66938 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 8, 2000 / Proposed Rules

entries in the Commission’s databases.

To address this problem, the Petition

suggested that the Commission’s

systems identify transactions that

appear to be duplicates and that the

Reports Analysis Division send out

request for additional information

notices to clarify the duplication. As

stated above, the Commission’s internal

procedures, including RFAI notices, are

not an appropriate subject for

rulemaking. However, the Commission

notes that the upcoming expansion of its

electronic filing program may eliminate

many duplicate entries.

C. Additional Issues Not Included in

the Petition

Two commenters included three

additional suggestions in their

comments on the Petition. They are: (1)

Implement better enforcement tools

such as random audits, the publication

of a list of committees who file

incomplete reports, and a schedule of

fees for non-compliance; (2) require

electronic filing for all committees; and

(3) require Senate candidates to file

reports directly with the FEC. One of

these commenters also added another

recommendation requiring multicandidate entities to issue separate

checks to each separate recipient.

Because these suggestions are beyond

the scope of the Petition for

Rulemaking, the Commission will not

initiate a new rulemaking project in

response to these additional

recommendations. In addition, some of

the suggestions, such as random audits,

are beyond the Commission’s statutory

authority.

However, the Commission has

implemented or is about to implement

new programs and procedures since the

publication of the NOA that address

several of these issues. The new

Administrative Fines program, 65 FR

31787 (May 19, 2000) ( to be codified at

11 CFR part 111, subpart B), that went

into effect in July, 2000, will assess civil

money penalties in accordance with the

schedules of penalties on political

committees who fail to file their reports

in a timely manner. The Commission

will also require political committees

whose annual contributions or

expenditures exceed or are expected to

exceed $50,000 to file their reports

electronically beginning in January,

2001. 65 FR 38415 (June 21, 2000) (to

be codified at 11 CFR 104.18). However,

electronic filing cannot be extended to

all political committees absent further

amendments to the FECA. A legislative

change would also be needed for

senatorial candidates to file directly

with the FEC. However, the Secretary of

the Senate has automated the transfer of

information from the Senate Public

Records’ Office to the FEC and the

information can be viewed in electronic

form on the Commission’s website at

www.FEC.gov.

While the Commission has decided

not to initiate a new rulemaking in

response to this petition, changes the

Commission is making to its operations,

computer systems, forms, and

regulations, as described above, will

further POGO’s goal of enhancing timely

and accurate dissemination of campaign

finance information to the public.

Accordingly, no further action on the

Petition for Rulemaking will be taken at

this time. See 11 CFR 200.4.

Dated: November 2, 2000.

Darryl R. Wold,

Chairman, Federal Election Commission.

[FR Doc. 00–28601 Filed 11–7–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6715–01–P

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

13 CFR Part 124

8(a) Business Development/Small

Disadvantaged Business Status

Determinations

AGENCY: Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

SUMMARY: In order to make the award of

contracts under the 8(a) Business

Development program a more attractive

procurement alternative in today’s

streamlined Federal Government

procurement environment, the Small

Business Administration (SBA)

proposes to amend its current 8(a)

regulations to permit SBA to delegate to

procuring agencies its authority to

accept requirements for the 8(a)

program.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before January 8, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be addressed to Linda Williams,

Associate Administrator for Policy,

Planning, and Liaison, 409 Third Street,

SW., Washington, DC 20416.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Delorice Ford, Associate Administrator

for 8(a) Business Development, at (202)

205–6416.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Federal Streamlining Act of 1994

dramatically changed the way the

Federal Government buys its goods and

services. In today’s changing

procurement environment, there are

increasingly larger contract

opportunities that often are not suitable

for small businesses to perform as prime

contractors. Agencies are also using

streamlined procurement practices such

as multiple award contracts,

Government-Wide Acquisition

Contracts (GWACs), Federal supply

schedules, and credit card purchases. At

the same time, the 8(a) Business

Development (BD) program contract

mechanisms have not been modernized

to successfully link-up with the

acquisition vehicles authorized by

procurement reform. The impact is

fewer contract opportunities for 8(a)

Program Participants.

In order to make the award of

contracts under the 8(a) BD program a

more attractive procurement alternative

and to strengthen the effectiveness of

the 8(a) BD program, SBA proposes to

make the offer and acceptance of

requirements for award through the 8(a)

BD program simpler and faster.

Specifically, SBA proposes to amend its

current 8(a) regulations to permit SBA

to delegate to procuring agencies its

authority to accept requirements for the

8(a) program. This change would reduce

the administrative burden on procuring

agencies and allow SBA to refocus its

efforts on providing business

development, including contract

assistance, to Program Participants. SBA

believes that this change would make

the 8(a) program more attractive by

reducing the 8(a) procurement leadtime

by up to twelve days.

SBA would continue to determine

eligibility for the award of 8(a)

contracts, but would do so on an annual

rather than on a contract-by-contract

basis. SBA would maintain the listing of

firms that are eligible for the award of

8(a) contracts in PRO-Net. In addition,

SBA would require Program

Participants to notify SBA of any

changes in ownership, control, social

disadvantage or economic disadvantage

in order to ensure that PRO-Net is kept

current regarding any firm’s continued

eligibility for 8(a) awards. A procuring

agency could accept SBA’s PRO-Net

designation and accept a specific 8(a)

requirement on behalf of a Program

Participant so determined to be eligible.

By delegating its authority to accept

requirements for award through the 8(a)

program to procuring activities, SBA

could better meet the business

development aspects of the 8(a) BD

program and would be in a better

position to comply with a recent

recommendation in the July 2000

General Accounting Office (GAO) report

titled, SBA Could Better Focus its 8(a)

Program to Help Firms Obtain Contracts

(GAO/RCED–00–196). GAO

recommended that SBA work with its

district offices to place priority on

helping inform Program Participants

about contracting opportunities,

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 217 / Wednesday, November 8, 2000 / Proposed Rules 66939

assisting Participants with contracts at

Federal agencies, and becoming more

involved with Participants as they seek

and negotiate contracts. The proposed

change would allow SBA to use the

resources currently expended on

accepting requirements and determining

eligibility on a contract-by-contract

basis to provide much needed business

development assistance to Participants,

including training on the Federal

contracting process, to enhance their

competitive viability.

Compliance With Executive Orders

13132, 12988 and 12866, the Regulatory

Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.),

and the Paperwork Reduction Act (44

U.S.C. Chapter 3501 et seq.)

SBA certifies that this rule is not a

‘‘significant’’ regulatory action under

Executive Order 12866.

SBA has determined that this rule

would not have a significant economic

impact on a substantial number of small

entities within the meaning of the

Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. SS

601–612. The rule would not impose

any requirements and would not

otherwise affect the kinds of

procurement requirements that can be

available for award through the 8(a) BD

program. It would merely make a

procedural change to SBA’s current

regulations that would authorize SBA to

delegate its authority to procuring

agencies where appropriate.

For the purpose of the Paperwork

Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. Ch. 35, SBA

certifies that this rule would not impose

new reporting or record keeping

requirements.

For purposes of Executive Order

13132, SBA certifies that this rule does

not have any federalism implications

warranting the preparation of a

Federalism Assessment.

For purposes of Executive Order

12978, SBA certifies that this rule is

drafted, to the extent practicable, in

accordance with the standards set forth

in section 2 of this order.

List of Subjects in 13 CFR Part 124

Government procurement; Hawaiian

natives; Minority businesses; Reporting

and recordkeeping requirements;

Technical assistance.

Accordingly, for the reasons set forth

above, SBA proposes to amend Title 13,

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), as

follows:

PART 124—[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 13 CFR

part 124 would continue to read as

follows:

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 634(b)(6), 636(j),

637(a), 637(d) and Pub. L. 99–661, Pub. L.

100–656, sec. 1207, Pub. L. 101–37, Pub. L.

101–574, and 42 U.S.C. 9815.

2. Section 124.502 would be amended

by adding new paragraph (d) to read as

follows:

§ 124.502 How does an agency offer a

procurement to SBA for award through the

8(a) BD program?

* * * * *

(d) Where SBA has delegated its

authority to accept requirements for

award through the 8(a) BD program to

a procuring activity, the procuring

activity need not send an offering letter

to SBA. In such a case, the procuring

activity must ensure that the

information set forth in paragraph (c) of

this section is contained in its

contracting file.

3. Section 124.503(i) would be revised

to read as follows:

§ 124.503 How does SBA accept a

procurement for award through the 8(a) BD

program?

* * * * *

(i) Delegation of acceptance authority

to procuring activities. (1) SBA may

delegate its authority to accept

requirements for award through the 8(a)

BD program to procuring activities

where appropriate.

(2) Where SBA delegates its authority

to accept requirements for award

through the 8(a) BD program to a

procuring activity, the procuring

activity may rely on SBA’s

determination that a particular Program

Participant is eligible for award as set

forth in Pro-Net.

(3) Where SBA has delegated its 8(a)

contract execution authority to a

procuring activity but has not delegated

its authority to accept requirements for

award through the 8(a) BD program to

such activity, the procuring activity

must still offer and SBA must still

accept all requirements intended to be

awarded as 8(a) contracts, except as

provided in paragraph (a)(4)(i) of this

section.

Dated: November 2, 2000.

Aida Alvarez,

Administrator.

[FR Doc. 00–28584 Filed 11–7–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Coast Guard

33 CFR Part 117

[CGD01–00–234]

RIN 2115–AE47

Drawbridge Operation Regulations;

Fort Point Channel, MA

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard proposes to

change the drawbridge operating

regulations for the Northern Avenue

Bridge, mile 0.1, across the Fort Point

Channel at Boston, Massachusetts. This

proposed rule would revise the

drawbridge operating regulations to

provide bridge openings during times

the bridge previously did not open and

also place the bridge on an advance

notice basis during times when there

have been few requests to open the

bridge. This action is expected to better

meet the present needs of navigation.

DATES: Comments must reach the Coast

Guard on or before January 8, 2001.

ADDRESSES: You may mail comments to

Commander (obr), First Coast Guard

District, Bridge Branch, at 408 Atlantic

Avenue, Boston, MA. 02110–3350, or

deliver them to the same address

between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday

through Friday, except Federal holidays.

The telephone number is (617) 223–

8364. The First Coast Guard District,

Bridge Branch, maintains the public

docket for this rulemaking. Comments

and material received from the public,

as well as documents indicated in this

preamble as being available in the

docket, will become part of this docket

and will be available for inspection or

copying at the First Coast Guard

District, Bridge Branch, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

Monday through Friday, except, Federal

holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.

John McDonald, Project Officer, First

Coast Guard District, (617) 223–8364.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Request for comments

We encourage you to participate in

this rulemaking by submitting

comments or related material. If you do

so, please include your name and

address, identify the docket number for

this rulemaking (CGD01–00–234),

indicate the specific section of this

document to which each comment

applies, and give the reason for each

comment. Please submit all comments

and related material in an unbound

format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches,