[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44270-44272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18141]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Part 52

[FAR Case 2018-022; Docket No. FAR-2019-0010, Seq. No. 01]
RIN 9000-AN80


Federal Acquisition Regulations: Orders Issued via Fax or 
Electronic Commerce

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

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend a Federal 
Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause to permit the issuance of task or 
delivery orders via fax or electronic commerce

[[Page 44271]]

and clarify when an order is considered ``issued'' when using these 
methods.

DATES: Interested parties should submit written comments to the 
Regulatory Secretariat at one of the addresses shown below on or before 
October 22, 2019 to be considered in the formulation of a final rule.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by FAR Case 2018-022 by any of 
the following methods:
     Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by entering ``FAR Case 
2018-022'' under the heading ``Enter keyword or ID'' and selecting 
``Search.'' Select the link ``Comment Now'' that corresponds with ``FAR 
Case 2018-022.'' Follow the instructions provided on the screen. Please 
include your name, company name (if any), and ``FAR Case 2018-022'' on 
your attached document.
     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW, Second floor, ATTN: Lois 
Mandell, Washington, DC 20405.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite ``FAR Case 2018-
022'' in all correspondence related to this case. 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, at 202-501-1448 for clarification of content. Please cite FAR 
Case 2018-022. For information pertaining to status or publication 
schedules, contact the Regulatory Secretariat at (202) 501-4755. Please 
cite ``FAR Case 2018-022.''

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the FAR to update a 
clause to permit the issuance of task or delivery orders via fax or 
electronic commerce, and to clarify when an order is considered to be 
``issued'' when using these methods. FAR clause 52.216-18, Ordering, 
currently states that task or delivery orders may be issued orally, by 
facsimile, or electronic commerce only if authorized in the contract 
schedule. If mailed, task or delivery orders are considered ``issued'' 
when the Government puts the order in the mail. The clause is included 
in solicitations and contracts when an indefinite-delivery definite-
quantity, requirements, or indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity 
contract is contemplated.
    As part of today's business environment, the Government and Federal 
contractors frequently use email, fax, or other electronic commerce 
methods to communicate with one another. In an effort to reflect 
current business practices and maintain speed and efficiency in the 
ordering process, this rule updates FAR clause 52.216-18 to no longer 
require a separate authorization in the contract to use electronic 
commerce or fax to issue task or delivery orders. The rule also 
identifies when a task or delivery order is considered ``issued'' when 
using such methods. As a result, contracting officers will no longer 
need to include supplemental ordering language in the contract when 
anticipating the use of fax or electronic commerce to issue task or 
delivery orders. Ordering information will be located in one place in 
the contract. A common understanding of when a task or delivery order 
is considered issued, in such situations, will be applied 
Governmentwide.
    As task or delivery orders are not issued orally as frequently as 
other issuance methods and the use of such a method is dependent upon 
the particular circumstances of the procurement, the authority to issue 
orders orally must still be authorized under the contract and is not 
being amended by this rule.

II. Discussion and Analysis

    This rule proposes to amend FAR clause 52.216-18, Ordering, to (1) 
remove the language stating that the use of fax or electronic commerce 
may only be used if authorized in the contract; and (2) identify the 
point in time in which a task or delivery order is considered issued 
when sent by fax or electronically.

III. Applicability to Contracts at or Below the Simplified Acquisition 
Threshold (SAT) and for Commercial Items, Including Commercially 
Available Off-the-Shelf (COTS) Items

    This proposed rule does not create any new provisions or clauses, 
nor does it change the applicability or burden of any existing 
provisions or clauses included in solicitations and contracts valued at 
or below the SAT, or for commercial items, including COTS items.

IV. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess 
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O. 
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. 
This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not 
subject to review under section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory Planning 
and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule 
under 5 U.S.C. 804.

V. Executive Order 13771

    This rule is not subject to E.O. 13771, because this rule is not a 
significant regulatory action under E.O. 12866.

VI. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    DoD, GSA, and NASA do not expect this rule to have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the 
meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. 
However, an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA) has been 
performed and is summarized as follows:
    The Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration 
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are 
proposing to revise the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to update 
a clause to automatically permit the issuance of task or delivery 
orders via fax or electronic commerce, without additional authorization 
text in the contract and to clarify when an order is considered to be 
``issued'' when using these methods.
    The objective of the rule is to update the clause language to 
reflect current business practices and maintain speed and efficiency 
when issuing task and delivery orders under a contract.
    DoD, GSA, and NASA do not expect this rule to have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the 
meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. The 
rule simply formalizes a current business practice. The Government does 
not collect data on the total number of task and delivery orders issued 
by mail, fax, and/or electronic commerce. However, the Federal 
Procurement Data System (FPDS) provides the following information for 
fiscal year 2018:
    The Federal Government awarded approximately 17,690 new indefinite-
delivery indefinite-quantity, indefinite-delivery definite-quantity, 
and requirements contracts; of which approximately 62% were awarded to 
approximately 7,420 unique small businesses.

[[Page 44272]]

    The proposed rule does not impose any Paperwork Reduction Act 
reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance requirements on any small 
entities. The proposed rule does not duplicate, overlap, or conflict 
with any other Federal rules. There are no known significant 
alternative approaches to the proposed rule that would meet the 
proposed objectives.
    The Regulatory Secretariat has submitted a copy of the IRFA to the 
Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. A copy 
of the IRFA may be obtained from the Regulatory Secretariat. DoD, GSA, 
and NASA invite comments from small business concerns and other 
interested parties on the expected impact of this rule on small 
entities.
    DoD, GSA, and NASA will also consider comments from small entities 
concerning the existing regulations in subparts affected by this rule 
consistent with 5 U.S.C. 610. Interested parties must submit such 
comments separately and should cite 5 U.S.C. 610 (FAR Case 2018-022) in 
correspondence.

VII. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The rule does not contain any information collection requirements 
that require the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. chapter 35).

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 52

    Government procurement.

William F. Clark,
Director, Office of Government-wide Acquisition Policy, Office of 
Acquisition Policy, Office of Government-wide Policy.

    Therefore, DoD, GSA, and NASA propose amending 48 CFR part 52 as 
set forth below:

PART 52--SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES

0
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR part 52 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 137; and 51 
U.S.C. 20113.

0
2. Amend section 52.216-18 by--
0
 a. Revising the date of the clause;
0
 b. Revising paragraph (c); and
0
c. Adding paragraph (d).
    The revisions and additions reads as follows:


52.216-18  Ordering.

* * * * *

Ordering (Date)

* * * * *
    (c) A delivery order or task order is considered ``issued'' 
when--
    (1) If sent by mail (includes transmittal by U.S. mail or 
private delivery service), the Government deposits the order in the 
mail;
    (2) If sent by fax, the Government transmits the order to the 
Contractor's fax number; or
    (3) If sent electronically, the Government either--
    (i) Posts a copy of the delivery order or task order to a 
Government document access system, and notice is sent to the 
Contractor; or
    (ii) Distributes the delivery order or task order via email to 
the Contractor's email address.
    (d) Orders may be issued by methods other than those enumerated 
in this clause only if authorized in the contract.


(End of clause)

[FR Doc. 2019-18141 Filed 8-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P