98-16123. Federal Acquisition Regulation; Small Entity Compliance Guide  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 119 (Monday, June 22, 1998)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 34080-34081]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-16123]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
    
    GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
    
    NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
    
    48 CFR Chapter 1
    
    
    Federal Acquisition Regulation; Small Entity Compliance Guide
    
    AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
    (GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
    
    ACTION: Small Entity Compliance Guide.
    
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    SUMMARY: This document is issued under the joint authority of the 
    Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services, and the 
    Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as 
    the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council. This Small Entity 
    Compliance Guide has been prepared in accordance with Section 212 of 
    the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (Public 
    Law 104-121). It consists of a summary of the rules appearing in 
    Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 97-05 which amends the FAR. Further 
    information regarding these rules may be obtained by referring to FAC 
    97-05 which precedes this document. The FAC, including this document, 
    may be obtained from the Internet at http://www.arnet.gov/far.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The FAR Secretariat, (202) 501-4755.
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
                                               List of Rules in FAC 97-05                                           
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Item                   Subject                           Far case                         Analyst       
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I                    Subcontract Consent.......  95-011.................................  Klein                 
    II                   Availability of             97-034.................................  DeStefano             
                          Specifications.                                                                           
    III                  Liquidated Damages........  89-042/97-300..........................  Moss                  
    IV                   Limits on Fee for Cost-     97-042.................................  DeStefano             
                          Plus-Incentive-Fee and                                                                    
                          Cost-Plus-Award-Fee                                                                       
                          Contracts.                                                                                
    V                    Rehabilitation Act,         96-610.................................  O'Neill               
                          Workers With Disabilities                                                                 
                          (Interim).                                                                                
    VI                   Trade Agreements            97-044.................................  Linfield              
                          Thresholds.                                                                               
    VII                  Restrictions on Purchases   97-301.................................  Linfield              
                          from Sudan.                                                                               
    VIII                 Software Copyrights.......  97-614.................................  O'Neill               
    IX                   Travel Reimbursement......  97-007.................................  Nelson                
    X                    No-Cost Value Engineering   96-011.................................  Klein                 
                          Change Proposals                                                                          
                          (Interim).                                                                                
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Item I--Subcontract Consent (FAR Case 95-011)
    
        This final rule amends FAR Parts 4, 22, 35, 36, 44, and 52 to 
    reduce requirements for consent to subcontract. The rule eliminates 
    consent requirements for contractors that have an approved purchasing 
    system, except when specific contracts requiring consent are identified 
    by the contracting officer; eliminates consent requirements for fixed-
    price incentive contracts and fixed-price redeterminable contracts; and 
    increases, to the simplified acquisition threshold, the dollar level at 
    which consent requirements are included in time-and-materials, labor-
    hour, and letter contracts.
    
    Item II--Availability of Specifications (FAR Case 97-034)
    
        This final rule amends FAR Parts 9 and 11 and the provisions at 
    52.211-1, 52.211-2, and 52.212-1 to update addresses and other 
    information regarding the availability of specifications, standards, 
    and item descriptions that may be cited in Government solicitations and 
    contracts. In addition, the rule clarifies the pricing policy regarding 
    specifications, standards, and commercial item descriptions issued by 
    GSA.
    
    Item III--Liquidated Damages (FAR Cases 89-042 and 97-300)
    
        This final rule amends FAR Parts 11, 19, 52, and 53 to clarify 
    policy on liquidated damages and commercial subcontracting plans 
    pertaining to requirements for subcontracting with small, small 
    disadvantaged, and women-owned small business concerns. The rule 
    implements Section 304 of the Business Opportunity Development Reform 
    Act of 1988 (Pub. L. 100-656) and OFPP Policy Letter 95-1, 
    Subcontracting Plans for Companies Supplying Commercial Items. The 
    interim rule published in FAC 84-50, FAR case 89-042, 54 FR 30708, July 
    21, 1989, has been merged with this final rule.
    
    Item IV--Limits on Fee for Cost-Plus-Incentive-Fee and Cost-Plus-
    Award-Fee Contracts (FAR Case 97-042)
    
        This final rule amends FAR Part 16 to clarify fee limitations 
    pertaining to cost-reimbursement contracts. The FAR Part 15 rewrite in 
    FAC 97-02 eliminated non-statutory fee limitations for cost-plus-
    incentive-fee and cost-plus-award-fee contracts. This final rule makes 
    conforming changes to FAR Part 16.
    
    Item V--Rehabilitation Act, Workers With Disabilities (FAR Case 96-
    610)
    
        This interim rule amends FAR Subpart 22.14 and the clauses at 
    52.212-5 and 52.222-36 to implement revised Department of Labor 
    regulations regarding affirmative action to employ and advance in 
    employment qualified individuals with disabilities. The dollar 
    threshold for use of the clause at 52.222-36 has been increased from 
    $2,500 to $10,000.
    
    [[Page 34081]]
    
    Item VI--Trade Agreements Thresholds (FAR Case 97-044)
    
        This final rule amends FAR Part 25 to implement revised thresholds 
    for application of the Trade Agreements Act and the North American Free 
    Trade Agreement, as published by the Office of the United States Trade 
    Representative in the Federal Register on January 14, 1998 (63 FR 
    2295).
    
    Item VII--Restrictions on Purchases From Sudan (FAR Case 97-301)
    
        This final rule amends FAR 25.701 and the clause at 52.225-11 to 
    add Sudan to the list of countries whose products are banned from 
    importation into the United States. This rule implements Executive 
    Order 13067, dated November 3, 1997.
    
    Item VIII--Software Copyrights (FAR Case 97-614)
    
        This final rule amends FAR 27.405 to add contracts for certain 
    computer software programs to the list of examples of contracts for 
    special works to which the Government may obtain copyrights.
    
    Item IX--Travel Reimbursement (FAR Case 97-007)
    
        The interim rule published as Item IX of FAC 97-03 is converted to 
    a final rule without change. The rule amends FAR 31.205-46 to increase 
    from $25.00 to $75.00 the threshold at which contractor personnel must 
    provide a receipt to support travel expenditures.
    
    Item X--No-Cost Value Engineering Change Proposals (FAR Case 96-
    011)
    
        This interim rule revises FAR 48.104-3 to clarify that no-cost 
    value engineering change proposals (VECPs) may be used when, in the 
    contracting officer's judgment, reliance on other VECP approaches 
    likely would not be more cost-effective, and the no-cost settlement 
    would provide adequate consideration to the Government.
    
        Dated: June 11, 1998.
    Edward C. Loeb,
    Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.
    [FR Doc. 98-16123 Filed 6-19-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
06/22/1998
Department:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Small Entity Compliance Guide.
Document Number:
98-16123
Pages:
34080-34081 (2 pages)
PDF File:
98-16123.pdf
CFR: (1)
48 CFR None