2016-13860. Submission for OMB Review; Bid Guarantees, Performance and Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

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

SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning bid guarantees, performance and payment bonds, and alternative payment protections.

DATES:

Submit comments on or before August 12, 2016.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for GSA, Room 10236, NEOB, Washington, DC 20503. Additionally submit a copy to GSA by any of the following methods:

• Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov.

Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching the OMB control number. Select the link “Submit a Comment” that corresponds with “Information Collection 9000-0045, Bid, Performance, and Payment Bonds”. Follow the instructions provided at the “Submit a Comment” screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and “Information Collection 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections” on your attached document.

• Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405. ATTN: Ms. Flowers/IC 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections.

Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information Collection 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections, in all correspondence related to this collection. Comments received generally will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal and/or business confidential information provided. To confirm receipt of your comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov,, approximately two to three days after submission to verify posting (except allow 30 days for posting of comments submitted by mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Kathlyn Hopkins, Procurement Analyst, Contract Policy Division, at 202-969-7226 or email [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

FAR Subparts 28.1 and 28.2; FAR clauses at 52.228-1, 52.228-2, 52.228-13, 52.228-15, 52.228-16; and associated FAR standard forms implement the statutory requirements of the Miller Act (40 U.S.C. 3131 et seq.), which requires performance and payment bonds for any construction contract exceeding $150,000, unless it is impracticable to require bonds for work performed in a foreign country, or it is otherwise authorized by law. In addition, the note to 40 U.S.C. 3132, entitled “Alternatives to Payment Bonds Provided by the Federal Acquisition Regulation,” is implemented in the FAR, which requires alternative payment protection for construction contracts that exceed $30,000 but do not exceed $150,000.

Although not required by statute, under certain circumstances the FAR permits the Government to require bonds on other than construction contracts. In addition to the contract clauses at FAR 52.228-1, 52.228-2, 52.228-13, 52.228-15, 52.228-16, this information collection covers the following FAR standard forms (SF) as prescribed at FAR Subparts 28.1 and 28.2: SF 25, Performance Bond; SF 25A, Payment Bond; SF 273, Reinsurance Agreement for a Miller Act Performance Bond; SF 274, Reinsurance Agreement for a Bonds Statute Payment Bond; SF 24, Bid Bond; SF 25B, Continuation Sheet (For Standard Forms 24, 25, and 25A); Standard Form 34, Annual Bid Bond; Standard Form 275, Reinsurance Agreement in Favor of the United States; Standard Form 1416, Payment Bond for Other Than Construction Contracts; Standard Form 1418, Performance Bond for Other Than Construction Contracts; and Standard Form 35, Annual Performance Bond. The information collected under this clearance provides the Government with a form of security that the contractor will not withdraw a bid or assures that the contractor will perform its obligations under a contract. A notice published in the Federal Register at 81 FR 15304 on March 22, 2016. No comments were received.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

Respondents: 974.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Total Responses: 974.

Hours per Response: 1.

Total Burden Hours: 974.

C. Public Comments

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.

Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the General Services Administration, Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone [phone].

Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections, in all correspondence.

Dated: June 8, 2016.

Lorin S. Curit,

Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of Governmentwide Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office of Governmentwide Policy.