95-12659. Federal Acquisition Regulation; Public Meeting on Travel Cost

[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 100 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27471-27472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12659]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Part 31

[FAR Case 94-753]


Federal Acquisition Regulation; Public Meeting on Travel Cost

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting on proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: At 59 FR 64542, December 14, 1994, a Federal Acquisition 
Regulation (FAR) proposed rule for implementing statutory requirements 
of the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act, (the Act) with regard to 
travel cost was published. Numerous written comments have been received 
at the FAR Secretariat in response to the Federal Register document. 
The notice announces a public meeting for the Travel Cost rule.

[[Page 27472]] DATES: The meeting will be at 2:00 p.m. on June 14, 
1995.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will held at: Office of Personnel 
Management, 1900 E Street NW., Room 1350, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Beverly Fayson, FAR Secretariat, General Services Administration, 18th 
and F Streets NW., Washington, DC 20405. Telephone: [phone]; FAX 
[phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In order to implement Section 2191 of the 
Act, the Cost Principles Team drafted a proposed rule which would use 
the Federal Travel Regulation/Joint Travel Regulation (FTR/JTR) rates 
as a baseline, while allowing contractors to propose alternative 
maximum per diem rates based on existing travel cost reimbursement 
systems. After review and analysis of the public comments on the 
proposed rule, the team has preliminarily decided to recommend 
retention of the current cost principle language at FAR 31.205-46 
without change and to withdraw the proposed rule.
    The team's preliminary determination to retain the current cost 
principle language is based on the following: (i) Industry and 
Government agency commentors generally agreed that the proposed rule's 
alternative maximum per diem rate requirements would place an undue 
administrative burden on contractor and Government personnel; (ii) 
commentors proposing a revision to the ``reasonableness standard'' did 
not provide any empirical data to support claimed inequities or 
increased administrative burdens under the current rule; and (iii) the 
commenters' alternatives were considered by the team to be 
administratively burdensome and inadequate to protect the Government's 
interests. The team's preliminary conclusion is that retaining the 
current FAR requirement will reduce disagreements and disputes between 
contractors and the Government, is less burdensome administratively 
than any alternative proposed, and results in equitable reimbursement 
of per diem costs.
    To allow the public to present its views on this determination, a 
public meeting will be held on June 14, 1995. Persons or organizations 
wishing to make presentations will be allowed 10 minutes to present 
their views, provided they notify the FAR Secretariat at [phone] 
and provide an advance copy of their remarks not later than June 9, 
1995. All participants should be prepared to provide data to support 
their positions. The team is particularly interested in data which 
supports the contention that FTR/JTR rates are inequitable or that the 
current FAR requirements are more administratively burdensome than 
would be other proposed alternatives, either proposed during the public 
comment process, or presented at this meeting. Alternatives, other than 
those previously proposed during the public comment period, may be 
submitted the consideration. The team will enter into discussion with 
commentors and the audience during this meeting.

    Dated: May 18, 1995.
Edward C. Loeb,
Deputy Project Manager for Implementation of the Federal Acquisition 
Streamlining Act of 1994.
[FR Doc. 95-12659 Filed 5-23-95; 8:45 am]
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