 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. Curtis E. Glover, Sr., Procurement 
Analyst, Office of Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, GSA (202) 501-
1448 or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Purpose

    The Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number is the nine-digit 
identification number assigned by Dun and Bradstreet Information 
Services to an establishment. The Government uses the DUNS number to 
identify contractors in reporting to the Federal Procurement Data 
System (FPDS). The FPDS provides a comprehensive mechanism for 
assembling, organizing, and presenting contract placement data for the 
Federal Government. Federal agencies report data on all contracts in 
excess of the micro-purchase threshold to the Federal Procurement Data 
Center which collects, processes, and disseminates official statistical 
data on Federal contracting. Contracting officers insert the Federal 
Acquisition Regulation (FAR) provision at 52.204-6, Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) Number, in solicitations they expect will 
result in contracts in excess of the micro-purchase threshold and do 
not contain FAR 52.204-7, Central Contractor Registration. The majority 
of offerors submit their DUNS through CCR as required by FAR 52.204-7, 
and not under the FAR provision at 52.204-6.

II. Discussion and Analysis

    Three respondents submitted public comments on the extension of the 
previously approved information collection. The analysis of the public 
comments is summarized as follows:
    Comment: Three respondents commented that they supported the 
continued use of the Data Universal

[[Page 18347]]

Numbering System as the primary contractor identification.
    Response: The comments are noted.
    Comment: One respondent commented that the extension of the 
information collection would violate the fundamental purposes of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act because of the burden it puts on the entity 
submitting the information and the agency collecting the information.
    Response: In accordance with the Paperwork Required Act (PRA), 
agencies can request an OMB approval of an existing information 
collection. The PRA requires that agencies use the Federal Register 
notice and comment process, to extend the OMB's approval, at least 
every three years. This extension, to a previously approved information 
collection, pertains to FAR Subpart 4.6, Contract Reporting. The 
contracting officer must identify and report a DUNS number (Contractor 
Identification Number) for the successful offeror on a contract action 
in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS). The DUNS number reported 
must identify the successful offer's name and address as stated in the 
offer and resultant contract. Not granting this extension would 
consequently eliminate the Government's ability to use the DUNS number 
to report information on federal contract awards.
    Comment: One respondent commented that the Agency did not 
accurately estimate the public burden an extension of the information 
collection requirement would create.
    Response: The DUNS number is a widely used number for identifying 
companies conducting business in the private sector. It is anticipated 
that the DUNS number is readily available, so the estimated average of 
1.5 minutes to comply with providing the DUNS number appears reasonable 
for this collection, however; based on a reassessment, an adjustment 
has been made to increase the average estimate to 10 minutes. The 
number of estimated respondents remains at 38,679. The number of unique 
large and small business contractors who received new awards or orders 
of $3K or more in the Federal Procurement Data System database for 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 is 193,397. It is estimated that twenty percent 
(or 38,679) of the contractors would have been required to submit their 
DUNS number under FAR provision 52.204-6 on an average of three 
solicitations in FY11. The majority of contractors will not be required 
to submit their DUNS under FAR provision 52.204-6. This is due to the 
fact that FAR Clause 52.204-7, Central Contractor Registration (CCR), 
is required to be inserted in the majority of solicitations and 
contracts except as provided in 4.1102(a). FAR Clause 52.204-7 requires 
vendors to provide their DUNS number in CCR.
    Comment: One respondent commented that the collective burden of 
compliance with the information collection requirement greatly exceeds 
the Agencies estimate and outweighs any potential utility of the 
extension.
    Response: The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) was designed to improve 
the quality and use of Federal information to strengthen decision-
making, accountability, and openness in government and society. Central 
to this process is the solicitation of comments from the public. This 
process incorporates an enumerated specification of targeted 
information and provides interested parties a meaningful opportunity 
for comment on the relevant compliance cost. This process has led to 
decreases in the overall collective burden of compliance for the 
information collection requirement in regards to the public. Based on 
OMB estimates, in FY 2010, the public spent 8.8 billion hours 
responding to information collections. This was a decrease of one 
billion hours, or ten percent from the previous fiscal year. In effect, 
the collective burden of compliance for the public is going down as the 
Government publishes rules that make the process less complex, more 
transparent, and reduces the cost of federal regulations to both the 
Contractor community and Government.
    Comment: One respondent commented that the Government's response to 
the Paperwork Reduction Act waiver for Far Case 2007-006 is instructive 
on the total burden for respondents.
    Response: Serious consideration is given, during the open comment 
period, to all comments received and adjustments are made to the 
paperwork burden estimate based on reasonable considerations provided 
by the public. This is evidenced, as the respondent notes, in FAR Case 
2007-006 where an adjustment was made from the total preparation hours 
from three to 60. This change was made considering particularly the 
hours that would be required for review within the company, prior to 
release to the Government.
    The burden is prepared taking into consideration the necessary 
criteria in OMB guidance for estimating the paperwork burden put on the 
entity submitting the information. For example, consideration is given 
to an entity reviewing instructions; using technology to collect, 
process, and disclose information; adjusting existing practices to 
comply with requirements; searching data sources; completing and 
reviewing the response; and transmitting or disclosing information. The 
estimated burden hours for a collection are based on an average between 
the hours that a simple disclosure by a very small business might 
require and the much higher numbers that might be required for a very 
complex disclosure by a major corporation. Also, the estimated burden 
hours should only include projected hours for those actions which a 
company would not undertake in the normal course of business. Careful 
consideration went into assessing the estimated burden hours for this 
collection, however, at any point, members of the public may submit 
comments for further consideration, and are encouraged to provide data 
to support their request for an adjustment.

III. Annual Reporting Burden

    The estimated annual reporting burden has been adjusted since 
published in the Federal Register at 74 FR 37991, on July 30, 2009. The 
adjustment is based on use of Fiscal Year 2011 Federal Procurement Data 
System data, consideration for the fact that the majority of vendors 
are required to report their DUNS number into the Central Contractor 
Registration per FAR 52.204-7, and not FAR.204-6, as required by this 
information collection, and reassessment of the estimated response 
time.
    Respondents: 38,679.
    Responses per Respondent: 3.
    Annual Responses: 116,037.
    Hours per Response: .1666.
    Total Burden Hours: 19,332.
    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 
Number 9000-0145, Use of Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) as 
Primary Contractor Identification, in all correspondence.

    Dated: March 21, 2013.
William Clark,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of 
Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office 
of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2013-06921 Filed 3-25-13; 8:45 am]
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