[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 209 (Thursday, October 29, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66530-66532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27509]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0006; Docket 2015-0055; Sequence 46]


Submission for OMB Review; Subcontracting Plans/Individual 
Subcontract Report, SF 294 and ISRS

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

[[Page 66531]]


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

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the 
Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve revisions 
to a previously approved information collection requirement concerning 
Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract Report (SF) 294. A notice 
was published in the Federal Register at 80 FR 32909, on June 10, 2015. 
No comments were received on the information collection.

DATES: Submit comments on or before November 30, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments regarding this burden estimate or any other 
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for 
reducing this burden to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs 
of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for GSA, Room 10236, NEOB, Washington, 
DC 20503. Additionally submit a copy to GSA by any of the following 
methods:
     Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching the OMB 
control number. Select the link ``Submit a Comment'' that corresponds 
with ``Information Collection 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/
Individual Subcontract Report (SF) 294, and ISRS''. Follow the 
instructions provided at the ``Submit a Comment'' screen. Please 
include your name, company name (if any), and ``Information Collection 
9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract Report (SF) 294 
and ISRS'' on your attached document.
     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405. 
ATTN: Ms. Flowers/IC 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/Individual 
Subcontract Report (SF) 294 and ISRS.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information 
Collection 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/Individual Subcontract 
Report (SF) 294 and ISRS, in all correspondence related to this 
collection. Comments received generally will be posted without change 
to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal and/or business 
confidential information provided. To confirm receipt of your 
comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov, approximately two to 
three days after submission to verify posting (except allow 30 days for 
posting of comments submitted by mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Mahruba Uddowla, Procurement 
Analyst, Office of Acquisition Policy, GSA 703-605-2868 or email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 19.702, which 
implements the statutory requirements of Section 8(d) of the Small 
Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(d)), contractors receiving a contract for 
more than the simplified acquisition threshold agree to have small 
business, small disadvantaged business, women-owned small business, 
historically underutilized business zone small business, veteran-owned 
small business, and service-disabled veteran-owned small business 
concerns participate in the performance of the contract as far as 
practicable. Contractors receiving a contract or a modification to a 
contract expected to exceed $700,000 ($1,500,000 for construction) must 
submit a subcontracting plan that provides maximum practicable 
opportunities for the above named concerns. Specific elements required 
to be included in the plan are specified in section 8(d) of the Small 
Business Act and implemented in FAR subpart 19.7 and clause 52.219-9.
    In conjunction with the subcontracting plan requirements, 
contractors must submit semi-annual reports of their small business 
subcontracting progress to the government. With the exception of those 
contracts noted in FAR 4.606(c)(5) which states ``Actions that, 
pursuant to other authority, will not be entered in FPDS (e.g., 
reporting of the information would compromise national security)'', 
contractors must use the electronic Individual Subcontract Report (ISR) 
in the Electronic Subcontracting Reporting System (eSRS) in lieu of the 
Standard Form 294, Subcontracting Report for Individual Contracts.
    The ISR is the electronic equivalent of the Standard Form 294. The 
eSRS streamlines the small business subcontracting program reporting 
process and provides the data to agencies in a manner that enables them 
to more effectively manage the program. Those contract actions noted in 
FAR 4.606(c)(5) will continue to use the Standard Form 294.
    The SBA made regulatory changes in its final rule at 78 FR 42391, 
dated July 16, 2013 regarding subcontracting plan requirements and the 
associated reporting requirements. The SBA final rule is being 
implemented in the FAR at subpart 19.7 and clause 52.219-9 Small 
Business Subcontracting Plan through FAR case 2014-003, Small Business 
Subcontracting Improvements. FAR case 2014-003 revised the FAR to 
require a subcontracting plan for modifications of any value if the 
modification will cause the contract to exceed the threshold for 
requiring a plan and when subcontracting opportunities exist as well as 
to give contracting officers the discretion to require a plan when a 
small business prime contractor rerepresents as an other than small on 
the contract. These revisions to the FAR required revisions to the 
existing information collections associated with subcontracting plan 
requirements and the associated reporting requirements.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    Based on the proposed revisions to the FAR as well as a more 
accurate basis for estimation, an upward adjustment is being made to 
the average burden hours for reporting and recordkeeping per response 
but a downward adjustment is being made to the number of respondents 
(i.e., subcontracting plans and the individual subcontracting reports 
associated with them). As a result, a downward adjustment is being made 
to the estimated annual reporting burden since the notice regarding an 
extension to this clearance published in the Federal Register at 78 FR 
17668, on March 22, 2013.
    Respondents: 59,336.
    Responses per Respondent: 3.
    Total Annual Responses: 178,008.
    Average Burden Hours per Response: 13.5.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,403,108.
    Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
functions of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (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.
    Obtaining Copies Of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the 
information collection documents from the General Services 
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street 
NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone 202-501-4755.
    Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0006, Subcontracting Plans/
Individual

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Subcontract Report, SF 294, in all correspondence.

Edward Loeb,
Acting Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of 
Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office 
of Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2015-27509 Filed 10-28-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P