00-10746. 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).

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. This OMB clearance expires on August 31, 2000.

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:

Comments may be submitted on or before June 30, 2000.

ADDRESSES:

Comments 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 (MVRS), Room 4035 1800 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20405. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0113 in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Linda Nelson, Office of Federal Acquisition Policy Division, GSA [phone].

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.

The FAR requires offerors responding to contract solicitations to 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

Number of Respondents: 20.

Responses Per Respondent: 1.

Total Responses: 20.

Average Burden Hours Per Response: 1.

Total Burden Hours: 20.

Obtaining Copies of Proposals

Requester may obtain a copy of the proposal from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (MVRS), Room 4035, 1800 F Street, Washington, DC 20405, telephone [phone]. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0113, Acquisition of Helium, in all correspondence.

Edward C. Loeb,

Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.