Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Notices 76975

By direction of the Secretary. 

Jacqueline Parks, 

IT Specialist, Records Management Service.

[FR Doc. 04–28033 Filed 12–22–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

[OMB Control No. 2900–0422] 

Proposed Information Collection 

Activity: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of Management, 

Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Office of Management 

(OM), Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA), is announcing an opportunity for 

public comment on the proposed 

collection of certain information by the 

agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction 

Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are 

required to publish notice in the 

Federal Register concerning each 

proposed collection of information, 

including each extension of a currently 

approved collection, and allow 60 days 

for public comment in response to the 

notice. This notice solicits comments on 

information needed to administer 

contracts.

DATES: Written comments and 

recommendations on the proposed 

collection of information should be 

received on or before February 22, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

on the collection of information to 

Cathy I. Dailey, Office of Acquisition 

Resources Service (049A5), Department 

of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420 or 

e-mail cathy.dailey@mail.va.gov. Please 

refer to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0422’’

in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cathy I. Dailey at (202) 273–8774.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the 

PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13; 44 U.S.C. 

3501–21), Federal agencies must obtain 

approval from the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 

information they conduct or sponsor. 

This request for comment is being made 

pursuant to Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 

PRA. 

With respect to the following 

collection of information, (OM) invites 

comments on: (1) Whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of (OM)’s 

functions, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) the accuracy of (OM)’s estimate of 

the burden of the proposed collection of 

information; (3) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (4) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on 

respondents, including through the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

the use of other forms of information 

technology. 

Titles:

a. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 

852.236–72, Performance of Work by the 

Contractor. 

b. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) 

Alternate I to Clause 852.236–80, 

Subcontracts and Work Coordination. 

c. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 

852.236–82, Payments Under FixedPrice Construction Contracts (without 

NAS), including Alternate I. 

d. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 

852.236–83, Payments Under FixedPrice Construction Contracts (with 

NAS), including Alternate I. 

e. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 

852.236–84, Schedule of Work Progress. 

f. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 

852.236–88, Contract Changes, 

Supplements FAR Clause 52.243–4, 

Changes. 

OMB Control Number: 2900–0422. 

Type of Review: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Abstract: The information contained 

Department of Veterans Acquisition 

Regulation (VAAR) Clauses 852.236–72, 

Alternate I to 852.236–80, 852.236–82, 

852.236–83, 852.236–84, and 852.236–

88 is necessary for VA to administer 

construction contracts, and to carry out 

its responsibility to construct, maintain 

and repair real property for the 

Department. 

a. VAAR Clause 852.236–72, 

Performance of Work by the Contractor, 

requires contractors awarded a 

construction contract containing Federal 

Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 

52.236–1, to submit a statement 

designating the branch or branches of 

contract work to be performed by the 

contractor’s own forces. The VAAR 

clause implements the FAR clause by 

requiring the contractor to provide 

information to the contracting officer on 

how the contractor intends to fulfill this 

contractual obligation. The contracting 

officer uses this information to ensure 

that the contractor complies with the 

contract requirements.

b. Alternate I to Clause 852.236–80, 

Work Coordination, requires 

construction contractors, on contracts 

involving complex mechanicalelectrical work, to furnish coordination 

drawings showing the manner in which 

utility lines will fit into available spaces 

and relate to each other and to the 

existing building elements. The 

information is used by the contracting 

officer and VA engineer assigned to the 

project to resolve any problems relating 

to the installation of utilities on 

construction contract. 

c. VAAR Clause 852.236–82, 

Payments Under Fixed-Price 

Construction Contracts (without NAS), 

requires construction contractors to 

submit a schedule of costs for work to 

be performed under the contract. If the 

contract includes guarantee period 

services, Alternate I requires contractor 

to submit information on the total and 

itemized costs of the guarantee period 

services and to submit a performance 

plan/program. The information is 

needed to allow the contracting officer 

to determine the correct amount to pay 

the contractor as work progresses and to 

properly proportion the amount paid for 

guarantee period services. 

d. VAAR Clause 852.236–83, 

Payments Under Fixed-Price 

Construction Contracts (with NAS), 

requires construction contractors to 

submit a schedule of costs for work to 

be performed under the contract. If the 

contract includes guarantee period 

services, Alternate I requires contractor 

to submit information on the total and 

itemized costs of the guarantee period 

services and to submit a performance 

plan/program. The information is 

needed to allow the contracting officer 

to determine the correct amount to pay 

the contractor as work progresses and to 

properly proportion the amount paid for 

guarantee period services. The 

difference between this clause and the 

one above 852.236–82 is that this clause 

requires the contractor to use a 

computerized Network Analysis System 

(NAS) to prepare the cost estimate. 

e. VAAR Clause 852.236–84, 

Schedule of Work Progress, requires 

construction contractors, on contracts 

that do not require the use of a NAS, to 

submit a progress schedule. The 

information is used by the contracting 

officer to track the contractor’s progress 

under the contract and to determine 

whether or not the contractor is making 

satisfactory progress. 

f. VAAR Clause 852.236–88, Contract 

Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 

52.243–4, Changes. FAR Clause 52.243–

4 authorizes the contracting officer to 

order changes to a construction contract 

but does not specifically require the 

contractor to submit cost proposals for 

those changes. VAAR Clause 852.236–

88 requires contractors to submit cost 

76976 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 246 / Thursday, December 23, 2004 / Notices 

proposal for changes ordered by the 

contracting officer or for changes 

proposed by the contractor. This 

information is needed to allow the 

contracting officer and the contractor to 

reach a mutually acceptable agreement 

on how much to pay the contractor for 

the proposed changes to the contract. It 

is also used by the contracting officer to 

determine whether or not to authorize 

the proposed changes or whether or not 

additional or alternate cost proposals for 

changes are needed. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit; individuals and households; and 

not-for-profit institutions. 

Estimated Annual Burden:

a. VAAR Clause 852.236–72, 

Performance of Work by the 

Contractor—36 hours. 

b. VAAR Alternate I to Clause 

852.236–80, Subcontracts and Work 

Coordination—1,190 hours. 

c. VAAR Clause 852.236–82, 

Payments Under Fixed-Price 

Construction Contracts (without NAS), 

including Alternate I—1,397 hours. 

d. VAAR Clause 852.236–83, 

Payments Under Fixed-Price 

Construction Contracts (with NAS), 

including Alternate I—59 hours. 

e. VAAR Clause 852.236–84, 

Schedule of Work Progress—2,095 

hours. 

f. VAAR Clause 852.236–88, Contract 

Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 

52.243–4, Changes—807 hours. 

Estimated Average Burden Per 

Respondent:

a. VAAR Clause 852.236–72, 

Performance of Work by the 

Contractor—1 hour. 

b. VAAR Alternate I to Clause 

852.236–80, Subcontracts and Work 

Coordination—10 hours. 

c. VAAR Clause 852.236–82, 

Payments Under Fixed-Price 

Construction Contracts (without NAS), 

including Alternate I—1 hour. 

d. VAAR Clause 852.236–83, 

Payments Under Fixed-Price 

Construction Contracts (with NAS), 

including Alternate I—30 minutes. 

e. VAAR Clause 852.236–84, 

Schedule of Work Progress—1 hour. 

f. VAAR Clause 852.236–88, Contract 

Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 

52.243–4, Changes—3 hours. 

Frequency of Response: On occasion. 

Estimated Number of Respondents:

a. VAAR Clause 852.236–72, 

Performance of Work by the 

Contractor—36. 

b. VAAR Alternate I to Clause 

852.236–80, Subcontracts and Work 

Coordination—119. 

c. Department of Veterans Affairs 

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Clause 

852.236–82, Payments Under FixedPrice Construction Contracts (without 

NAS), including Alternate I—1,397. 

d. VAAR Clause 852.236–83, 

Payments Under Fixed-Price 

Construction Contracts (with NAS), 

including Alternate I—119. 

e. VAAR Clause 852.236–84, 

Schedule of Work Progress—1,397. 

f. VAAR Clause 852.236–88, Contract 

Changes, Supplements FAR Clause 

52.243–4, Changes—269.

Dated: December 10, 2004.

By direction of the Secretary. 

Jacqueline Parks, 

IT Specialist, Records Management Service.

[FR Doc. 04–28034 Filed 12–22–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

[OMB Control No. 2900–0605] 

Proposed Information Collection 

Activity: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request

AGENCY: Office of General Counsel, 

Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Office of General Counsel 

(OGC), Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA), is announcing an opportunity for 

public comment on the proposed 

collection of certain information by the 

agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction 

Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are 

required to publish notice in the 

Federal Register concerning each 

proposed collection of information, 

including each proposed extension of a 

currently approved collection, and 

allow 60 days for public comment in 

response to the notice. This notice 

solicits comments on information 

needed to determine applicants’

eligibility for accreditation as claims 

agents with VA.

DATES: Written comments and 

recommendations on the proposed 

collection of information should be 

received on or before February 22, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments 

on the collection of information to 

James T. Dehn (022G2), Department of 

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, 

NW., Washington, DC 20420 or e-mail: 

James T. Dehn@mail.va.gov. Please refer 

to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0605’’ in 

any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James T. Dehn at (202) 273–6349 or FAX 

(202) 273–6404.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the 

PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13; 44 U.S.C., 

3501–3521), Federal agencies must 

obtain approval from the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for each 

collection of information they conduct 

or sponsor. This request for comment is 

being made pursuant to Section 

3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA. 

With respect to the following 

collection of information, OGC invites 

comments on: (1) Whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of OGC’s 

functions, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) the accuracy of OGC’s estimate of the 

burden of the proposed collection of 

information; (3) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (4) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on 

respondents, including through the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

the use of other forms of information 

technology. 

Title: Application for Accreditation as 

a Claims Agent, VA Form 21a. 

OMB Control Number: 2900–0605. 

Type of Review: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Abstract: VA Form 21a is completed 

by applicants in filing an application 

with VA General Counsel for 

accreditation as claims agents to 

represent benefit claimants before VA. 

The information requested is necessary 

to establish the statutory and regulatory 

eligibility requirements, e.g., good 

character and reputation which includes 

basic identifying information, 

information concerning past 

representation, military service, 

employment, criminal activity and 

mental health of the applicant. VA uses 

the information to determine the 

applicant’s eligibility for accreditation 

as a claims agent. 

Affected Public: Individuals and 

households. 

Estimated Annual Burden: 15 hours. 

Estimated Average Burden Per 

Respondent: 45 minutes. 

Frequency of Response: On occasion. 

Estimated Number of Respondents:

20.

Dated: December 10, 2004.

By direction of the Secretary. 

Jacqueline Parks, 

IT Specialist, Information Management 

Service.

[FR Doc. 04–28035 Filed 12–22–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P