04-27637. Federal Acquisition Regulation; Mentor Protégé Program-Delegation of Approval Authority for Mentor Protégé Agreements

AGENCIES:

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

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) have agreed on a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to change the approval authority of Mentor Protégé Agreements to the DoD Military Departments or Defense Agencies.

DATES:

Effective Date: January 19, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

The FAR Secretariat at [phone] for information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For clarification of content, contact Ms. Rhonda Cundiff, Procurement Analyst, at [phone]. Please cite FAC 2001-26, FAR case 2003-010.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

This final rule amends FAR 19.702, Statutory Requirements, to change the approval authority of Mentor Protégé Agreements to the DoD Military Departments or Defense Agencies. This change is being made in order for DOD to streamline and transform itself to more effectively achieve its mission. The Pilot Mentor-Protégé Program was established under Section 831 of Pub. L. 101-510, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 (10 U. S. C. 2302 note). The purpose of the Program is to provide incentives to major Department of Defense (DoD) contractors to assist protégé firms in enhancing their capabilities to satisfy DoD and other contract and subcontract requirements. Under the Mentor-Protégé Program, eligible companies approved as mentor firms will enter into mentor-protégé agreements with eligible protégé firms to provide appropriate developmental assistance to enhance the capabilities of the protégé firms to perform as subcontractors and suppliers. DoD may provide the mentor firm with either cost reimbursement or credit against applicable subcontracting goals established under contracts with DoD or other Federal agencies.

The Department of Defense, in an effort to streamline and transform itself in order to more effectively achieve its mission and in recognition that the Military Departments have the necessary expertise to manage programs efficiently, is transferring the management of the Mentor Protégé program to the Military Departments and Defense Agencies. The Office of the Secretary of Defense will maintain oversight and policy development responsibilities.

DoD, GSA, and NASA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register at 69 FR 18244, April 6, 2004, with request for comments. One respondent submitted a comment that was outside the scope of the rule and no action was taken. The Councils agreed to convert the proposed rule to a final rule.

Accordingly, the FAR is amended to state that the Director, Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization of the cognizant DoD Military Department or Defense Agency, will be the approval authority for mentor-protégé agreements.

This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not subject to review under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration certify that this final rule will not 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., because the rule removes a restriction, thus allowing DoD to make a minor policy change.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to the FAR do not impose information collection requirements that require the approval of the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 19

• Government procurement

Dated: December 9, 2004.

Laura Auletta,

Director, Contract Policy Division.

Therefore, DoD, GSA, and NASA amend 48 CFR part 19 as set forth below:

1. The authority citation for 48 CFR part 19 is revised to read as follows:

PART 19—SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS

Authority: 40 U.S.C. 121(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 137; and 42 U.S.C. 2473(c).

2. Amend section 19.702 by revising paragraph (d) to read as follows:

19.702

Statutory requirements.

* * * * *

(d) As authorized by 15 U.S.C. 637(d)(11), certain costs incurred by a mentor firm in providing developmental assistance to a protégé firm under the Department of Defense Pilot Mentor-Protégé Program, may be credited as if they were subcontract awards to a protégé firm for the purpose of determining whether the mentor firm attains the applicable goals under any subcontracting plan entered into with any executive agency. However, the mentor-protégé agreement must have been approved by the Director, Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization of the cognizant DoD military department or defense agency, before developmental assistance costs may be credited against subcontract goals. A list of approved agreements may be obtained at http://www.acq.osd.mil/​sadbu/​mentor_​protege/​ or by calling [phone].