[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 7 (Tuesday, January 11, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1439-1440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-00302]


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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[Notice: (22-001)]


Requirement for NASA Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards To 
Obtain a Quotation From Small and/or Minority Businesses, Women's 
Business Enterprises and Labor Surplus Area Firms

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

ACTION: Request for public comment on new term and condition that 
requires recipients of NASA financial assistance to obtain a quotation 
from small and/or minority businesses, women's business enterprises or 
labor surplus area firms.

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SUMMARY: The Grants Policy and Compliance Branch (GPC) in the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Office of the Chief 
Financial Officer is soliciting public comment on the Agency's proposed 
implementation of a new term and condition that requires recipients of 
NASA financial assistance to obtain a quotation from small and/or 
minority businesses, women's business enterprises or labor surplus area 
firms when the acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified 
acquisition threshold. In response to the Executive Order, Advancing 
Racial Equity and Support for Underserved

[[Page 1440]]

Communities Through the Federal Government, NASA has been working to 
identify and address barriers that underserved communities and 
individuals may face in taking advantage of procurement, contracting, 
or grant opportunities. To address these barriers, NASA has taken a few 
actions including proposing the term and condition described above. 
NASA is taking this action to ensure that entities funded by NASA are 
compliant with the procurement standards in the uniform guidance. 
NASA's expectation is that this action will result in an increase in 
contracting opportunities for small and/or minority businesses, women's 
business enterprises and labor surplus area firms that contract with 
NASA financial assistance recipients.

DATES: Comments must be received by February 10, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration Headquarters, 300 E Street SW, Rm. 6O87, 
Washington, DC 20546 or sent by email to [email protected]; 
Phone Number: 202-358-2180, FAX Number: 202-358-3336. We encourage 
respondents to submit comments electronically to ensure timely receipt. 
We cannot guarantee that comments mailed will be received before the 
comment closing date. Please include ``Requirement to obtain a 
quotation from small and/or minority businesses, women's business 
enterprises or labor surplus area firms'' in the subject line of the 
email message. Please also include the full body of your comments in 
the text of the message and as an attachment. Include your name, title, 
organization, postal address, telephone number, and email address in 
your message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christiane S. Diallo, email: 
[email protected], telephone (202) 358-5179.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 25, 2021, President Biden issued 
E.O. 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved 
Communities Through the Federal Government, outlining a comprehensive 
approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and 
others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and 
adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. Given that 
advancing equity requires a systematic approach to embedding fairness 
in the decision-making process, the E.O. instructs agencies to 
recognize and work to redress inequities in their policies and programs 
that serve as barriers to equal opportunity.
    In response to E.O. 13985, NASA has been working to identify and 
address barriers that underserved communities and individuals may face 
in taking advantage of procurement, contracting, or grant 
opportunities. Through focused engagement with stakeholders and 
comments received from 86 FR 31735, June 15, 2021, Request for 
Information on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved 
Communities in NASA Programs, Contracts and Grants Process, NASA has 
learned that access to information and a lack of resources and 
opportunities are just some of the barriers faced by underserved 
communities. As such, GPC has reviewed NASA's grants management 
policies and procedures and has identified a few actions that can be 
taken to reduce these barriers, including a proposed implementation of 
a new term and condition that requires recipients of NASA financial 
assistance to obtain a quotation from small and/or minority businesses, 
women's business enterprises or labor surplus area firms when the 
acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified acquisition 
threshold.
    The full text of the new term and condition is provided below:

Requirement To Obtain a Quotation From Small and/or Minority 
Businesses, Women's Business Enterprises or Labor Surplus Area Firms

    Pursuant to the requirements in 2 CFR 200.321, Contracting with 
small and minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor 
surplus area firms, grant and cooperative agreement recipients shall, 
to the extent practicable, obtain at least one quotation in response to 
a recipient-issued Request for Quotation (RFQ) from a small and/or 
minority business, women's business enterprise or labor surplus area 
firms when the acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified 
acquisition threshold (SAT) as defined in the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation (FAR) part 2.101, Definitions (currently the SAT is 
$250,000). In the event that recipients are unable to obtain at least 
one quote from a small and/or minority business women's business 
enterprise or labor surplus area firm, a written justification 
indicating why this was not possible must be maintained in the 
recipient's records.

End of Proposed Term and Condition Implementation

    Upon receipt and resolution of all comments, it is NASA's intention 
to implement the new term through a revision to the NASA Grant and 
Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM). These revised terms and conditions 
will become effective thirty days from the final notice publication 
date in the Federal Register and will be available in the GCAM.
    The new term and condition will be applied to all new NASA awards 
and funding amendments to existing awards made on or after the 
effective date.

Cheryl Parker,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-00302 Filed 1-10-22; 8:45 am]
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