18300 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 72 / Tuesday, April 15, 1997 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

48 CFR Parts 807 and 852

RIN 2900–AI61

Removal of Certain Limitations on

Cost Comparisons Related to

Contracting Out of Activities at VA

Health-Care Facilities

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This document amends the

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Acquisition Regulations (VAAR) by

removing certain limitations on cost

comparisons related to contracting out

of activities at VA health-care facilities

that are not direct patient care activities

nor incident to direct patient care. This

reflects statutory changes made by the

Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform

Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104–262).

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 15, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Don Kaliher, Acquisition Policy Team

(95A), Office of Acquisition and

Materiel Management, Department of

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave.,

NW., Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–

8819.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Previously, 38 U.S.C. 8110(c) placed

certain restrictions on Veterans Health

Administration (VHA) cost comparison

studies (studies similar to those

conducted pursuant to Office of

Management and Budget (OMB)

Circular A–76). Prior to the effective

date of this document, these restrictions

were reflected in VAAR sections

807.302, 807.304–72, 852.207–71, and

852.207–72. Section 305 of Public Law

104–262, the Veterans’ Health Care

Eligibility Reform Act of 1996, amended

38 U.S.C. 8110(c), deleting its

restrictions on the conduct of cost

comparison studies at VHA facilities.

Therefore, this document removes

provisions of the VAAR to correspond

with the statutory changes. In the

absence of these VAAR provisions, VHA

cost comparison studies will be

performed in accordance with, to the

extent applicable, remaining provisions

of the VAAR, the Federal Acquisition

Regulation, VHA directives, OMB

Circular A–76, Circular A–76 Revised

Supplemental Handbook, and other

provisions of law.

The Secretary hereby certifies that

this final rule will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small entities as they are

defined in the Regulatory Flexibility

Act, 5 U.S.C. 601–612. This final rule

merely reflects statutory changes and

would not cause a significant effect on

any entities. Therefore, pursuant to 5

U.S.C. 605(b), this final rule is exempt

from the initial and final regulatory

flexibility analyses requirements of

sections 603 and 604.

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 807 and

852

Government procurement.

Approved: April 4, 1997.

Jesse Brown,

Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

For the reasons set forth in the

preamble, 48 CFR parts 807 and 852 are

amended as follows:

1. The authority citation for part 807

is revised to read as follows:

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501; 40 U.S.C. 486(c).

PART 807—ACQUISITION PLANNING

Subpart 807.3—Contractor Versus

Government Performance

807.302, 807.304–72 [ Removed]

2. Sections 807.302 and 807.304–72

are removed.

PART 852—SOLICITATION

PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT

CLAUSES

3. The authority citation for part 852

is revised to read as follows:

Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501; 40 U.S.C. 486(c).

Subpart 852.2—Texts of Provisions

and Clauses

852.207–71, 852.207–72 [Removed]

3. Sections 852.207–71 and 852.207–

72 are removed.

[FR Doc. 97–9602 Filed 4–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Parts 600 and 648

[Docket No. 960612172–7054–02; I.D.

011697A]

RIN 0648–A121

Fisheries of the Northeastern United

States; Technical Amendment;

Correction

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule; correction to

technical amendment.

SUMMARY: This document contains

corrections to a final rule; technical

amendment [I.D. 011697A] that was

published on March 27, 1997. The

technical amendment corrected and

clarified regulations implementing the

fishery management plans (FMPs) for:

Summer flounder, scup, and black sea

bass; Atlantic sea scallops; Northeast

multispecies; Atlantic surf clams and

ocean quahogs; Atlantic mackerel,

squid, and butterfish; and Atlantic

salmon. These FMPs were consolidated

into one part (50 CFR part 648).

EFFECTIVE DATE: March 24, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary M. Tokarcik, Fisheries

Management Specialist, 508–281–9326.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Need for Correction

As published, the technical

amendment inadvertently revised

regulatory text that was implemented in

Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Sea

Scallop Fishery (62 FR 1829, January 14,

1997).

Correction to the Publication

Accordingly, the publication on

March 27, 1997 (62 FR 14644), of the

final rule; technical amendment [I.D.

011697A], which was the subject of FR

Doc. 97–7714, is corrected as follows:

1. On page 14645, in the second

column, in line nine from the top of the

page, remove ‘‘(a)(96)’’ and insert

‘‘(a)(100)’’ and in line ten, remove

‘‘(97)’’ and insert ‘‘(101)’’.

2. On page 14647, in the third

column, instruction 9 to § 648.14 is

corrected, paragraph (a)(96), as

published on January 14, 1997, is

reinstated, and paragraph (a)(101) is

added to read as follows:

‘‘9. In § 648.14, paragraphs (a)(19),

(a)(37), (a)(40), (a)(43), (a)(48), (a)(50),

(a)(57) introductory text, (a)(57)(i),

(a)(86), (c)(6), (c)(7), (d)(3), (h)(1), (h)(9),

(i)(1), and (x)(1)(iii) are revised,

paragraphs (a)(100), (a)(101), and (d)(4)

are added, paragraph (c)(10) is removed

and paragraph (r) is removed and

reserved as follows:’’

§ 648.14 Prohibitions.

(a) * * *

(101) Enter or fish in the Gulf of

Maine/Georges Bank and Southern New

England Regulated Mesh Areas, except

as provided in §§ 648.80 (a)(2)(iii) and

(b)(2)(iii), and for purposes of transiting,

provided that all gear (other than

exempted gear) is stowed in accordance

with § 648.23(b).

* * * * *

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 72 / Tuesday, April 15, 1997 / Rules and Regulations 18301

Dated: April 8, 1997.

Nancy Foster,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–9588 Filed 4–14–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F