E8-2279. Federal Acquisition Regulation; Submission for OMB Review; Buy American Act, Trade Agreements Act Certificate

AGENCIES:

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

ACTION:

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

SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Secretariat has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently approved information collection requirement concerning Buy American Act, Trade Agreements Act Certificate. A request for public comments was published in the Federal Register at 72 FR 56728, on October 4, 2007. No comments were received. This OMB clearance expires on May 31, 2008.

Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of functions of the 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; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before March 10, 2008.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102, NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, and a copy to the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (VPR), 1800 F Street, NW., Room 4035, Washington, DC 20405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Meredith Murphy, Contract Policy Division, GSA [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

Under the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, unless specifically exempted by statute or regulation, agencies are required to evaluate offers over a certain dollar limitation not to supply an eligible product without regard to the restrictions of the Buy American program. Offerors identify excluded end products on this certificate.

The contracting officer uses the information to identify the offered items which are domestic end products. Items having components of unknown origin are considered to have been mined, produced, or manufactured outside the United States, a designated country, Caribbean Basin country or Free Trade Agreement Country.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

Respondents: 1,140.

Responses Per Respondent: 10.

Total Responses: 11,400.

Hours Per Response: .109.

Total Burden Hours: 1,238.

OBTAINING COPIES OF PROPOSALS: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (VPR), Room 4035, 1800 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone [phone]. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0025, Buy American Act, Trade Agreements Act Certificate, in all correspondence.

Dated: January 28, 2008.

Al Matera,

Director, Office of Acquisition Policy.