Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY:

Office of 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 Management (OM), 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 April 18, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF THE SUBMISSION CONTACT:

Denise McLamb, Information Management Service (005E3), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273-8030 or FAX (202) 273-5981. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0422.”

Send comments and recommendations concerning any aspect of the information collection to VA's Desk Officer, OMB Human Resources and Housing Branch, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 (202) 395-7316. Please refer to “OMB Control No. 2900-0422” in any correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 U.S.C. 3501-21), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. This request for comment is being made pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.

With respect to the following collection of information, (OM) invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of (OM)'s functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of (OM)'s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology.

Titles

a. Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.236-72, Performance of Work by the Contractor.

b. Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Alternate I to Clause 852.236-80, Subcontracts and Work Coordination.

c. Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.236-82, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (without NAS), including Alternate 1.

d. Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.236-83, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (with NAS), including Alternate 1.

e. Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.236-84, Schedule of Work Progress.

f. Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.236-88, Contract Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 52.243-4, Changes.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0422.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Abstract

The information contained Department of Veterans Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clauses 852.236-72, Alternate I to 852.236-80, 852.236-82, 852.236-83, 852.236-84, and 852.236-88 is necessary for VA to administer construction contracts, and to carry out its responsibility to construct, maintain and repair real property for the Department.

a. VAAR Clause 852.236-72, Performance of Work by the Contractor, requires contractors awarded a construction contract containing Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.236-1, to submit a statement designating the branch or branches of contract work to be performed by the contractor's own forces. The VAAR clause implements the FAR clause by requiring the contractor to provide information to the contracting officer on how the contractor intends to fulfill this contractual obligation. The contracting officer uses this information to ensure that the contractor complies with the contract requirements.

b. Alternate I to Clause 852.236-80, Work Coordination, requires construction contractors, on contracts involving complex mechanical-electrical work, to furnish coordination drawings showing the manner in which utility lines will fit into available spaces and relate to each other and to the existing building elements. The information is used by the contracting officer and VA engineer assigned to the project to resolve any problems relating to the installation of utilities on construction contract.

c. VAAR Clause 852.236-82, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (without NAS), requires construction contractors to submit a schedule of costs for work to be performed under the contract. If the contract includes guarantee period services, Alternate I requires contractor to submit information on the total and itemized costs of the guarantee period services and to submit a performance plan/program. The information is needed to allow the contracting officer to determine the correct amount to pay the contractor as work progresses and to properly proportion the amount paid for guarantee period services.

d. VAAR Clause 852.236-83, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (with NAS), requires construction contractors to submit a schedule of costs for work to be performed under the contract. If the contract includes guarantee period services, Alternate I requires contractor to submit information on the total and itemized costs of the guarantee period services and to submit a performance plan/program. The information is needed to allow the contracting officer to determine the correct amount to pay the contractor as work progresses and to properly proportion the amount paid for guarantee period services. The difference between this clause and the one above 852.236-82 is that this clause requires the contractor to use a computerized Network Analysis System (NAS) to prepare the cost estimate.

e. VAAR Clause 852.236-84, Schedule of Work Progress, requires construction contractors, on contracts that do not require the use of a NAS, to submit a progress schedule. The information is used by the contracting officer to track the contractor's progress under the contract and to determine whether or not the contractor is making satisfactory progress.

f. VAAR Clause 852.236-88, Contract Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 52.243-4, Changes. FAR Clause 52.243-4 authorizes the contracting officer to order changes to a construction contract but does not specifically require the contractor to submit cost proposals for those changes. VAAR Clause 852.236-88 requires contractors to submit cost proposal for changes ordered by the contracting officer or for changes proposed by the contractor. This information is needed to allow the contracting officer and the contractor to reach a mutually acceptable agreement on how much to pay the contractor for the proposed changes to the contract. It is also used by the contracting officer to determine whether or not to authorize the proposed changes or whether or not additional or alternate cost proposals for changes are needed.

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 December 23, 2004, at pages 76975-76976.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit, Individuals and households, Not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Annual Burden

a. VAAR Clause 852.236-72, Performance of Work by the Contractor—36 hours.

b. VAAR Alternate I to Clause 852.236-80, Subcontracts and Work Coordination—1,190 hours.

c. VAAR Clause 852.236-82, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (without NAS), including Alternate 1—1,397.

d. VAAR Clause 852.236-83, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (with NAS), including Alternate 1—59 hours.

e. VAAR Clause 852.236-84, Schedule of Work Progress—2,095 hours.

f. VAAR Clause 852.236-88, Contract Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 52.243-4, Changes—807 hours.

Estimated Annual Burden Per Respondent

a. VAAR Clause 852.236-72, Performance of Work by the Contractor—1 hour.

b. VAAR Alternate I to Clause 852.236-80, Subcontracts and Work Coordination—10 hours.

c. VAAR Clause 852.236-82, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (without NAS), including Alternate 1—1 hour.

d. VAAR Clause 852.236-83, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (with NAS), including Alternate 1—30 minutes.

e. VAAR Clause 852.236-84, Schedule of Work Progress—1 hour.

f. VAAR Clause 852.236-88, Contract Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 52.243-4, Changes—3 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents

a. VAAR Clause 852.236-72, Performance of Work by the Contractor—36.

b. VAAR Alternate I to Clause 852.236-80, Subcontracts and Work Coordination—119.

c. Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 852.236-82, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (without NAS), including Alternate 1—1,397.

d. VAAR Clause 852.236-83, Payments Under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts (with NAS), including Alternate 1—119.

e. VAAR Clause 852.236-84, Schedule of Work Progress—1,397.

f. VAAR Clause 852.236-88, Contract Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 52.243-4, Changes—269.