01-5578. Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC); Transfer of Data

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces that pesticide related information submitted to EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), including information that may have been claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI) by the submitter, will be tranferred to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in accordance with 40 CFR 2.307(h)(3) and 2.308(i)(2). SAIC has been awarded a contract to perform work for OPP, and access to this information will enable SAIC to fulfill the obligations of the contract.

DATES:

SAIC will be given access to this information on or before March 12, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

By mail: Erik R. Johnson, FIFRA Security Officer, Information Resources and Services Division (7502C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 703-305-7248; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

This action applies to the public in general. As such, the Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this Document and Other Related Documents?

You may obtain electronic copies of this document, and certain other related documents that might be available electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/​. To access this document, on the Home Page select “Laws and Regulations,” “Regulations and Proposed Rules,” and then look up the entry for this document under the “Federal Register—Environmental Documents.” You can also go directly to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/​fedrgstr/​.

II. Contractor Requirements

Under contract number 68-W9-0060/000, the contractor will perform the following:

The Contractor shall provide technical expertise necessary to conduct analyses of samples of pesticide products, particularly aluminum phosphide fumigants, to support possible enforcement actions and provide expert testimony regarding the manner in which the analyses were conducted. The analyses may require testing for both the active ingredient and certain inert ingredients. The analyses of individual samples will not be routinely scheduled but will be conducted as necessary as products are found entering the marketplace. The analyses will determine if the product contains the amount of active ingredient as expressed on the product labeling and whether the active ingredient or specified inert ingredients are within the certified limits contained in the Confidential Statement of Formula (CSF) accepted in connection with the pesticide's registration. The analytical method will generally be specified by EPA and and ingredient may be required to be analyzed by more than one method, using both wet and dry chemical techniques. Analyses will be conducted in accordance with EPA quality assurance procedures, chain of custody procedures, and procedures for maintaining the security of CBI.

This contract involves no subcontractors.

The OPP has determined that the contract described in this document involve work that is being conducted in connection with FIFRA, in that pesticide chemicals will be the subject of certain evaluations to be made under this contract. These evaluations may be used in subsequent regulatory decisions under FIFRA.

Some of this information may be entitled to confidential treatment. The information has been submitted to EPA under sections 3, 4, 6, and 7 of FIFRA and under sections 408 and 409 of FFDCA.

In accordance with the requirements of 40 CFR 2.307(h)(3), the contract with SAIC, prohibits use of the information for any purpose not specified in the contract; prohibits disclosure of the information to a third party without prior written approval from the Agency; and requires that each official and employee of the contractor sign an agreement to protect the information from unauthorized release and to handle it in accordance with the FIFRA Information Security Manual. In addition, SAIC is required to submit for EPA approval a security plan under which any CBI will be secured and protected against unauthorized release or compromise. No information will be provided to SAIC until the requirements in this document have been fully satisfied. Records of information provided to SAIC will be maintained by EPA Project Officers for the contract. All information supplied to SAIC by EPA for use in connection with the contract will be returned to EPA when SAIC has completed its work.

List of Subjects

• Environmental protection
• Business and industry
• Government contracts
• Government property
• Security measures

Dated: February 14, 2001.

 Richard D. Schmitt,

Acting Director, Information Resources and Services Division, Office of Pesticide Programs.