[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2723-2725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1140]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
41 CFR Parts 201-20 and 201-24
[FIRMR Interim Rule 2, Supplement 1]
RIN 3090-AE 71
Amendment of FIRMR Provisions To Modify Requirements for
Obtaining Delegations of Procurement Authority
AGENCY: Information Technology Service, GSA.
[[Page 2724]]
ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.
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SUMMARY: This change to the Federal Information Resources Management
Regulation (FIRMR) revises policies regarding delegations of
procurement authority from GSA for the acquisition of Federal
information processing (FIP) resources. In a FIRMR rule change issued
October 24, 1994, GSA established three tiers of regulatory thresholds
for information technology resources: $20 million, $10 million, and $5
million based on the size of an agency's information technology budget
and its management record. In letters to all Federal agencies dated
June 19, 1995, GSA granted specific agency delegations of procurement
authority of $100 million to each agency. This rule change codifies
that higher delegation authority by establishing $100 million as the
regulatory threshold for agency acquisitions of FIP resources. This
change is made in continuation of a long term GSA trend to place
greater authority in the hands of the operating agencies. The higher
threshold will allow agencies to assume greater responsibility for
their acquisitions while allowing GSA to focus on larger, more complex
acquisitions. In addition to increasing the dollar amount of regulatory
delegations thresholds, this interim rule strongly encourages agency
Designated Senior Officials (DSO's) to redelegate a minimum of 25
percent of GSA's exclusive procurement authority for FIP resources to
qualified officials at other levels, and changes the approving
authority for exceptions to the use of GSA's consolidated local
telecommunications service.
DATES: This amendment is effective immediately upon publication.
Comments will be considered in the final rule, but must be received on
or before February 28, 1996.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Doris Farmer, GSA/MKR, FTS/Commercial (202) 501-0960 (v), Internet
(doris.farmer@gsa.gov), or (202) 501-0657 (tdd).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (1) This interim rule enables GSA to focus
on high dollar, high risk agency information technology acquisitions.
It provides more authority to agencies, while continuing to require
increased measures of accountability and outcomes. The increased
authority allows agencies to further streamline their internal
acquisition management and review functions. It also promotes
improvements in early agency planning and analysis of business
processes that may be improved through the use of information
technology. (2) An explanation of the changes being made follows:
(a) Subsection 201-20.305(a) is amended to encourage DSO's to
redelegate a minimum of 25 percent of the monetary value of GSA's
delegated procurement authority to other qualified agency officials at
lower organizational levels where sufficient expertise exists. Such
redelegations will further expedite FIP acquisitions and provide for a
more efficient process. DSO's who elect not to redelegate at least 25
percent, or who withdraw earlier delegations, must advise GSA in
writing of the circumstances that will not allow redelegation and the
management action being taken to allow such redelegation in the future.
This change greatly increases the authority granted agencies in Interim
Rule 2, which stated that agencies could only redelegate a maximum of
50 percent of their delegated authority.
(b) Subsection 201-20.305-1 is amended to establish a new
regulatory delegation of procurement authority of $100 million for
acquiring FIP resources without prior approval from GSA. This dollar
threshold also applies to specific make and model requirements and
requirements available from only one source.
(c) Subsection 201-24.102(c)(2) is amended to inform agencies to
submit requests for exceptions to the use of consolidated local
telecommunications service directly to the Federal Telecommunications
Service (TT) for review.
(3) This rule was submitted to, and approved by, the Office of
Management and Budget in accordance with Executive Order 12866,
Regulatory Planning and Review.
(4) The recordkeeping provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act do
not apply because the FIRMR changes do not impose information
collection requirements or collection of information from offerors,
contractors, or members of the public which require the approval of OMB
under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
List of Subjects in 41 CFR Parts 201-20 and 201-24
Archives and records, Computer technology, Federal information
processing resources activities, Government procurement, Property
management, Records management, and Telecommunications.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, GSA is amending 41 CFR
Parts 201-20 and 201-24 as follows:
PART 201-20--ACQUISITION
1. The authority citation for part 201-20 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c) and 751(f).
2. Section 201-20.305 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(3) and
(a)(5) as follows:
Sec. 201-20.305 Delegation of GSA's exclusive procurement authority.
* * * * *
(3) The agency's DSO should redelegate, at a minimum, 25 percent of
the monetary value of GSA's delegated exclusive authorities for FIP
resources to qualified officials possessing the expertise to conduct
and manage FIP acquisitions.
* * * * *
(5) DSO's who elect not to redelegate at least 25 percent of the
monetary value of the delegated authority, or who withdraw a
delegation, shall advise GSA/MKA, 18th and F Streets, NW., Washington,
DC 20405, in writing, of the circumstances involving such redelegations
and their plan regarding redelegations within the agency.
* * * * *
3. Section 201-20.305-1 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(1)
introductory text and (a)(3) introductory text, as follows:
Sec. 201-20.305-1 Regulatory delegations.
(a) * * *
(1) FIP equipment, software, services, and support services when
the total estimated dollar value of all of the FIP resources to be
acquired under the contract, including all optional items and all
option periods, does not exceed $100 million, and if either paragraph
(a)(1) (i), (ii) or (iii) of this section applies:
* * * * *
(3) Use or acquisition of FIP resources from the following GSA
contracting programs do not require delegations of procurement
authority from GSA:
* * * * *
PART 201-24--GSA SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE
1. The authority citation for part 201-24 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c) and 751(f).
2. Section 201-24.102 is amended by revising paragraph (c)(2) as
follows:
Sec. 201-24.102 Consolidated local telecommunications service.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(2) Agencies shall submit requests for exceptions to the use of
consolidated
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local telecommunications services to: GSA, Federal Telecommunications
Service (TT), 1730 M Street, NW., Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036.
* * * * *
Dated: October 11, 1995.
Roger W. Johnson,
Administrator of General Services.
[FR Doc. 96-1140 Filed 1-26-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-25-M
