Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR): Introduction,

[Federal Register: June 17, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 116)]

[Rules and Regulations]

[Page 32739-32741]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr17jn99-26]

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Part VI

Department of Defense

General Services Administration

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

48 CFR Chapter I, et al.

Federal Acquisition Circular 97-12 Introduction; Federal Acquisition Regulation; Taxpayer Identification Numbers; Use of Brand Name Item Descriptions, et al.; Final Rules

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Chapter 1

Federal Acquisition Circular 97-12; Introduction

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

ACTION: Summary presentation of final and interim rules, and technical amendments.

SUMMARY: This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) rules issued by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council in this Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 97-12. A companion document, the Small Entity Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG, is available via the Internet at http://www.arnet.gov/far.

DATES: For effective dates and comment dates, see separate documents which follow.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The FAR Secretariat, Room 4035, GS Building, Washington, DC 20405, (202) 501-4755, for information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For clarification of content, contact the analyst whose name appears in the table below in relation to each FAR case or subject area. Please cite FAC 97-12 and specific FAR case number(s). Interested parties may also visit our website at http://www.arnet.gov/far.

Item

Subject

FAR case

Analyst

I................................... Taxpayer Identification

97-003 Olson. Numbers. II.................................. Use of Brand Name Item

96-018 Moss. Descriptions. III................................. SBA's 8(a) Business

98-011 Moss. Development Program (Interim). IV.................................. Competition Under Multiple

98-007 DeStefano. Award Task and Delivery Order Contracts. V................................... Application of the Brooks

98-023 O'Neill. Act. VI.................................. Restrictions on the

98-306 Nelson. Acquisition of Information Technology. VII................................. Technical Amendments

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Summaries for each FAR rule follow. For the actual revisions and/or amendments to these FAR cases, refer to the specific item number and subject set forth in the documents following these item summaries.

Federal Acquisition Circular 97-12 amends the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) as specified below:

Item I--Taxpayer Identification Numbers (FAR Case 97-003)

The interim rule published as Item I of the FAC 97-09 is converted to a final rule without change. The rule amends FAR Parts 1, 4, 13, 14, 15, and 52 to implement Subsection (i) of the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 and Section 1022 of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997; and to clarify the Government requirements for reporting contract and payment information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Item II--Use of Brand Name Item Descriptions (FAR Case 96-018)

This final rule amends FAR Parts 11, 37, and 52 to clarify guidance for the use of brand name purchase descriptions.

Item III--SBA's 8(a) Business Development Program (FAR Case 98-011)

This interim rule amends FAR Parts 12, 19, and 52 to implement changes made in the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Business Development (8(a)BD) Program regulation contained in 13 CFR parts 121, 124, and 134 regarding the eligibility procedures for admission to the 8(a)BD and contractual assistance programs.

Item IV--Competition Under Multiple Award Task and Delivery Order Contracts (FAR Case 98-007)

This final rule amends the procedures for placing orders under multiple award contracts at FAR 16.505(b). The amendment emphasizes that agencies shall use only fair methods when placing orders. For example, the contracting officer shall not employ allocation or designation of any preferred awardee(s) that would result in less than fair consideration being given to all awardees prior to placing each order.

Item V--Application of the Brooks Act (FAR Case 98-023)

This final rule amends FAR Part 36 to remove the reference to the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) at FAR 36.601-4(a)(4).

Item VI--Restrictions on the Acquisition of Information Technology (FAR Case 98-306)

This final rule revises FAR 39.101 to implement Division A, Section 101(h), Title VI, Section 622 of the Omnibus Appropriations and Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999. Section 622 provides that no appropriated funds may be used to acquire information technology that does not comply with FAR 39.106, unless the agency's Chief Information Officer (CIO) determines that noncompliance with 39.106 is necessary to the function and operation of the agency or the acquisition is required by a contract in effect before October 21, 1998.

Item VII--Technical Amendments

Amendments are being made at 1.106, 9.505, 12.301, 19.803, 19.806, 22.609, 31.205-6, 42.203, 52.204-6, 52.212-1, 52.212-3, 52.213-4, 52.215-2, 52.219-1, 52.219-8, 52.219-14, 52.219-22, 53.214 and 53.215-1 in order to update references and make editorial changes.

FAR Index

The FAR Index is revised and a copy is provided in the looseleaf version of the FAR.

Dated: June 9, 1999. Edward C. Loeb, Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.

Federal Acquisition Circular

Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 97-12 is issued under the authority of the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General Services, and the Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Unless otherwise specified, all Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and other directive material contained in FAC 97-12 are effective August 16, 1999, except for Items I, III, VI, and VII which are effective June 17, 1999.

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Dated: June 8, 1999. Eleanor R. Spector, Director, Defense Procurement.

Dated: June 7, 1999. Ida M. Ustad, Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Acquisition Policy General Services Administration.

Dated: May 27, 1999. Tom Luedtke, Acting Associate Administrator for Procurement National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

[FR Doc. 99-15145Filed6-16-99; 8:45 am]

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