01-18000. 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 et seq.), 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 20, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Information Management Service (045A4), 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. 2900-0586” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.211-75, Technical Industry Standards.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0586.

Type of Review: Reinstatement, without change, of a previously approved collection for which approval has expired.

Abstract: VAAR clause 852.211-75, Technical Industry Standards, requires that items offered for sale to VA under solicitation conform to certain technical industry standards, such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or the National Fire Protection Association and that the contractor furnish evidence to VA that the items meet that requirement. The evidence is normally in the form of a tag or seal affixed to the item, such as the UL tag on an electrical cord or a tag on a fire-rated door. This requires no additional effort on the part of the contractor, as items come from the factory with tags already in place, as part of the manufacturer's standard manufacturing operation. Occasionally, for items not already meeting standards or for items not previously tested, a contractor will have to furnish a certificate from an acceptable laboratory certifying that the items furnished have been tested in accordance with, and conform to, specified standards. Only firms whose products have not previously been tested to ensure the products meet industry standards required under solicitation will be required to submit a separate certificate. The information will be used to ensure that items being purchased meet minimum safety standards and to protect VA employees, VA beneficiaries and the public.

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 11, 2001, at page 18853.

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

Estimated Annual Burden: 50 hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per Respondent: 30 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.

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. 2900-0586” in any correspondence.

Dated: June 28, 2001.

By direction of the Secretary.

Barbara H. Epps,

Management Analyst, Information Management Service.