98-4298. Federal Acquisition Regulation; SIC Code and Size Standard Appeals  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 9055-9056]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-4298]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
    
    GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
    
    NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    
    48 CFR Part 19
    
    [FAC 97-04; FAR Case 97-026; Item VII]
    RIN 9000-AH87
    
    
    Federal Acquisition Regulation; SIC Code and Size Standard 
    Appeals
    
    AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration 
    (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense 
    Acquisition Regulations Council have agreed on a final rule amending 
    the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to conform to the Small 
    Business Administration (SBA) regulations pertaining to protest of an 
    offeror's small business representation, and appeal of a contracting 
    officer's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code designation and 
    related small business size standard. This regulatory action was not 
    subject to Office of Management and Budget review under Executive Order 
    12866, dated September 30, 1993, and is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 
    804.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: April 24, 1998.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The FAR Secretariat, Room 4035, GS 
    Building, Washington, DC 20405 (202) 501-4755 for information 
    pertaining to status or publication schedules. For clarification of 
    content, contact Ms. Victoria Moss, Procurement Analyst, at (202) 501-
    4764. Please cite FAC 97-04, FAR case 97-026.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    A. Background
    
        This rule amends FAR Subpart 19.3 to conform to SBA regulations at 
    13 CFR 121 and 134 pertaining to protest of small business 
    representations, and appeal of SIC code designations and related small 
    business size standards. The rule contains procedures for filing such 
    protests and appeals.
    
    B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        The final rule does not constitute a significant FAR revision 
    within the meaning of FAR 1.501 and Public Law 98-577, and publication 
    for public comments is not required. However, comments from small 
    entities concerning the affected FAR subpart will be considered in 
    accordance with 5 U.S.C. 610. Such comments must be submitted 
    separately and should cite 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. (FAC 97-04, FAR case 
    97-026), in correspondence.
    
    C. Paperwork Reduction Act
    
        The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because the changes to 
    the FAR do not impose recordkeeping or information collection 
    requirements, or collections of information from offerors, contractors, 
    or members of the public which 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: February 13, 1998.
    Edward C. Loeb,
    Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.
    
        Therefore, 48 CFR Part 19 is amended as set forth below:
    
    PART 19--SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS
    
        1. The authority citation for 48 CFR Part 19 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 137; and 42 
    U.S.C. 2473(c).
    
        2. Section 19.302 is amended--
        a. By revising paragraph (a);
        b. In paragraph (c)(1) by adding ``Government Contracting'' after 
    ``SBA'';
        c. In paragraph (d)(1)(i) by adding ``business'' after ``1'';
        d. In paragraphs (e)(1) and (g)(1) by removing ``protestant'' and 
    adding ``protester'' in its place;
        e. In the first sentence of paragraph (g)(2) by adding ``Government 
    Contracting'' after ``SBA'', and ``, or designee,'' after ``Director''; 
    and in the third sentence by removing the word ``below'' and adding 
    ``of this section'' in its place;
        f. By revising the second sentence of paragraph (h)(4); and
        g. By revising paragraphs (i) and (j) to read as follows:
    
    
    19.302   Protesting a small business representation.
    
        (a) An offeror, the SBA Government Contracting Area Director having 
    responsibility for the area in which the headquarters of the protested 
    offeror is located, the SBA Associate
    
    [[Page 9056]]
    
    Administrator for Government Contracting, or another interested party 
    may protest the small business representation of an offeror in a 
    specific offer.
    * * * * *
        (h) * * *
        (4) * * * The contracting officer shall forward the protest to the 
    SBA (see paragraph (c)(1) of this section) with a notation that the 
    concern is not being considered for award, and shall notify the 
    protester of this action.
        (i) An appeal from an SBA size determination may be filed by: any 
    concern or other interested party whose protest of the small business 
    representation of another concern has been denied by an SBA Government 
    Contracting Area Director; any concern or other interested party that 
    has been adversely affected by a Government Contracting Area Director's 
    decision; or the SBA Associate Administrator for the SBA program 
    involved. The appeal must be filed with the--
    
    Office of Hearings and Appeals, Small Business Administration, Suite 
    5900, 409 3rd Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416
    
    within the time limits and in strict accordance with the procedures 
    contained in subpart C of 13 CFR Part 134. It is within the discretion 
    of the SBA Judge whether to accept an appeal from a size determination. 
    If the Judge decides not to consider such an appeal, the Judge will 
    issue an order denying review and specifying the reasons for the 
    decision. The SBA will inform the contracting officer of its ruling on 
    the appeal. The SBA decision, if received before award, will apply to 
    the pending acquisition. SBA rulings received after award shall not 
    apply to that acquisition.
        (j) A protest that is not timely, even though received before 
    award, shall be forwarded to the SBA Government Contracting Area Office 
    (see paragraph (c)(1) of this section), with a notation on it that the 
    protest is not timely. The protester shall be notified that the protest 
    cannot be considered on the instant acquisition but has been referred 
    to SBA for its consideration in any future actions. A protest received 
    by a contracting officer after award of a contract shall be forwarded 
    to the SBA Government Contracting Area Office with a notation that 
    award has been made. The protester shall be notified that the award has 
    been made and that the protest has been forwarded to SBA for its 
    consideration in future actions.
    
        3. Section 19.303 is amended by revising the section heading and 
    paragraph (c) to read as follows:
    
    
    19.303   Determining standard industrial classification codes and size 
    standards.
    
    * * * * *
        (c) The contracting officer's determination is final unless 
    appealed as follows:
        (1) An appeal from a contracting officer's SIC code designation and 
    the applicable size standard must be served and filed within 10 
    calendar days after the issuance of the initial solicitation. SBA's 
    Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) will dismiss summarily an untimely 
    SIC code appeal.
        (2)(i) The appeal petition must be in writing and must be addressed 
    to the--
    
    Office of Hearings and Appeals, Small Business Administration, Suite 
    5900, 409 3rd Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416
    
        (ii) There is no required format for the appeal; however, the 
    appeal must include--
        (A) The solicitation or contract number and the name, address, and 
    telephone number of the contracting officer;
        (B) A full and specific statement as to why the size determination 
    or SIC code designation is allegedly erroneous and argument supporting 
    the allegation; and
        (C) The name, address, telephone number, and signature of the 
    appellant or its attorney.
        (3) The appellant must serve the appeal petition upon--
        (i) The SBA official who issued the size determination;
        (ii) The contracting officer who assigned the SIC code to the 
    acquisition;
        (iii) The business concern whose size status is at issue;
        (iv) All persons who filed protests; and
        (v) SBA's Office of General Counsel.
        (4) Upon receipt of a SIC code appeal, OHA will notify the 
    contracting officer by a notice and order of the date OHA received the 
    appeal, the docket number, and Judge assigned to the case. The 
    contracting officer's response to the appeal, if any, must include 
    argument and evidence (see 13 CFR Part 134), and must be received by 
    OHA within 10 calendar days from the date of the docketing notice and 
    order, unless otherwise specified by the Administrative Judge. Upon 
    receipt of OHA's docketing notice and order, the contracting officer 
    must immediately send to OHA a copy of the solicitation relating to the 
    SIC code appeal.
        (5) After close of record, OHA will issue a decision and inform the 
    contracting officer. If OHA's decision is received by the contracting 
    officer before the date the offers are due, the decision shall be final 
    and the solicitation must be amended to reflect the decision, if 
    appropriate. OHA's decision received after the due date of the initial 
    offers shall not apply to the pending solicitation but shall apply to 
    future solicitations of the same products or services.
    
    [FR Doc. 98-4298 Filed 2-20-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
4/24/1998
Published:
02/23/1998
Department:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
98-4298
Dates:
April 24, 1998.
Pages:
9055-9056 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
FAC 97-04, FAR Case 97-026, Item VII
RINs:
9000-AH87
PDF File:
98-4298.pdf
CFR: (1)
48 CFR 19