01-15185. Federal Acquisition Regulation; Proposed Collection; Standard Form 28, Affidavit of Individual Surety

AGENCIES:

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

ACTION:

Notice of request for comments regarding an extension to an existing OMB clearance (9000-0001).

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 Standard Form 28, Affidavit of Individual Surety. The clearance currently expires on September 30, 2001.

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:

Submit comments on or before August 14, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102, NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, and a copy to the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat, 1800 F Street, NW., Room 4035, Washington, DC 20405. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0001, Standard Form 28, Affidavit of Individual Surety, in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Beverly Cromer, Acquisition Policy Division, GSA [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

The Affidavit of Individual Surety (Standard Form (SF) 28) is used by all executive agencies, including the Department of Defense, to obtain information from individuals wishing to serve as sureties to Government bonds. To qualify as a surety on a Government bond, the individual must show a net worth not less than the penal amount of the bond on the SF 28. It is an elective decision on the part of the maker to use individual sureties instead of other available sources of surety or sureties for Government bonds. We are not aware if other formats exist for the collection of this information.

The information on SF 28 is used to assist the contracting officer in determining the acceptability of individuals proposed as sureties.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

The annual reporting burden is estimated as follows:

Respondents: 500.

Responses Per Respondent: 1.43.

Total Responses: 715.

Hours Per Response: .4.

Total Burden Hours: 286.

Obtaining Copies of Proposals

Requester may obtain a copy of the proposal from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (MVP), 1800 F Street, NW., Room 4035, Washington, DC 20405, telephone [phone]. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0001, Standard Form 28, Affidavit of Individual Surety, in all correspondence.

Dated: May 29, 2001.

Al Matera,

Director, Acquisition Policy Division.