04-16695. Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Office of Acquisition and Materiel 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 Acquisition and Materiel Management, 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 August 23, 2004.

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 to: [e-mail]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0593” in any correspondence.

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection to VA's OMB Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503, [phone]. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0593” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Provision 852.214-70, Caution to Bidders—Bid Envelopes.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0593.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: VAAR provision 852.214-70, Caution to Bidders—Bid Envelopes, advises bidders that it is their responsibility to ensure that their bid price cannot be ascertained by anyone prior to bid opening. It also advises bidders to identify their bids by showing the invitation number and bid opening date on the outside of the bid envelope. The Government often furnishes a blank bid envelope or a label for use by bidders/offers to identify their bids. The bidder is advised to fill in the required information. This information requested from bidders is needed by the Government to identify bid envelopes from other mail or packages received without having to open the envelopes or packages and possibly exposing bid prices before bid opening. The information will be used to identify which parcels or envelopes are bids and which are other routine mail. The information is also needed to help ensure that bids are delivered to the proper bid opening room on time and prior to bid opening.

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 April 6, 2004, at page 18155.

Affected Public: Business or other for profit, individuals or households, and not-for-profit profit institutions.

Estimated Annual Burden: 960 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 10 seconds.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 346,000.

Dated: July 13, 2004.

By direction of the Secretary.

Loise Russell,

Director, Records Management Service.