Notice2024-12804
Agency Information Collection Activities: Various Homeland Security Acquistions Regulations Forms OMB Control No. 1600-0002
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
June 13, 2024
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security Department
Abstract
The Department of Homeland Security will submit the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 115 (Thursday, June 13, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 115 (Thursday, June 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50365-50366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12804]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
[Docket Number DHS-2024-0019]
Agency Information Collection Activities: Various Homeland
Security Acquistions Regulations Forms OMB Control No. 1600-0002
AGENCY: Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
ACTION: 60-Day notice and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security will submit the following
Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until August 12,
2024. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.1
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number Docket
# DHS-2024-0019, at:
[cir] Federal eRulemaking Portal: <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
Please follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number Docket # DHS-2024-0019. All comments received will be
posted without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any
personal information provided.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
This information collection is associated with the forms listed
below and is necessary to implement applicable parts of the Homeland
Security Acquisition Regulation (HSAR) (48 CFR chapter 30). There are
four forms under this collection of information request that are used
by offerors, contractors, and the general public to comply with
requirements in contracts awarded by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS). The information collected is used by contracting
officers to ensure compliance with terms and conditions of DHS
contracts.
The forms are as follows:
(1) DHS Form 700-1, Cumulative Claim and Reconciliation Statement (see
HSAR, 48 CFR 3004.804-507(a)(3))
(2) DHS Form 700-2, Contractor's Assignment of Refund, Rebates, Credits
and Other Amounts (see HSAR, 48 CFR 3004.804-570(a)(2))
(3) DHS Form 700-3, Contractor's Release (see HSAR, 48 CFR 3004.804-
570(a)(1))
(4) DHS Form 700-4, Employee Claim for Wage Restitution (see HSAR, 48
CFR 3022.406-9)
These forms will be prepared by individuals, contractors or
contract employees during contract administration. The information
collected includes the following:
<bullet> DHS Forms 700-1, 700-2 and 700-3: Prepared by individuals,
contractors or contractor employees prior to contract closure to
determine whether there are excess funds that are available for
deobligation versus remaining (payable) funds on contracts; assignment
or transfer of rights, title, and interest to the Government; and
release from liability. The contracting officer obtains the forms from
the contractor for closeout, as applicable. Forms 700-1 and 02 are
mainly used for calculating costs related to the closeout of cost-
reimbursement, time-and-materials, and labor-hour contracts; and Form
700-3 is mainly used for calculating costs related to the closeout of
cost-reimbursement, time-and-materials, and labor-hour contracts but
can be used for all contract types.
[[Page 50366]]
<bullet> DHS Form 700-4 is prepared by contractor employees making
claims for unpaid wages. Contracting officers must obtain this form
from employees seeking restitution under contracts to provide to the
Comptroller General. This form is applicable to all contract types,
both opened and closed.
The prior information collection request for OMB No. 1600-0002 was
approved through May 31, 2025, by OMB in a Notice of OMB Action. This
justification supports a request for an extension of the approval.
The purpose of the information collected is to ensure proper
closing of physically complete contracts. The information will be used
by DHS contracting officers to ensure compliance with terms and
conditions of DHS contracts and to complete reports required by other
Federal agencies such as the General Services Administration and the
Department of Labor (DOL). If this information is not collected, DHS
could inadvertently violate statutory or regulatory requirements and
DHS's interests concerning inventions and contractors' claims would not
be protected.
The four DHS forms are available on the DHS Homepage (<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/acquisition-policy">https://www.dhs.gov/acquisition-policy</a>). These forms can be filled in
electronically and submitted via email or facsimile to the specified
Government point of contact. Since the responses must meet specific
timeframes, a centralized mailbox or website would not be an
expeditious or practical method of submission. The use of email or
facsimile is the best solution and is most commonly used in the
Government. The forms are prescribed for use in the closeout of
applicable contracts and during contract administration. As the
information collection is governed by FAR, HSAR and certain procurement
statutes, usability testing is limited to ensuring the use of plain
language, no duplicate/superfluous collection and electronic
submission. DHS found the following: As much as feasible, plain
language is used in the applicable forms. DHS encourages the
information collected from the public under this request complements
but does not duplicate vendor information available to the Government-
wide acquisition community through Integrated Award Environment (IAE)
systems, including the System for Award Management (SAM). To ensure the
information collected under this collection isn't duplicative, DHS
Office of the Chief Procurement Officer: (1) monitors the acquisition
processes and procedures of the various DHS Components; (2) reviews
proposed and published changes to the FAR; and (3) provides one
location for the final review and approval of all proposed acquisition
regulations for DHS. Respondents may submit requested information
electronically, through email or facsimile to the specified Government
point of contact. Contractors will utilize their own computers to
provide the required information to the Government point of contact.
Information collection may or may not involve small business
contractors. The burden applied to small business is the minimum
consistent with the goals of ensuring responsiveness to Government
requirements. To reduce burden on small businesses and other small
entities, the HSAR is continuously reviewed to determine whether the
requirements remain valid.
DHS Form 700-1, Cumulative Claim and Reconciliation Statement: Less
frequent incidence of collecting such information would result in
inadequate closeout data. The office administering the contract would
not have the necessary information to (1) determine settlement of
indirect costs; and (2) adequately closeout cost-reimbursement, time-
and-materials, and labor-hour contracts.
DHS Form 700-2, Contractor's Assignment of Refunds, Rebates,
Credits and Other Amounts. DHS would not be allowed to collect funds to
which it may be rightfully entitled.
DHS Form 700-3 Contractor's Release: DHS would not have legal
protection from a contractor asserting later claims against a contract.
DHS Form 700-4 Employee Claim for Wage Restitution: DOL requires
this form be completed by Contractor employees claiming restitution
under contracts. If the form is not completed and submitted, payment
may not be made to the employee.
Disclosure/non-disclosure of information is handled in accordance
with the Freedom of Information Act, other disclosure statutes, and
Federal and agency acquisition regulations.
The burden estimates provided in response to Item 12 above are
based upon contracts reported by DHS and its Components to the FPDS for
fiscal year 2022. No program changes occurred and there were no changes
to the information being collected. However, the burden was adjusted to
reflect an agency adjustment decrease of 12,634 in the number of
respondents within DHS for fiscal year 2022, and an increase in the
average hourly wage rate.
The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in
comments which:
Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency,
including whether the information will have practical utility;
Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and
Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submissions of responses.
Analysis
Agency: Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Title: Various Homeland Security Acquisitions Regulations Forms.
OMB Number: 1600-0002.
Frequency: Annually.
Affected Public: Contractor.
Number of Respondents: 21,379.
Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 Hour.
Total Burden Hours: 21,379.
Robert Dorr,
Acting Executive Director, Business Management Directorate.
[FR Doc. 2024-12804 Filed 6-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9112-FL-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on June 13, 2024.
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