Federal Acquisition Regulation; Information Collection; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-Reporting Requirements-One-Time Reporting, Compensation Requirements

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

Notice of request for comments regarding an extension to an existing OMB clearance (9000-0168).

SUMMARY:

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995(44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation Regulatory 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 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-Reporting Requirements—One Time-Reporting, Compensation Requirements.

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 November 23, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-0168 by any of the following methods:

• Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by inputting “Information Collection9000-0168” under the heading “Enter Keyword or ID” and selecting “Search”. Select the link “Submit a Comment” that corresponds with “Information Collection 9000-0168.” Follow the instructions provided at the “Submit a Comment” screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and “Information Collection 9000-0168” on your attached document.
• Fax: 202-501-4068.
• Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1800 F Street, NW., Room 4041, Washington, DC 20405. ATTN: Hada Flowers/IC 9000-0168.

Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information Collection 9000-0168, in all correspondence related to this collection. All comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov,, including any personal and/or business confidential information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Ernest Woodson, Procurement Analyst, Contract Policy Branch, at telephone (202) 501-3775 or via e-mail to ernest.woodson@gsa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 4.15, and clause 52.204-11 requires contractors to report on use of Recovery Act funds. Contracting officers must include the new clause in solicitations and contracts funded in whole or in part with Recovery Act funds, except classified solicitations and contracts. Commercial item contracts and Commercially Available Off-The-Shelf (COTS) item contracts will be covered, as well as actions under the simplified action threshold.

One-Time Reporting, Compensation Requirements. A one-time reporting element for which the burden is imposed on certain prime contractors and first-tier subcontractors to publicly disclose the names and total compensation of each of the contractor's or first-tier subcontractor's five most highly compensated officers, for the calendar year in which the award was made.

While Section 1512(c)(4) of the Recovery Act requires reporting on all FFATA data elements, including the compensation information, it limits the prime's reporting responsibility to first tier subcontractors that meet the applicability requirements. The FAR clause requires this compensation disclosure for prime contractors as well because to exclude prime contractors while requiring disclosure for first-tier subcontractors would be unsupportable given the transparency goals of both FFATA and the Recovery Act. There are likely to be some prime contractors that already provide public access to the compensation of senior executives through periodic reports filed under section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or section 6104 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. For purposes of this analysis, the Government estimates that 5 percent of prime contractors already provide such public access. There are also likely to be some first-tier subcontractors that do not meet either of the revenue thresholds for applicability. For purposes of this analysis, the Government estimates that 5 percent of first-tier subcontractors will not have to disclose compensation information because they do not meet the revenue thresholds.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

Respondents: 76,049.

Responses Per Respondent: 1.25.

Total Annual Reponses: 95,061.

Hours Per Response: 3.

Total Burden Hours: 285,183.

Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the General Services Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB),1800 F Street, NW., Room 4041, Washington, DC 20405, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0168, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-Reporting Requirements—One-Time Reporting, Compensation Requirements, in all correspondence.