2016-30700. Submission for OMB Review; Examination of Records by Comptroller General and Contract Audit

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of request for comments regarding an extension to an existing OMB clearance.

SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning the examination of records by comptroller general and contract audit. A notice was published in the Federal Register at 81 FR 62502 on September 9, 2016. No comments were received.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before January 20, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for GSA, Room 10236, NEOB, Washington, DC 20503. Additionally submit a copy to GSA by any of the following methods:

• Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching for OMB Control No. 9000-0034. Select the link “Comment Now” that corresponds with “Information Collection 9000-0034, Examination of Records by Comptroller General and Contract Audit.” Follow the instructions provided on the screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and “Information Collection 9000-0034, Examination of Records by Comptroller General and Contract Audit” on your attached document.
• Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405. ATTN: Ms. Flowers/IC 9000-0034, Examination of Records by Comptroller General and Contract Audit.

Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information Collection 9000-0034, in all correspondence related to this collection. Comments received generally will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal and/or business confidential information provided. To confirm receipt of your comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov,, approximately two to three days after submission to verify posting (except allow 30 days for posting of comments submitted by mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Michael O. Jackson, Procurement Analyst, Contract Policy Branch, GSA, 202-208-4949 or email [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

The objective of this information collection, for the examination of records by Comptroller General and contract audit, is to require contractors to maintain certain records and to ensure the Comptroller General and/or agency have access to, and the right to, examine and audit records, which includes: Books, documents, accounting procedures and practices, and other data, regardless of type and regardless of whether such items are in written form, in the form of computer data, or in any other form, for a period of three years after final payment. This information is necessary for examination and audit of contract surveillance, verification of contract pricing, and to provide reimbursement of contractor costs, where applicable. The records retention period is required by the statutory authorities at 10 U.S.C. 2313, 41 U.S.C. 254, and 10 U.S.C. 2306, and are implemented through the following clauses: Audit and Records-Negotiation clause, 52.215-2; Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items clause, 52.212-5; and Audit and Records-Sealed Bidding clause, 52.214-26. This information collection does not require contractors to create or maintain any records that the contractor does not normally maintain in its usual course of business.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

Respondents: 20,646.

Responses per Respondent: 9.

Total Number of Responses: 185,814.

Hours per Response: 1.0.

Total Burden Hours: 185,814.

C. Public Comments

Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and whether it will have practical utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and methodology and ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.

Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the General Services Administration, Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone [phone]. Please cite OMB Control Number 9000-0034, Examination of Records by Comptroller General and Contract Audit, in all correspondence.

Dated: December 16, 2016.

Lorin S. Curit,

Director, Federal Acquisition Policy, Office of Government-wide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office of Government-wide Policy.