[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9531-9532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-04455]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY


Agency Information Collection Activities: Homeland Security 
Acquisition Regulation (HSAR); Various Homeland Security Acquisitions 
Regulations Forms; DHS-2018-0010

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS).

ACTION: 60-Day notice and request for comments; extension of a 
currently approved collection, 1600-0002.

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SUMMARY: The DHS Office of the Chief Procurement Officer will submit 
the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The purpose of the information 
collected is to ensure proper closing of physically complete contracts. 
The information will be used by DHS contracting officers to ensure 
compliance with terms and conditions of DHS contracts and to complete 
reports required by other Federal agencies such as the General Services 
Administration (GSA) and the Department of Labor (DOL). If this 
information is not collected, DHS could inadvertently violate statutory 
or regulatory requirements and DHS's interests concerning inventions 
and contractors' claims would not be protected.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until May 7, 2018. 
This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.1.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number DHS-
2018-0010, at:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Please follow the instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number DHS-2018-0010. All comments received will be posted 
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal 
information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Harvey, (202) 447-0956, 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This information collection is associated 
with the forms listed below and is necessary to implement applicable 
parts of the HSAR (48 CFR Chapter 30). There are four forms under this 
collection of information request that are used by offerors, 
contractors, and the general public to comply with requirements in 
contracts awarded by DHS. The information collected is used by 
contracting officers to ensure compliance with terms and conditions of 
DHS contracts.
    The forms are as follows:

1. DHS Form 0700-01, Cumulative Claim and Reconciliation Statement (see 
(HSAR) 48 CFR 3004.804-507(a)(3)
2. DHS Form 0700-02, Contractor's Assignment of Refund, Rebates, 
Credits and Other Amounts (see (HSAR) 48 CFR 3004.804-570(a)(2)
3. DHS Form 0700-03, Contractor's Release (see (HSAR) 48 CFR 3004.804-
570(a)(1)
4. DHS Form 0700-04, Employee Claim for Wage Restitution (see (HSAR) 48 
CFR 3022.406-9

    These forms will be prepared by individuals, contractors or 
contract employees during contract

[[Page 9532]]

administration. The information collected includes the following:
     DHS Forms 0700-01, 0700-02 and 0700-03: Prepared by 
individuals, contractors or contract employees prior to contract 
closure to determine whether there are excess funds that are available 
for deobligation versus remaining (payable) funds on contracts; 
assignment or transfer of rights, title, and interest to the 
Government; and release from liability. The contracting officer obtains 
the forms from the contractor for closeout, as applicable. Forms 0700-
01 and 02 are mainly used for calculating costs related to the closeout 
of cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials, and labor-hour contracts; 
and, Form 0700-03 is mainly used for calculating costs related to the 
closeout of cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials, and labor-hour 
contracts but can be used for all contract types.
     DHS Form 0700-04 is prepared by contractor employees 
making claims for unpaid wages. Contracting officers must obtain this 
form from employees seeking restitution under contracts to provide to 
the Comptroller General. This form is applicable to all contract types, 
both opened and closed.
    The purpose of the information collected is to ensure proper 
closing of physically complete contracts. The information will be used 
by DHS contracting officers to ensure compliance with terms and 
conditions of DHS contracts and to complete reports required by other 
Federal agencies such as the General Services Administration (GSA) and 
DOL. If this information is not collected, DHS could inadvertently 
violate statutory or regulatory requirements and DHS's interests 
concerning inventions and contractors' claims would not be protected.
    The four DHS forms are available on the DHS Homepage (https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CPO_HSAR_1_0.pdf). These 
forms can be filled in electronically and can be submitted via email or 
facsimile to the specified Government point of contact. Since the 
responses must meet specific timeframes, a centralized mailbox or 
website would not be an expeditious or practical method of submission. 
The use of email or facsimile is the best solution and is most commonly 
used in the Government. The information requested by these forms is 
required by the HSAR. The forms are prescribed for use in the closeout 
of applicable contracts and during contract administration.
    There are FAR and HSAR clauses that require protection of rights in 
data and proprietary information if requested and designated by an 
offeror or contractor. Additionally, disclosure or non-disclosure of 
information is handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information 
Act. There is no assurance of confidentiality provided to the 
respondents. No PIA is required as the information is collected from 
DHS personnel (contractors only). Although, the DHS/ALL/PIA-006 General 
Contacts lists PIA does provided basic coverage. And technically, 
because this information is not retrieved by personal identifier, no 
system of records notice is required. However, DHS/ALL-021 DHS 
Contractors and Consultants provides coverage for the collection of 
records on DHS contractors and consultants, to include resume and 
qualifying employment information.
    The burden estimates provided are based upon contracts reported by 
DHS and its Components to the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) 
for Fiscal Year 2016. No program changes occurred and there were no 
changes to the information being collected. However, the burden was 
adjusted to reflect an agency adjustment increase of 46,701 in the 
number of respondents within DHS for Fiscal Year 2016, as well as an 
increase in the average hourly wage rate.
    This is an Extension of a Currently Approved Collection, 1600-0002. 
OMB is particularly interested in comments which:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

Analysis

    Agency: Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, DHS.
    Title: Agency Information Collection Activities: Homeland Security 
Acquisition Regulation (HSAR) Various Homeland Security Acquisitions 
Regulations Forms.
    OMB Number: 1600-0002.
    Frequency: On Occasion.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Number of Respondents: 56,238.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hour.
    Total Burden Hours: 56,238.

    Dated: February 22, 2018.
Melissa Bruce,
Executive Director, Enterprise Business Management Office.
[FR Doc. 2018-04455 Filed 3-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-9B-P