[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 85 (Thursday, May 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25704-25705]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10356]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

[Docket ID: DoD-2013-OS-0083]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and 
Engineering, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense 
for

[[Page 25705]]

Research and Engineering announces a proposed extension of a public 
information collection and seeks public comment on the provisions 
thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, 
including through use of automated collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by July 1, 
2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number and 
title, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Federal Docket Management System Office, 4800 Mark 
Center Drive, East Tower, Suite 02G09, Alexandria, VA 22350-3100.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
name, docket number and title for this Federal Register document. The 
general policy for comments and other submissions from members of the 
public is to make these submissions available for public viewing on the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov as they are received without 
change, including any personal identifiers or contact information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and 
associated collection instruments, write to Department of Defense Basic 
Research Office, ATTN: Dr. Mark Herbst, 4800 Mark Center Drive, Suite 
17C-08, Alexandria, VA, or call Dr. Herbst at 571-372-6547.
    Title, Associated Form, and OMB Number: Representations to 
Implement Appropriation Act Provisions on Felony Convictions and Unpaid 
Federal Tax Liabilities, OMB Control Number 0704-0494.
    Needs and Uses: The information collection will enable DoD awarding 
officials to exercise due diligence and continue to comply with 
provisions of three Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 appropriations acts that make 
funds available to DoD Components for obligation, as well as similar 
provisions that future years' appropriations acts may include. The 
details of the provisions in the three FY 2012 acts vary somewhat but 
they generally require DoD to consider suspension or debarment before 
using appropriated funding to enter into a grant or cooperative 
agreement with a corporation if the awarding official is aware that the 
corporation has an unpaid federal tax liability or was convicted of a 
felony criminal violation within the preceding 24 months. The FY 2012 
provisions are in:
     Sections 8124 and 8125 of the Department of Defense 
Appropriations Act, 2012 (Division A of Pub. L. 112-74, the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012);
     Section 514 of the Military Construction and Veterans 
Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (Division H of 
Pub. L. 112-74); and
     Sections 504 and 505 of the Energy and Water Development 
Appropriations Act, 2012 (Division B of Pub. L. 112-74).
    Affected Public: Primary affected public is comprised of Not-For-
Profit institutions, but may also include any other entity that submits 
an application or proposal to a DoD Component that may result in the 
award of a grant or cooperative agreement using funds subject to a 
relevant appropriation act provision.
    Annual Burden Hours: 1,250 hours.
    Number of Respondents: Estimated 2,500.
    Responses per Respondent: 6 on average with a wide variation across 
entities.
    Annual Responses: Estimated 15,000.
    Average Burden Per Response: 5 minutes.
    Frequency: On occasion.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Summary of Information Collection

    Respondents are entities submitting applications or proposals to 
Department of Defense Components that may result in the award of grants 
or cooperative agreements. Each entity under a competitive program will 
be required to submit representations with its application or proposal 
to disclose whether it is a corporation that has an outstanding tax 
liability or has been convicted of a felony criminal violation within 
the past 24 months. Most applicants for DoD awards submit electronic 
applications through Grants.gov and the representations would be 
electronically attached to the applicant's SF 424 (OMB Control Number 
4040-0004).
    A memorandum to DoD Components from the Assistant Secretary of 
Defense for Research and Engineering specifies wording of the 
representations to be used for continuing obligations of FY 2012 
appropriations and provides guidance on tailoring of the wording, if 
needed, to conform to provisions of future appropriations acts. The 
memorandum may be viewed at the DoD Basic Research Office Web site 
(http://www.acq.osd.mil/rd/basic_research/funding/documents/appropriations_act_provisions.pdf).
    An awarding official prior to making a grant or cooperative 
agreement award will use the information provided by the 
representations in judging whether the entity recommended to receive 
the award is eligible to do so--i.e., to decide whether the agency must 
first consider suspension or debarment of the entity and determine that 
further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the 
Government. An entity that fails to submit a required representation 
therefore will be ineligible to receive a grant or cooperative 
agreement from the agency.

    Dated: April 25, 2013.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2013-10356 Filed 5-1-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P