[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66557-66559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25502]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Notice, request for comment.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) 
invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, without 
revision, the Procurement Solicitation Package (FR 1400; OMB No. 7100-
0180).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before January 24, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by FR 1400, by any of 
the following methods:
     Agency Website: https://www.federalreserve.gov/. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments at https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx.
     Email: [email protected]. Include the OMB 
number or FR number in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.
     Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20551.
    All public comments are available from the Board's website at 
https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx as 
submitted, unless modified for technical reasons or to remove 
personally identifiable information at the commenter's request. 
Accordingly, comments will not be edited to remove any confidential 
business information, identifying information, or contact information. 
Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper in Room 
146, 1709 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006, between 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. For security reasons, the Board requires 
that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by 
calling (202) 452-3684. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to 
present valid government-issued photo identification and to submit to 
security screening in order to inspect and photocopy comments.
    Additionally, commenters may send a copy of their comments to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Desk Officer for the Federal 
Reserve Board, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of 
Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 725 
17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, or by fax to (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Federal Reserve Board Clearance 
Officer--Nuha Elmaghrabi--Office of the Chief Data Officer, Board of 
Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551, (202) 
452-3829.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 15, 1984, OMB delegated to the Board 
authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to approve and assign 
OMB control numbers to collections of information conducted or 
sponsored by the Board. In exercising this delegated authority, the 
Board is directed to take every reasonable step to solicit comment. In 
determining whether to approve a collection of information, the Board 
will consider all comments received from the public and other agencies.
    During the comment period for this proposal, a copy of the proposed 
PRA OMB submission, including the draft reporting form and 
instructions, supporting statement, and other documentation, will be 
made available on the Board's public website at https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/reportforms/review.aspx or may be requested 
from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears above. Final 
versions of these documents will be made available at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, if approved.

Request for Comment on Information Collection Proposal

    The Board invites public comment on the following information 
collection, which is being reviewed under authority delegated by the 
OMB under the PRA. Comments are invited on the following:
    a. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the Board's functions, including whether the 
information has practical utility;
    b. The accuracy of the Board's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    c. Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    d. Ways to minimize the burden of information collection on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; and
    e. Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation, 
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
    At the end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations 
received will be analyzed to determine the extent to which the Board 
should modify the proposal.

Proposal Under OMB Delegated Authority To Extend for Three Years, 
Without Revision, the Following Information Collections

    Report title: Supplier Registration System.
    Agency form number: FR 1400A.
    OMB control number: 7100-0180.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondents: Businesses and individuals.
    Estimated number of respondents: 250.
    Estimated average hours per response: 1.
    Estimated annual burden hours: 250.
    General description of report: The Board is continuously seeking 
suppliers who are interested in doing business with the Board through 
various outreach events, minority/diversity conferences, meetings, and 
events targeted to either a specific industry classification of 
suppliers or an upcoming acquisition. Suppliers are encouraged during 
these efforts to register in the Board's Supplier Registration System 
(FR 1400A). A supplier searching the internet can also find the 
registration system via the Board's public website and elect to

[[Page 66558]]

register.\1\ The Supplier Registration System collects pertinent 
information on their firm and the capabilities they can offer to the 
Board. While completion of the registration process does not guarantee 
future opportunities with the Board, it does bring a supplier's 
capabilities to the attention of procurement staff whose role is to 
match supplier capabilities with specific acquisition activities when 
contracting opportunities arise.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ https://www.federalreserve.gov/secure/vendorregistration/.

    Report title: Solicitation Package.
    Agency form number: FR 1400B.
    OMB control number: 7100-0180.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondents: Businesses and individuals.
    Estimated number of respondents: 300.
    Estimated average hours per response: 81.
    Estimated annual burden hours: 24,300.
    General description of report: In announcing an acquisition, Board 
staff contacts suppliers registered in the Board's system via 
electronic mail or by telephone, and provides the documents and 
applicable attachments included in the Solicitation Package (FR 1400B). 
The FR 1400B includes:
     A cover letter,
     A Solicitation, Offer, and Award Form (Attachment A) which 
outlines pertinent dates for the supplier as well as requires the 
supplier to input contact information and a summary of proposed 
pricing,
     A Supplier Information Form (Attachment N) that requires 
supplier contact information, demographic, and payment information so 
that the supplier can be properly established in the contract writing 
system and receive payment upon the receipt of a proper and valid 
invoice,
     A description, provided by the Board, of the goods or 
services desired,
     A statement of how the Board will evaluate the prospective 
suppliers,
     A statement of how the Board will evaluate the proposal,
     Solicitation instructions (how to prepare and submit the 
proposal, including all deadlines),
     Contract terms (work standards, inspections, work delays, 
work change orders, payment, taxes, and compliance with small business 
and labor laws), and
     Representations and certifications suppliers must make in 
order to participate in the solicitation.
    The Solicitation Package may also include the Past Performance Data 
Sheet and Past Performance Questionnaire (Attachment I) if past 
performance is an evaluation factor. This questionnaire requests 
information on up to three previous contracts that are recent and 
relevant to the solicitation, such as a description of the work, the 
period of performance when the work was completed, the agency for which 
the work was performed, and an estimated total dollar amount of the 
effort.
    Report title: Supplier Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire.
    Agency form number: FR 1400C.
    OMB control number: 7100-0180.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondents: Businesses and individuals.
    Estimated number of respondents: 60.
    Estimated average hours per response: 4.
    Estimated annual burden hours: 240.
    General description of report: For solicitations that require the 
supplier to process, store, or transmit data from the Board, suppliers 
must complete the Supplier Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire (FR 
1400C). This questionnaire requires suppliers to specify the security 
controls surrounding the supplier's security protocols and proposed 
application, if applicable, that will be used to process, store, or 
transmit the data.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Security controls are defined and prioritized based on the 
Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) and 
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special 
Publication 800-53 (Security Controls and Assessment Procedures for 
Federal Information Systems and Organizations).

    Report title: Subcontracting Report.
    Agency form number: FR 1400D.
    OMB control number: 7100-0180.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondents: Businesses and individuals.
    Estimated number of respondents: 20.
    Estimated average hours per response: 1.
    Estimated annual burden hours: 40.
    General description of report: For solicitations that involve 
contracts that have subcontracting opportunities and are expected to 
exceed $100,000, or $300,000 for construction solicitations, non-
covered company \3\ suppliers must submit a subcontracting plan in the 
supplier's own format. The subcontracting plan provides information on 
the nature of subcontracted activities, including the percentage of 
subcontracted work, and identity of subcontractors, including the 
subcontractors' size and ownership status, the company will use if 
awarded the effort. If a supplier is awarded a contract following a 
Subcontracting Solicitation, the supplier must provide semiannual 
Subcontracting Reports (FR 1400D) to the Board to document compliance 
with section 342(e) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer 
Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act).\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ A ``covered company'' is a firm qualified as a small 
business concern under the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) and 
regulations thereunder, including (1) business concerns that meet 
the size eligibility standards set forth in 13 C.F.R 121; (2) small 
business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans 
as defined by 15 U.S.C. 632(q); (3) qualified HUBZone small business 
concerns pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 632(p) and 13 C.F.R 126; (4) socially 
and economically disadvantaged small business concerns as defined by 
15 U.S.C. 637 and certified as such under 13 CFR 125; and (5) small 
business concerns owned and controlled by women as defined by 15 
U.S.C. 632(n).
    \4\ 12 U.S.C. 5452(e) requires the Board to submit an annual 
report to Congress regarding the total amounts paid by the agency to 
contractors since the previous report, the successes achieved and 
challenges faced by the agency in operating minority and women 
outreach programs, the challenges the agency may face in hiring 
qualified minority and women employees and contracting with 
qualified minority-owned and women-owned businesses, and any other 
information, findings, conclusions, and recommendations for 
legislative or agency action.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Legal authorization and confidentiality: The filing requirements 
under the FR 1400 are authorized by sections 10 and 11 of the Federal 
Reserve Act (FRA) \5\ and section 342(c) of the Dodd-Frank Act.\6\ 
Registering in the Supplier Registration System (FR 1400A) is 
voluntary. The remaining portions of the FR 1400 (FR 1400B, FR 1400C, 
and FR 1400D) are required to obtain a benefit for prospective 
suppliers to the Board.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ Section 10(3) and section 11 of the FRA authorize the Board 
to manage its buildings and staff. 12 U.S.C. 243 and 248(1). Section 
10(4) of the FRA authorizes the Board to determine and prescribe the 
manner in which its obligations shall be incurred and its 
disbursements and expenses allowed and paid. 12. U.S.C. 244.
    \6\ 12 U.S.C. 5452(c) (requiring the Board to develop and 
implement standards and procedures for the review and evaluation of 
contract proposals and for hiring service providers that include a 
component that gives consideration to the diversity of a prospective 
supplier and the fair inclusion of women and minorities in the 
workforce of such supplier and any subcontractor).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A prospective supplier may request confidential treatment of 
information submitted as part of its Procurement Solicitation Package 
under exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which 
protects commercial or financial information that is both customarily 
and actually treated as private.\7\ In addition, a prospective supplier 
may request confidential treatment of information pursuant to exemption 
6 of the FOIA, which protects personal information, the disclosure of 
which would ``constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of

[[Page 66559]]

privacy.'' \8\ Determinations of confidentiality based on exemption 4 
or exemption 6 of the FOIA would be made on a case-by-case basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4).
    \8\ 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(6).

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, November 17, 
2021.
Michele Taylor Fennell,
Deputy Associate Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2021-25502 Filed 11-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P