E5-2712. Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Office of Management, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), this notice announces that the Office of Management (OM), Department of Veterans Affairs, has submitted the collection of information abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The PRA submission describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost and burden; it includes the actual data collection instrument.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before June 27, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Records Management Service (005E3), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, [phone] or FAX [phone] or e-mail [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0623.”

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection to VA's Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 [phone]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0623” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. This request for comment is being made pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.

With respect to the following collection of information, (OM) invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of (OM)'s functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of (OM)'s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology.

Title: Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.236.91, Special Notes.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0623.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: VAAR Clause 852.236.91 requires bidders to furnish information on previous experience, technical qualifications, financial resources, and facilities available to perform the work. The clause also requires contractors submitting a claim for price adjustment due to severe weather delay to provide climatologically data covering the period of the claim and covering the same period for the ten preceding years. VA uses the data collected to evaluate the bidder's qualification and responsibility, and to evaluate the contractor's claims for contract price adjustment due to weather-related delays.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published on January 5, 2005, at page 939.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; Individuals and households; and Not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Annual Burden: 778 hours.

a. Qualifications Data: 758 hours.

b. Weather Data: 20 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent:

a. Qualifications Data: 30 min.

b. Weather Data: 1 hour.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,536.

a. Qualifications Data: 1516.

b. Weather Data: 20.

Dated: May 20, 2005.

By direction of the Secretary.

Denise McLamb,

Program Analyst, Records Management Service.