04-14850. Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; Travel Costs

AGENCIES:

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

ACTION:

Notice of request for an extension to an existing OMB clearance (9000-0088).

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 travel costs. The clearance currently expires September 30, 2004.

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 30, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (MVA), 1800 F Street, NW., Room 4035, Washington, DC 20405. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0088, Travel Costs, in all correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Richard C. Loeb, Office of Acquisition Policy, GSA [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

FAR 31.205-46, Travel Costs, requires that, except in extraordinary and temporary situations, costs incurred by a contractor for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses shall be considered to be reasonable and allowable only to the extent that they do not exceed on a daily basis the per diem rates in effect as of the time of travel as set forth in the Federal Travel Regulations for travel in the conterminous 48 United States, the Joint Travel Regulations, Volume 2, Appendix A, for travel is Alaska, Hawaii, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and territories and possessions of the United States, and the Department of State Standardized Regulations, section 925, “Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowances for Foreign Areas.” The burden generated by this coverage is in the form of the contractor preparing a justification whenever a higher actual expense reimbursement method is used.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

Respondents: 5,800.

Responses Per Respondent: 10.

Total Responses: 58,000.

Hours Per response: .25.

Total Burden Hours: 14,500.

Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat (MVA), Room 4035, Washington, DC 20405, telephone [phone]. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0088, Travel Costs, in all correspondence.

Dated: June 17, 2004.

Ralph J. Destefano,

Acting Director, Acquisition Policy Division.