[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 241 (Tuesday, December 16, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 65782-65783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32757]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
48 CFR Part 204
[DFARS Case 97-D033]
Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Uniform
Procurement Instrument Identification
AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Comments are solicited from Government and industry personnel
on the contemplated revision of Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation
Supplement (DFARS) guidance pertaining to uniform procurement
instrument identification numbers. DoD has a need to address
modifications to its system for numbering contracts, modifications, and
orders.
DATES: Comments should be submitted in writing to the address shown
below on or before February 17, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Interested parties should submit written comments to:
Defense Acquisition Regulations Council, Attn: Ms. Melissa Rider, DAR
Council, IMD 3D139, PDUSD(A&T)DP/DAR, 3062 Defense Pentagon,
Washington, D.C. 20301-3062. Telefax number (703) 602-0350.
E-mail comments submitted over the Internet should be addressed to:
dfars@acq.osd.mil.
Please cite DFARS Case 97-D033 in all correspondence related to
this issue. E-mail comments should cite DFARS Case 97-D033 in the
subject line.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Melissa Rider, telephone (703) 602-0131.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Defense Acquisition Regulations (DAR)
[[Page 65783]]
Council has opened DFARS Case 97-D033 to revise DFARS Subpart 204.70,
Uniform Procurement Instrument Identification Numbers, to address
various issues associated with the use of Procurement Instrument
Identification Numbers (PIINs) and Supplemental Procurement Instrument
Identification Numbers (SPIINs).
a. Among the revisions under consideration is one to increase the
length of SPIINs used to identify call or order numbers under contracts
awarded by another activity from 4 characters to 13, or possibly 15,
characters. This revision is similar to a revision included in an
earlier proposed rule, DFARS Case 92-D044, that was published in the
Federal Register on August 18, 1994 (59 FR 42566), and that was
withdrawn on December 28, 1994 (59 FR 66884), in response to public
comments addressing the significant cost impact it would have on
existing automated systems. The notice withdrawing the proposed rule
stated that ``. . . both industry and Government should ensure that
these proposed revisions can be accommodated in any future automated
systems.'' The DAR Council is interested in hearing from industry and
Government activities with respect to their ability to accommodate such
a change at this time. The Council asks that respondents specifically
address whether assignment of a unique 13 (or possibly 15) character
SPIIN for every order (i.e., every call or order would have a
completely unique SPIIN, and, therefore, could be tracked by reference
to its SPIIN only) would improve the potential benefits of the
contemplated revision.
b. Other issues under consideration include:
1. To ensure compatibility with automated systems that use contract
numbers, should there be a uniform contract numbering system, or an
agreed upon maximum number of characters, for basic contract numbers
assigned to all contracts subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation
or, at least, to any such contracts that may have calls or orders
issued under them by other agencies?
2. Is there a need to use more than two digits to designate the
fiscal year within PIINs, and possibly SPIINs, to avoid potential Year
2000 problems in automated systems?
Michele P. Peterson,
Executive Edtior, Defense Acquisition Regulations Council.
[FR Doc. 97-32757 Filed 12-15-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5000-04-M
