97-10193. Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled Acquisition of Helium  

  • [Federal Register Volume 62, Number 76 (Monday, April 21, 1997)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 19312-19313]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 97-10193]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
    
    GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
    NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    [OMB Control No. 9000-0113]
    
    
    Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled Acquisition of 
    Helium
    
    AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
    (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
    
    ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding an extension to 
    an existing OMB clearance (9000-0113).
    
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    SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
    (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 
    Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget 
    (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently 
    approved information collection requirement concerning Acquisition of 
    Helium.
    
    DATES: Comment Due Date: June 20, 1997.
    
    ADDRESSES: Comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect 
    of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing 
    this burden, should be submitted to: FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102, 
    NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, and a copy to the General Services 
    Administration, FAR Secretariat, 1800 F Streets, NW., Room 4037, 
    Washington, DC 20405. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0113 in all 
    correspondence.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Klein, Office of Federal 
    Acquisition Policy, GSA (202) 501-3755.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    A. Purpose
    
        The Helium Act (Pub. L. 86-777) (50 U.S.C. 167a, et seq.) and the 
    Department of the Interior's implementing regulations (30 CFR Parts 601 
    and 602) require Federal agencies to procure all major helium 
    requirements from the Bureau of Land Management, Department of the 
    Interior.
        It has been the Department of the Interior's policy, consistent 
    with Congressional intent that Government helium be used in Government 
    contracts, and that all Government contracts involving the use of 
    significant amounts of helium require that Government helium be used in 
    performing the contract. The appropriate vehicle for the establishment 
    of requirements pertaining to Government procurement is the Federal 
    Acquisition Regulation (FAR).
        Current FAR coverage on the subject references 30 CFR Parts 601 and 
    602. These are Department of the Interior regulations dealing with 
    helium sales and helium distribution. However, the FAR contains no 
    substantive guidance on procurement of helium and does not require 
    submission of information that will permit the Bureau of Mines to 
    ascertain whether Federal agencies are using Government helium and are 
    requiring in their contracts that Government helium be used in 
    contracted-for work.
        The new FAR coverage provides an appropriate level of guidance on 
    the subject, including a requirement that offerors responding to 
    contract solicitations provide information as to their forecast of 
    helium required for performance of the contract.
        Such information will facilitate enforcement of the requirements of 
    the Helium Act and the contractual provisions requiring the use of 
    Government helium by agency contractors, in that it will permit 
    corrective action to be taken if the Bureau of Land Management, after 
    comparing helium sales data against helium requirement forecasts, 
    discovers apparent serious discrepancies.
        The information is used in administration of certain Federal 
    contracts to ensure contractor compliance with contract clauses. 
    Without the information, the required use of Government helium cannot 
    be monitored and enforced effectively.
    
    B. Annual Reporting Burden
    
        Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
    estimated to average .5 hours per response, including the time for 
    reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 
    maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
    collection of information.
        The annual reporting burden is estimated as follows: Respondents: 
    50; responses per respondent: 1; total annual responses: 50; 
    preparation hours per response: 5; and total response burden hours: 25.
    
    C. Annual Recordkeeping Burden
    
        The annual recordkeeping burden is estimated as follows: 
    Recordkeepers: 50; hours per recordkeeper: .5; and total recordkeeping 
    burden hours: 25.
    
    [[Page 19313]]
    
    Obtaining Copies of Proposals
    
        Requester may obtain a copy of the justification from the General 
    Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (VRS), Room 4037, 1800 F 
    Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please 
    cite OMB Control No. 9000-0113, Acquisition of Helium, in all 
    correspondence.
    
        Dated: April 15, 1997.
    Sharon A. Kiser,
    FAR Secretariat.
    [FR Doc. 97-10193 Filed 4-18-97; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6820-34-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
04/21/1997
Department:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Action:
Notice of request for public comments regarding an extension to an existing OMB clearance (9000-0113).
Document Number:
97-10193
Pages:
19312-19313 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
OMB Control No. 9000-0113
PDF File:
97-10193.pdf