Overview
Title
Submission for OMB Review; Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 3: Improper Business Practices and Personal Conflicts of Interest
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Defense Department, NASA, and a few others asked for permission to keep collecting information from companies about how they do business, to make sure they're not doing anything wrong or unfair. They hope this will make things simpler, and people can comment on these rules until March 8, 2021.
Summary AI
The Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and NASA have made a request to the Office of Management and Budget to review and extend a current information collection related to improper business practices and conflicts of interest under the Federal Acquisition Regulation. This consolidation aims to make it easier for industry participants to identify and manage these requirements, while reducing redundancy and administrative burden. Contractors must submit information related to several contract clauses, including independent price determination, anti-kickback procedures, and preventing personal conflicts of interest. The public can comment on these requirements until March 8, 2021.
Abstract
Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve a revision and extension of a previously approved information collection requirements regarding improper business practices and personal conflicts of interest.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
Summary of the Document
The notice in question involves the Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration (GSA), and NASA, which have submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review and extend an existing information collection associated with improper business practices and personal conflicts of interest, as governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 3. This request, which combines various requirements under a single OMB Control Number (9000-0018), aims to streamline the process and reduce overlapping administrative burdens. Individuals or organizations can provide public comments on this notice until March 8, 2021.
Significant Issues or Concerns
Several critical issues merit attention. Firstly, the document
Issues
• The document does not provide detailed information on the estimated financial impact of the revision and extension of the information collection requirements, making it difficult to assess whether there might be any wasteful spending.
• The language in the document is complex and may be difficult for a general audience to understand, potentially limiting public engagement and feedback.
• There is no analysis or data provided to justify why the burden requirements previously approved under the discontinued OMB Control No. 9000-0091 need to be covered under No. 9000-0018, leaving unclear if this is an efficient allocation of resources.
• The document mentions the consolidation of OMB Control Nos. without explaining the impact of this change on the affected industries or stakeholders, leading to ambiguity about the potential benefits or drawbacks of the consolidation.
• The document does not specify any oversight mechanisms to ensure that reported data from contractors (e.g., independent price determination, anti-kickback procedures) are accurate and truthful, which could lead to unaddressed compliance issues.