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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 167 (Thursday, August 28, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51293-51294]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-20526]

[[Page 51293]]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Defense Acquisition Regulations System

48 CFR Part 252

RIN 0750-AI25

Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Electronic 
Submission of Technical Reports (DFARS Case 2014-D001)

AGENCY: Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Department of Defense 
(DoD).

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: DoD is proposing to amend the Defense Federal Acquisition 
Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to require scientific and technical 
reports be submitted in electronic format.

DATES: Comment date: Comments on the proposed rule should be submitted 
in writing to the address shown below on or before October 27, 2014, to 
be considered in the formation of a final rule.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by DFARS Case 2014-D001, using 
any of the following methods:
    [cir] Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit comments 
via the Federal eRulemaking portal by entering ``DFARS Case 2014-D001'' 
under the heading ``Enter keyword or ID'' and selecting ``Search.'' 
Select the link ``Submit a Comment'' that corresponds with ``DFARS Case 
2014-D001.'' Follow the instructions provided at the ``Submit a 
Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and 
``DFARS Case 2014-D001'' on your attached document.
    [cir] Email: osd.dfars@osd.mil. Include DFARS Case 2014-D001 in the 
subject line of the message.
    [cir] Fax: 571-372-6094.
    [cir] Mail: Defense Acquisition Regulations System, Attn: Ms. 
Veronica Fallon, OUSD (AT&L) DPAP/DARS, Room 3B941, 3060 Defense 
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3060.
    Comments received generally will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. To 
confirm receipt of your comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov, 
approximately two to three days after submission to verify posting 
(except allow 30 days for posting of comments submitted by mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Veronica Fallon, Defense Acquisition 
Regulations System, OUSD (AT&L) DPAP/DARS, Room 3B941, 3060 Defense 
Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-3060. Telephone 571-372-6098.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    DoD is proposing to revise the DFARS to implement a policy that 
requires submission of scientific and technical reports in electronic 
media. Reports would be submitted online to the Defense Technical 
Information Center.

II. Discussion and Analysis

    This proposed rule will revise DFARS clause 252.235-7011, Final 
Scientific or Technical Report, by requiring the contractor to submit 
an electronic copy of the approved final scientific or technical 
report. This change will lend efficiency to the submission process by 
no longer requiring the electronically initiated report to be printed 
for submission. It will also allow the report to be submitted in the 
same format as it was created.

III. Executive Orders 12866 and 13563

    Executive Orders (E.O.s) 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess 
all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if 
regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize 
net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public 
health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). E.O. 
13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, 
of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. 
This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not 
subject to review under section 6(b) of E.O. 12866, Regulatory Planning 
and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule 
under 5 U.S.C. 804.

IV. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    DoD does not expect this proposed rule to have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the 
meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., 
because the rule is merely updating the means of submitting an existing 
requirement to the Government. However, an initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis has been performed and is summarized as follows:
    This proposed rule is being issued to require the submission of 
final scientific or technical reports by electronic means in lieu of 
paper documents. Electronic submission of the report is required by DoD 
Instruction 3200.12, DoD Scientific and Technical Information Program. 
The proposed rule will revise DFARS 252.235-7011, Final Scientific or 
Technical Report, by requiring the contractor to submit an electronic 
copy of the approved final scientific or technical report. This change 
will lend efficiency to the submission process by no longer requiring 
the electronically initiated report to be printed for submission. It 
will also allow the report to be submitted in the same format as it was 
created, thereby streamlining and modernizing the report submission 
process.
    According to the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), in Fiscal 
Year 2013 DoD made approximately 469,593 contract awards (excluding 
modifications) to small businesses, of which approximately 4,143 (less 
than 1%) (excluding modifications), were awarded as Research, 
Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) contracts. It is unknown as to 
how many of these RDT&E contracts required the submission of scientific 
or technical reports, since that level of detail is not contained in 
the FPDS data. However, DoD does not expect this proposed rule to have 
a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities 
because it is not revising any report submission requirements, it is 
only modernizing the submission process.
    This rule does not duplicate, overlap, or conflict with any other 
Federal rules.
    DoD did not identify any alternatives to this rule that would 
reduce burdens on small entities and meet the objective of the rule. 
This rule does not impose any new burdens on small entities, and since 
the rule only changes the mode of submission of the reports from paper 
to electronic means, this change is expected to have only a negligible 
impact. DoD invites comments from small business concerns and other 
interested parties on the expected impact of this rule on small 
entities.
    DoD will also consider comments from small entities concerning the 
existing regulations in subparts affected by this rule in accordance 
with 5 U.S.C. 610. Interested parties must submit such comments 
separately and should cite 5 U.S.C. 610 (DFARS Case 2014-D001), in 
correspondence.

V. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C chapter 35) does apply; 
however, these changes to the DFARS do not impose additional 
information collection requirements to the paperwork burden previously 
approved under OMB Control Number 0704-0188, entitled ASSIST Database, 
which expires on August 31, 2016.

[[Page 51294]]

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 252

    Government procurement.

Manuel Quinones,
Editor, Defense Acquisition Regulations System.

    Therefore, 48 CFR part 252 is proposed to be amended as follows:

PART 252--SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES

0
1. The authority citation for 48 CFR part 252 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority:  41 U.S.C. 1303 and 48 CFR chapter 1.

0
2. Section 252.235.7011 is revised to read as follows:

252.235-7011  Final Scientific or Technical Report.

    As prescribed in 235.072(d), use the following clause:

Final Scientific or Technical Report (Date)

    The Contractor shall--
    (a) Submit an electronic copy of the approved final scientific 
or technical report, not a summary, delivered under this contract to 
the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) through the web-
based input system at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/submit/ as required 
under DoD Instruction 3200.12. Include a completed Standard Form 
298, Report Documentation Page, in the document, or complete the web 
based SF 298.
    (b) For instructions on submitting multi-media reports, follow 
the instructions at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/submit.
    (c) Email classified reports (up to Secret) to TR@DTIC.SMIL.MIL. 
If a SIPRNET email capability is not available, follow the 
classified submission instructions at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/submit/.

(End of clause)

[FR Doc. 2014-20526 Filed 8-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P
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