**10631 Federal Register** / Vol. 63, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 4, 1998
/ Notices

''informed \[its\] competitor that its prices were

'ridiculously low' and that the competitor did not

have to 'give' the product away.' '' I do not consider

Stone's conduct and language to have

communicated a message nearly as pointed as that

conveyed by Precision Moulding.

Stone's actions (and its explanations of

them) the sinister characterization that

would permit me to condemn its

otherwise justifiable actions. I am

concerned that the Commission's

decision in this case may deter

corporate officials from making useful

public statements (*e.g.*, in speeches to

investors or presentations to securities

analysts) that candidly address industry

conditions, individual firms' financial

situations, and other important subjects.

I respectfully dissent.

\[FR Doc. 98--5535 Filed 3--3--98; 8:45 am\]

**BILLING CODE 6750--01--M**

**GENERAL SERVICES**

**ADMINISTRATION**

**\[GSA Bulletin FPMR D--246\]**

**Public Buildings and Space**

To: Heads of Federal agencies

Subject: Assessment of fees and recovery of

costs for antennas of Federal agencies

and public service organizations

**1.** *What is the Purpose of This Bulletin?*

This bulletin provides all Federal

agencies with general guidelines for

assessing antenna placement fees on

other Federal agencies, on State and

local government agencies, and on

charitable, public service/public safety,

and non-profit organizations. State and

local government agencies, charitable,

public service/public safety, and nonprofit

organizations are referred to as

public service organizations throughout

this bulletin. (The use of the phrase,

''public service organization'' is not

intended to include Federal

organizations or agencies, even though

such organizations may also provide

public services.)

While there may be other Federal

agency specific statutory authorities

which permit landholding agencies to

perform certain tasks, studies, surveys

or analysis when making their property

available to other Federal agencies and

the general public, this guidance is

intended to identify several typical costs

and common authorities.

This bulletin is not a grant of

authority, but merely a source of

informational guidance, further it is

recommended that Executive

departments and agencies consult their

legal counsel prior to instituting any

action relating to this bulletin.

**2. When Does This Bulletin Expire?**

This bulletin expires June 30, 1999,

unless sooner canceled or revised.

**3. What is This Bulletin's Background?**

a\. The use of wireless

telecommunications equipment has

been increasing and is expected to

continue in the future. The

Telecommunications Act of 1996

recognizes the increasing importance of

wireless telecommunications services

and provides guidance for the rapid

deployment of new telecommunications

technologies.

b\. The General Services

Administration (GSA), Office of

Governmentwide Policy (OGP) has

taken the leadership role concerning the

Federal Government's policy on

placement of wireless

telecommunications equipment on

Federal real property.

c\. Based on the input from a working

group representing several landholding

Federal agencies, the GSA--OGP issued

revised guidance on facilitating

commercial access to Federal real

property. The Associate Administrator

for the OGP signed GSA Bulletin FPMR

D--242, entitled ''Placement of

Commercial Antennas on Federal

Property,'' on June 11, 1997, and

published it in the **Federal Register** on

June 16, 1997 (62 FR 32611).

d\. This bulletin is the result of the

further efforts of the working group to

provide guidance to Executive

departments and agencies for assessing

fees for antennas and other related

equipment, which are dependent in

whole or in part on the Federal

spectrum rights for their transmissions.

This guidance is generally focused on

the placement of antennas belonging to

other Federal agencies and public

service organizations. Much of this

guidance may also be useful when

considering locating antennas and

assessing fees for antenna placements

on Federal property for other types of

wireless telecommunications

transmissions.

e\. The Federal Communications

Commission regulates the conditions

and procedures under which

communications entities offer and

operate domestic wireless

communications. This bulletin only is

intended to serve as guidelines on the

assessment of fees and recovery of costs

for locating antennas of other Federal

agencies and certain public service

organizations on Federal agency

property.

f\. Other Federal agencies,

independent regulatory commissions

and agencies are encouraged to use

these guidelines to the extent consistent

with their missions and policies.

\(1\) GSA---In accordance with the

Federal Property and Administrative

Services Act of 1949, the Administrator

is authorized and directed to charge for

all space and services provided.

\(2\) Other Federal agencies are subject

to their own applicable statutory

authorities when providing antenna

space and services to other Federal

agencies and public service

organizations.

g\. Because of the myriad of legal

authorities applicable to specific

agencies, all Executive departments and

agencies, and other Federal government

organizations should consult their legal

counsel prior to initiating any action

relating to this bulletin.

**4. What Action Is Required?**

In the absence of other applicable

authorities, Executive departments and

agencies may assess fees or recover costs

for services relating to antenna sites

using the guidelines presented in

subsections 4.a, 4.b, and 4.c of this

bulletin. GSA, and Executive

departments and agencies operating

under a delegation of authority from

GSA, will provide antenna sites and

assess fees in accordance with the

statutory authorities described in

subsection 4.d.

a\. *Under what authorities may*

*Executive departments and agencies*

*assess fees for antenna placements*

*against other Executive departments*

*and agencies?* Unless prohibited by law,

regulation, or internal agency policy,

Executive departments and agencies

should consider using one of the legal

authorities listed under subparagraphs

(1), (2) or (3) below when deciding

whether to assess user fees for the

placement and servicing of antennas

belonging to other Federal agencies.

Each of the following authorities has

certain benefits or limitations,

depending on the assessing agency's

own programmatic needs.

For example, while an agency may be

very familiar with interagency

agreements under the Economy Act

(discussed below), agency

reimbursements under the Economy Act

typically are restricted to recovering the

actual costs of the assessing agency.

Similarly, while authority to assess

antenna siting fees pursuant to the

Telecommunications Act of 1996

(discussed below) or pursuant to the

Federal Property and Administrative

Services Act (under a delegation of

authority from GSA as discussed below)

may allow agencies to assess marketbased

fees, unless the assessing agency

has independent statutory authority to

**10632 Federal Register** / Vol. 63, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 4, 1998
/ Notices

retain such monetary proceeds, any fees

received must be deposited as soon as

practicable into the U.S. Treasury as

miscellaneous receipts or into GSA's

Federal Buildings Fund. Nevertheless,

in the absence of specific agency

authority to assess fees against other

Federal agencies for antenna siting,

Federal agencies should consider using

one of the following:

\(1\) *Section 704 of the*

*Telecommunications Act of 1996*, Pub.

L. 104--104 (47 U.S.C. 332 note) (the

''Telecommunications Act''). This

provision authorizes landholding

agencies to charge reasonable fees to

providers of telecommunications

services whose antennas and equipment

are for telecommunications services that

are dependent, in whole or in part, upon

the use of Federal spectrum rights for

their transmission.

The legislative history accompanying

section 704 offers little guidance on

what might constitute a reasonable fee

to assess another Federal agency that

might qualify as such a provider of

telecommunications services. Use of the

phrase ''reasonable fees'' can be

construed to allow agencies to charge

''market-based'' rents or user fees to

public service antenna service providers

(i.e., rents or fees that are based on

comparable private sector rates even

when those fees exceed the outleasing

agency's actual costs). However, Federal

interagency transactions typically are

based on actual cost reimbursements,

and to avoid possible questions about

excessive charges, we recommend that

agencies assess fees that are based on

their actual costs when charging other

Federal agencies under this authority.

See sub-section 4.b regarding fees to

public service organizations.

\(2\) Section 210 of the Federal

Property and Administrative Services

Act of 1949, as amended, (40 U.S.C.

490\) (the ''Property Act''). If a

landholding agency, acting pursuant to

subsection 210(k) of the Property Act,

provides ''space and services'' (which

GSA has concluded includes space for

antenna sites) to another Federal

agency, the landholding agency

providing the antenna space (and

related services) is authorized to charge

the antenna-siting agency at rates

approved by the Administrator of

General Services and the Director of

OMB (40 U.S.C. 490(k)).

Typically, these rates should

approximate commercial charges for

comparable space and services (i.e., the

agency is authorized to assess marketbased

rental rates and fees for siting the

antenna even if these charges exceed the

landholding agencies' actual costs). The

landholding agency may use the moneys

derived from such charges to credit the

appropriation originally charged with

providing the service. However, any

amounts collected in excess of the

actual operating and maintenance costs

of the service must be deposited into the

U.S. Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

In some instances, agencies occupying

Federal property which is under the

custody and control of GSA may, under

a delegation of the Administrator's

authority, charge for ''space and

services'' (including providing space for

antennas) under subsection 210(j) of the

Property Act (40 U.S.C. 490(j) and 40

U.S.C. 486(e)). Such fees or charges

must approximate commercial charges

for comparable space and services (i.e.,

market rates) and the proceeds from

such charges or fees must be deposited

into GSA's Federal Buildings Fund (40

U.S.C. 490(f)).

\(3\) The Economy Act (31 U.S.C.

1535). While this Act does not authorize

a Federal landholding agency to charge

another Federal agency a user fee for the

use of an interest in real property, in

most instances it can be used as

authority by a landholding agency to be

reimbursed by the antenna-siting agency

for the landholding agency's actual costs

incident to the locating and

maintenance of another agency's

antenna. Federal agencies are cautioned

that inter-agency transactions under the

Economy Act are limited to ''goods and

services'' and that ''antenna sites'' (e.g.

leases of building rooftop space or other

real property locations that might be

suitable for antenna placements) would

not qualify as a good or service.

Nevertheless, landholding agencies may

consider this authority to recoup the

costs of other goods and services that

might be incident to the siting and

servicing of another agency's antenna.

Such incidental services might include:

protecting, maintaining, and actually

locating the antenna and its related

equipment on the site. Additional

regulatory guidance on charging for

Economy Act services can be found at

48 CFR Subpart 17.5.

b\. *Under what authorities may*

*Executive departments and agencies*

*assess fees for antenna placements*

*against public service organizations?*

\(1\) What authority do Executive

departments and agencies have to

provide sites and charge fees? While the

Telecommunications Act also provides

authority to Federal landholding

agencies to provide antenna sites and

incidental services to public service

organizations whose telecommunication

services are dependent upon the Federal

spectrum rights (and provides authority

to charge reasonable fees for the use of

those sites), in most other instances

Federal agencies will be required to rely

on different statutory authorities when

siting and servicing antennas on Federal

lands for public service organizations.

\(A\) As discussed above section 704 of

the Telecommunications Act of 1996

allows a Federal agency to provide

Federal property, rights-of-ways or

easements for antenna sitings to various

public service organizations (e.g.,

emergency broadcast systems and

public service radio stations, local fire,

police and rescue organizations) if such

organizations' telecommunications

services are dependent, in whole or in

part, upon the utilization of Federal

spectrum rights.

However, this authority has obvious

limitations where the public service

organization provides

telecommunications services that are

not dependent, in whole or in part, on

the Federal spectrum rights for their

transmission or reception. For instance,

the Telecommunications Act authority

is likely inapplicable when the antenna

is used for non-Federal spectrum

broadcasts, or for broadband, microwave

or data relay services.

When the public service

organization's telecommunication

services are not dependent upon the

Federal spectrum rights, Federal

landholding agencies will likely have to

rely on their individual agency

authorities to provide antenna sites and

to assess fees. However, in the absence

of such independent statutory

authorities to provide antenna locations

and to assess fees for those locations,

landholding agencies may be able to use

authority granted GSA under the Public

Buildings Cooperative Use Act.

\(B\) Section 104 of the Public

Buildings Cooperative Use Act (40

U.S.C. 490(a)(16)--(19) authorizes GSA

to outlease space in or around public

buildings to persons, firms or

organizations engaged in ''commercial,

cultural, educational or recreational

activities'' (as defined under 40 U.S.C.

612a).

When a Federal agency receives an

antenna siting request by a public

service organization, and that agency is

occupying space in a public building

that is under GSA custody and control,

the agency should refer the requesting

public service organizations to the

appropriate GSA regional office. The

referring agency should also advise GSA

whether that agency recommends GSA

to accommodate the requesting public

service organization's siting request or

not. Of course, GSA's issuance of a

Cooperative Use Act outlease or permit

for the antenna placement will be

conditioned upon the fact that the

antenna placement is not disruptive to

**10633 Federal Register** / Vol. 63, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 4, 1998
/ Notices

other tenants in that building or the

surrounding area.

Outleasing authority under this Act,

while also available to other agencies

through a delegation of authority from

GSA, is limited to certain areas in, or

contiguous to, public buildings (e.g.,

pedestrian access levels, rooftops,

courtyards). Furthermore, any proceeds

from antenna outleases under the

Cooperative Use Act are required to be

deposited into GSA's Federal Buildings

Fund (40 U.S.C. 490(a)(18)). For these

reasons, this authority will be of limited

use to agencies considering siting public

service antennas in rural or remote

locations or to agencies hoping to retain

the proceeds from these antenna

outleases.

\(2\) What types of fees that can be

charged public service organizations?

The types of fees that agencies can

charge public service organizations also

differ from those that can be assessed

against other Federal agencies. For

instance, where the restrictions of the

Economy Act would likely prevent a

landholding agency from charging an

antenna siting Federal agency more than

the landholding agency's actual costs for

the goods and services provided in

siting that antenna, the landholding

agencies should, whenever possible,

assess market-based fees (i.e., fees

potentially in excess of actual costs)

when siting antenna for public service

organizations.

Unless prohibited by law, regulation,

or internal agency policy Executive

departments and agencies may assess

user fees for the placement and

servicing of antennas belonging to

public service organizations as follows:

\(A\) Pursuant to section 704 of the

Telecommunications Act of 1996: If the

antenna site and incidental services are

provided to public service organizations

whose antennas and equipment are for

telecommunications services that are

dependent, in whole or in part, upon

the use of Federal spectrum rights for

their transmission, landholding agencies

are authorized to charge these

organizations ''reasonable fees'' for their

use of the Federal property, right-of-way

or easement. As discussed above, the

Telecommunications Act and its

accompanying legislative history do not

define what constitutes a reasonable fee.

While we have recommended that

landholding agencies charge other

Federal agencies fees which would

reimburse the assessing agency's actual

costs (see subsection 4.(a)(1) above),

when assessing public service

organizations under this Act agencies

should consult the following

authorities, for guidance, when

determining what could constitute a

''reasonable fee'' for the use of Federal

property:

• 31 U.S.C. 9701. This provision

expresses Congress's intent that each

service or thing of value provided by an

agency is to be self-sustaining to the

extent possible. It authorizes

landholding agencies to assess fees that

are fair and based on the value to the

recipient of the service or thing

provided by the Government. Further,

OMB Circular A--25, titled ''User

Charges,'' revised July 8, 1993, sets out

Federal policy regarding fees assessed

for Government services and for the sale

or use of Government goods or services.

• President Clinton's August 10, 1995

Memorandum. While not itself a grant

of statutory authority to assess user fees,

the Presidential Memorandum of

August 10, 1995, entitled ''Facilitating

Access to Federal Property for the Siting

of Mobile Services Antennas,'' provides

that agencies, to the extent permitted by

law, ''shall charge fees based on the

market value for siting antennas on

Federal property.'' 60 FR 42023 (1995),

40 U.S.C. 490 note.

Landholding agencies are reminded

that, unless they have independent

authority to retain user fees, any

proceeds from antenna siting fees

assessed under section 704 of the

Telecommunications Act of 1996 or

pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 9701 or the

Presidential Memorandum, must be

deposited into the U.S. Treasury as

miscellaneous receipts.

\(B\) Pursuant to the Public Buildings

Cooperative Use Act of 1976: The Public

Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976

(40 U.S.C. § 490(a)(16)--(19)) authorizes

the GSA Administrator to charge fees or

rental rates for the outleased space that

are ''equivalent to the prevailing

commercial rate for comparable space

devoted to a similar purpose in the

vicinity of the public building,'' 40

U.S.C. § 490(a)(16). The term ''public

building'' is defined in the Public

Buildings Act of 1959 (40 U.S.C.

§ 612(1)). Therefore, GSA charges

market-based rents for antenna site

outleases on major pedestrian access

levels, courtyards and rooftops of public

buildings under its custody and control.

All proceeds from such antenna

outleases are deposited into GSA's

Federal Buildings Fund.

Other landholding agencies which

have custody and control of public

buildings and which wish to make

antenna sites on those public buildings

available to various public service

organizations under the Cooperative Use

Act should contact GSA's Public

Buildings Service at telephone number

\(202\) 501--1100.

• Acting under a delegation of

authority from the Administrator of

General Services, these landholding

agencies could make space available for

antenna siting in or around the public

buildings under their custody and

control and assess a rental rate for that

antenna site outlease. The rental rate

from such delegated outlease authority

must be:

\(i\) Equivalent to the prevailing

commercial rate for comparable antenna

sites in the vicinity of the public

building;

\(ii\) Approved by the Administrator of

General Services, and;

\(iii\) All proceeds from the antenna

site fees must be deposited into GSA's

Federal Buildings Fund for crediting to

the appropriation made for the

operations of the public building (40

U.S.C. 490(a)(17)--(18) and 40 U.S.C.

486(e)).

• GSA, and Federal landholding

agencies operating under a delegation of

Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act

authority from GSA, may in certain

circumstances charge a rental rate less

than the prevailing market rate if the

Administrator of General Services

deems such other rate to be in the

public interest (40 U.S.C. § 490(a)(17)).

The decision to charge less than the

prevailing commercial rent rate rests

solely with the GSA Administrator and

will depend on the nature of the activity

conducted on the antenna site (e.g., an

antenna outlease of a very short

duration or for broadcasts of an

important public service and

educational nature). The Administrator

will charge market-based rental rates for

all antenna outleases with organizations

engaged in commercial activities.

Landholding agencies should advise

GSA officials about the nature and

duration of the antenna site outlease

before requesting a delegation of

Cooperative Use Act outleasing

authority.

c\. *What types of costs relating to*

*antenna sitings may Executive*

*departments and agencies recover from*

*other Federal agencies when charging*

*actual costs, or from public service*

*organizations that may be in addition to*

*market-based site fees?*

\(1\) Executive departments and

agencies may charge fees to other

Executive departments and agencies

that will recoup the landholding

agency's actual cost (if any) of providing

the property lease, easement or right-ofway.

However, in addition to recouping

these costs, the landholding agency may

also recover the cost of all necessary and

incidental expenses it incurred in the

siting of antennas on that Federal

property. This is also true in cases

**10634 Federal Register** / Vol. 63, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 4, 1998
/ Notices

where Executive agencies assess marketbased

fees from public service

organizations for antenna placements on

Federal property. Typical costs that

might be necessary and incident to the

placement of antennas and related

telecommunications equipment on

Federal property (in addition to fees for

the use of the site property) include:

\(i\) Preparation of an Environmental

Impact Statement or Environmental

Assessment under the National

Environmental Policy Act, and if

required, development of a

communications site plan;

\(ii\) Engineering evaluation to avoid

electromagnetic intermodulations and

interferences;

\(iii\) Various other studies or analyses

of the impact of antennas and

equipment on the current and planned

Federal use(s) of the property;

\(iv\) Any direct or indirect (overhead)

expenses for the preparation or

recording of leases, licenses, easements,

releases, surveys, title searches or other

documents; and

\(v\) Various costs for utilities,

protection, and necessary access to the

site. (We note that charges for utilities

are expressly authorized to be assessed

to certain public service organizations

in leased space under the Public

Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976

(40 U.S.C. 490(a)(19)); and that these

types of services would likely qualify as

goods and services that could be

provided to other Federal agencies

under the Economy Act).

\(2\) In some instances, particularly

when these costs are minimal, or when

it is not practicable or possible to

individually identify individual cost

components, the landholding agency

may estimate its aggregate actual cost

and incorporate that amount into a

single lump sum charge or a nominal

user fee. The landholding agencies

should take care to see that these types

of charges, to the maximum extent

possible, reflect the agencies' actual

costs (for siting Federal antennas) or

applicable market rates (for siting public

service antennas).

\(3\) Under Federal appropriations law,

it is impermissible for one agency to use

its financial resources to augment the

operations of another agency in the

absence of statutory authority to do so.

For this reason, any time an Executive

department or agency incurs costs for

placing an antenna of another Federal

agency on its property, unless the

landholding agency has independent

authority to spend its appropriated

funds to support another agency's

antenna siting activities, the

landholding agency should charge the

agency whose antenna is being located

on its property for all costs associated

with the siting and servicing of the

antenna.

\(4\) If there is any question about what

costs can be incurred as necessary and

incidental expenses to the placement of

an antenna or related equipment on

agency property, agency legal counsel

should be consulted prior to the

agency's incurring those costs.

d\. *What are GSA's authorities for*

*providing property for antenna sites and*

*for assessing fees for those sites and any*

*related services?*

The following is a summary of the

authorities which govern GSA's ability

to provide sites and services for

antennas and equipment of Federal

agencies and public service

organizations on GSA-controlled real

property, and which establish GSA's

authority to assess fees for such antenna

sites and services. These authorities also

are applicable to Executive departments

and agencies acting under a delegation

from GSA. Under the below-defined

authorities, funds received in sections

4.d.(1)--4.d.(4) are deposited into the

Federal Buildings Fund. Funds received

in section 4.d.(5) are deposited into the

U.S. Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

\(1\) Section 210 of the Federal

Property and

Administrative Services Act of 1949,

as amended, (40 U.S.C. 490), (the

Property Act):

\(A\) Subsection 210(a)(6) of the

Property Act authorizes the

Administrator of General Services to

obtain payments for services, space,

maintenance, repairs or other facilities

furnished to any Federal agency;

\(B\) Subsection 210(j) authorizes and

directs the Administrator of the General

Services to charge anyone furnished

services, space, maintenance, repair or

other facilities at rates that approximate

commercial charges for comparable

space and services (including rooftop

antenna space);

\(C\) Subsection 210(j) further provides

that the Administrator may exempt

anyone from charges if he determines

that such charges would be infeasible or

impractical. GSA Order PBS 4210, titled

''Rent Exemption Procedures'', issued

December 20, 1991, provides additional

guidance on when the Administrator (or

the Commissioner of GSA's Public

Buildings Service by delegation) may

exempt someone from these charges.

\(2\) Section 104 of the Public

Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976

amended the Property Act (40 U.S.C.

490(a) (16)--(19)) by authorizing the

Administrator to:

\(A\) Enter into leases of space on major

public access levels, courtyards and

rooftops of any public building with

persons, firms, or organizations engaged

in commercial, cultural, educational, or

recreational activities (as defined in 40

U.S.C. 612a); and to establish rental

rates for such leased space equivalent to

the prevailing commercial rate for

comparable space devoted to a similar

purpose in the vicinity of the building;

and to use leases that contain terms and

conditions that the Administrator deems

necessary to promote competition and

protect the public interest;

\(B\) Make available, on occasion, or to

lease at such rates and on such other

terms and conditions as the

Administrator deems to be in the public

interest, rooftops, courtyards and certain

other areas in public buildings to

persons, firms or organizations engaged

in commercial, cultural, educational or

recreational activities that will not

disrupt the operation of the building.

\(3\) The Economy Act (31 U.S.C.

1535)---authorizes GSA to provide, on a

reimbursable basis, goods and services

to other Federal agencies, including any

goods or services that might be related

to the placement of another agency's

antenna on GSA-controlled property.

\(4\) 31 U.S.C. 9701---directs GSA, like

other landholding agencies, to assess

fees that are fair and based on the value

of the service or thing provided by the

Government. (Since GSA typically

assesses charges that are based on

commercial equivalent charges for

comparable space and services,

pursuant to its Property Act authorities,

GSA seldom relies on this authority.)

\(5\) Section 704 of the

Telecommunications Act of 1996, Pub.

L. 104--104 (47 U.S.C. 332 note)---

authorizes GSA to charge reasonable

fees for the use of GSA property by

agencies or organizations whose

antennas and related equipment are for

telecommunications services that are

dependent, in whole or in part, upon

the use of Federal spectrum rights for

their transmission. (Given GSA's other

Property Act authorities, GSA will

seldom use this authority.)

\(6\) The Presidential Memorandum of

August 10, 1995---directs that Executive

agencies shall charge fees based on the

market value for siting antennas on

Federal property to the extent

permissible under law. In light of this

Presidential directive and GSA's

statutory authority to charge marketvalue

fees (i.e., commercial equivalent

rates) under the Property Act, GSA will

continue to assess market based fees

whenever practical and feasible (60 FR

42023 (1995), 40 U.S.C. 490 note).

**5. Who Does This Bulletin Apply To?**

This bulletin is intended to offer

guidelines that apply to Executive

**10635 Federal Register** / Vol. 63, No. 42 / Wednesday, March 4, 1998
/ Notices

departments and agencies considering

the placement on their property of

antennas and related equipment

belonging to other Federal agencies and

public service organizations. Other

Federal agencies and independent

regulatory commissions are encouraged

to apply these guidelines to the extent

consistent with their missions and

policies.

**6. How Do You Obtain Further**

**Information?**

Please contact Mr. Stanley C.

Langfeld, Director, Real Property Policy

Division on (202) 501--1737 for further

information on this bulletin.

Dated: February 25, 1998.

**G. Martin Wagner,**

*Associate Administrator for Governmentwide*

*Policy.*

\[FR Doc. 98--5483 Filed 3--3--98; 8:45 am\]

**BILLING CODE 6820--23--P**

**DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND**

**HUMAN SERVICES**

**Agency for Health Care Policy and**

**Research**

**Contract Review Meeting**

In accordance with section 10(a) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5

U.S.C. Appendix 2), announcement is

made of the following technical review

committee to meet during the month of

March 1998:

*Name:* Technical Review Committee on the

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

Publications Clearinghouse.

*Date and Time:* March 23, 1998, 9 a.m.--3

p.m.

*Place:* Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research, 2101 East Jefferson Street, Suite

502, Rockville, MD 20852.

This meeting will be closed to the public.

*Purpose:* The Technical Review

Committee's charge is to provide, on behalf

of the Agency for Health Care Policy and

Research (AHCPR) Contracts Review

Committee, recommendations to the

Administrator, AHCPR, regarding the

technical merit of contract proposals

submitted in response to a specific Request

for Proposals regarding the AHCPR

Publications Clearinghouse that was

published in the Commerce Business Daily

on May 19, 1997.

The purpose of this contract is to continue

the operation of the AHCPR Publications

Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse operation

includes a 24-line information and

publication dissemination call center; the

storage, distribution, and postal metering of

publications; the maintenance and

management of an automated mailing and

inventory control system; and the

management, storage, and shipping of

exhibits. These services are required to

ensure the timely dissemination of AHCPR

research findings and related publications to

the research community and general public.

*Agenda:* The Committee meeting will be

devoted entirely to the technical review and

evaluation of contract proposals submitted in

response to the above-referenced Request for

Proposals. The Administrator, AHCPR, has

made a formal determination that this

meeting will not be open to the public. This

action is necessary to protect the free

exchange of views, and avoid undue

interference with Committee and Department

operations, and safeguard confidential

proprietary information, and personal

information concerning individuals

associated with the proposals that may be

revealed during the meeting. This is in

accordance with section 10(d) of the Federal

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C., Appendix

2, implementing regulations, 41 CFR 101--

6.1023 and procurement regulations, 48 CFR

315.604(d).

Anyone wishing to obtain information

regarding this meeting should contact Judy

Wilcox, Center for Health Information

Dissemination, Agency for Health Care Policy

and Research, 2101 East Jefferson Street,

Suite 501, Rockville, Maryland 20852. 301/

594--1364.

Dated: February 11, 1998.

**John M. Eisenberg,**

*Administrator.*

\[FR Doc. 98--5523 Filed 3--3--98; 8:45 am\]

**BILLING CODE 4160--90--M**

**DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND**

**HUMAN SERVICES**

**Centers for Disease Control and**

**Prevention**

**\[INFO--98--12\]**

**Proposed Data Collections Submitted**

**for Public Comment and**

**Recommendations**

In compliance with the requirement

of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for

opportunity for public comment on

proposed data collection projects, the

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic

summaries of proposed projects. To

request more information on the

proposed projects or to obtain a copy of

the data collection plans and

instruments, call the CDC Reports

Clearance Officer on (404) 639--7090.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency's estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

for other forms of information

technology. Send comments to Seleda

Perryman, Assistant CDC Reports

Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road,

MS--D24, Atlanta, GA 30333. Written

comments should be received within 60

days of this notice.

**Proposed Project**

1\. An Epidemiologic Study of the

Relation Between Maternal and Paternal

Preconception Exposure to Ionizing

Radiation and Childhood Leukemia

(0920--0364)---Extension---The National

Center for Environmental Health

proposes an extension of a case-control

study of the relation between maternal

and paternal preconception exposure to

ionizing radiation and childhood

leukemia. The study is designed to

determine whether preconception

gonadal doses from ionizing radiation

are higher in the parents of children

with leukemia than in parents of

healthy children. This hypothesis is

based on previous study findings that,

compared with control groups, children

with leukemia were more likely to have

fathers who worked at the Sellafield

nuclear facility in Great Britain and to

have received higher doses of ionizing

radiation prior to the conception of the

child. Funding for the study is being

provided to the University of Colorado

Health Sciences Center by the National

Center for Environmental Health of the

Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention.

The study is designed as a multicenter

case-control study. Cases will be

children with leukemia and controls

will be children without leukemia

selected at random from the same

population as the cases. In addition, the

next older sibling will be used in a

second control group. The main

exposure of interest, paternal and

maternal gonadal absorbed doses from

ionizing radiation during the six-month

time period before conception, will be

quantified by taking detailed histories

from the parents about medical,

occupational, and environmental

exposures that they had during the time

period of interest. Gonadal doses will be

estimated from the documentation of

each exposure. By calculating the doses

of ionizing radiation each parent

received, we can compute odds ratios

and confidence intervals for paternal

and maternal doses separately and

combined. These findings will clarify

whether the previously determined risks

can be detected in other populations

with similar exposures. Consistency in

the results of this study with those of a