Notice2022-03602
Requirement for NASA Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards To Obtain a Quotation From Small and/or Minority Businesses, Women's Business Enterprises and Labor Surplus Area Firms
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
February 23, 2022
Issuing agencies
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Abstract
The Grants Policy and Compliance Branch (GPC) in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Office of the Chief Financial Officer is soliciting public comment on the Agency's proposed implementation of a new term and condition that requires recipients of NASA financial assistance to obtain a quotation from small and/or minority businesses, women's business enterprises or labor surplus area firms when the acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold. In response to the Executive Order regarding Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, NASA has been working to identify and address barriers that underserved communities and individuals may face in taking advantage of procurement, contracting, or grant opportunities. To address these barriers, NASA has taken a few actions including proposing the term and condition described above. NASA is taking this action to ensure that entities funded by NASA are compliant with the procurement standards in the uniform guidance. NASA's expectation is that this action will result in an increase in contracting opportunities for small and/or minority businesses, women's business enterprises and labor surplus area firms that contract with NASA financial assistance recipients.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10257-10258]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-03602]
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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
[NOTICE: [22-013]]
Requirement for NASA Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards To
Obtain a Quotation From Small and/or Minority Businesses, Women's
Business Enterprises and Labor Surplus Area Firms
AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
ACTION: Request for public comment on new term and condition that
requires recipients of NASA financial assistance to obtain a quotation
from small and/or minority businesses, women's business enterprises or
labor surplus area firms.
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SUMMARY: The Grants Policy and Compliance Branch (GPC) in the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Office of the Chief
Financial Officer is soliciting public comment on the Agency's proposed
implementation of a new term and condition that requires recipients of
NASA financial assistance to obtain a quotation from small and/or
minority businesses, women's business enterprises or labor surplus area
firms when the acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified
acquisition threshold. In response to the Executive Order regarding
Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through
the Federal Government, NASA has been working to identify and address
barriers that underserved communities and individuals may face in
taking advantage of procurement, contracting, or grant opportunities.
To address these barriers, NASA has taken a few actions including
proposing the term and condition described above. NASA is taking this
action to ensure that entities funded by NASA are compliant with the
procurement standards in the uniform guidance. NASA's expectation is
that this action will result in an increase in contracting
opportunities for small and/or minority businesses, women's business
enterprises and labor surplus area firms that contract with NASA
financial assistance recipients.
DATES: Comments must be received by March 25, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to National Aeronautics and
Space Administration Headquarters, 300 E Street SW, Rm. 6087,
Washington, DC 20546 or sent through <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>; Phone Number:
202-358-2180, FAX Number: 202-358-3336. We encourage respondents to
submit comments electronically to ensure timely receipt. We cannot
guarantee that comments mailed will be received before the comment
closing date. Please include ``Requirement to obtain a quotation from
small and/or minority businesses, women's business enterprises or labor
surplus area firms'' in the subject line of the email message. Please
also include the full body of your comments in the text of the message
and as an attachment. Include your name, title, organization, postal
address, telephone number, and email address in your message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christiane S. Diallo, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7d3e150f140e09141c13185319141c1111123d131c0e1c531a120b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f5b69d879c86819c949b90db919c9499999ab59b948694db929a83">[email protected]</span></a>, telephone (202) 358-5179.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 25, 2021, President Biden issued
E.O. 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved
Communities Through the Federal
[[Page 10258]]
Government, outlining a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for
all, including people of color and others who have been historically
underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty
and inequality. Given that advancing equity requires a systematic
approach to embedding fairness in the decision-making process, the E.O.
instructs agencies to recognize and work to redress inequities in their
policies and programs that serve as barriers to equal opportunity.
In response to E.O. 13985, NASA has been working to identify and
address barriers that underserved communities and individuals may face
in taking advantage of procurement, contracting, or grant
opportunities. Through focused engagement with stakeholders and
comments received from 86 FR 31735, June 15, 2021, Request for
Information on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved
Communities in NASA Programs, Contracts and Grants Process, NASA has
learned that access to information and a lack of resources and
opportunities are just some of the barriers faced by underserved
communities. As such, GPC has reviewed NASA's grants management
policies and procedures and has identified a few actions that can be
taken to reduce these barriers, including a proposed implementation of
a new term and condition that requires recipients of NASA financial
assistance to obtain a quotation from small and/or minority businesses,
women's business enterprises or labor surplus area firms when the
acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified acquisition
threshold.
The full text of the new term and condition is provided below:
Requirement To Obtain a Quotation From Small and/or Minority
Businesses, Women's Business Enterprises or Labor Surplus Area Firms
Pursuant to the requirements in 2 CFR 200.321, Contracting with
small and minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor
surplus area firms, grant and cooperative agreement recipients shall,
to the extent practicable, obtain at least one quotation in response to
a recipient-issued Request for Quotation (RFQ) from a small and/or
minority business, women's business enterprise or labor surplus area
firms when the acquisition of goods or services exceeds the simplified
acquisition threshold (SAT) as defined in the Federal Acquisition
Regulation (FAR) part 2.101, Definitions (currently the SAT is
$250,000). In the event that recipients are unable to obtain at least
one quote from a small and/or minority businesswomen's business
enterprise or labor surplus area firm, a written justification
indicating why this was not possible must be maintained in the
recipient's records.
End of Proposed Term and Condition
Implementation
Upon receipt and resolution of all comments, it is NASA's intention
to implement the new term through a revision to the NASA Grant and
Cooperative Agreement Manual (GCAM). These revised terms and conditions
will become effective thirty days from the final notice publication
date in the Federal Register and will be available in the GCAM.
The new term and condition will be applied to all new NASA awards
and funding amendments to existing awards made on or after the
effective date.
Cheryl Parker,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2022-03602 Filed 2-22-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510-13-P
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