34078 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 119 / Monday, June 22, 1998 /Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND

SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Part 31

[FAC 97–05; FAR Case 97–007; Item IX]

RIN 9000–AH76

Federal Acquisition Regulation; Travel

Reimbursement

AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DoD),

General Services Administration (GSA),

and National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Interim rule adopted as final

rule.

SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency

Acquisition Council and the Defense

Acquisition Regulations Council have

agreed to convert the interim rule

published as Item IX of Federal

Acquisition Circular 97–03 at 62 FR

64932, December 9, 1997, to a final rule

without change. The rule amends the

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to

increase from $25 to $75 the threshold

at which contractor personnel must

provide a receipt to support travel

expenditures. This regulatory action

was not subject to Office of Management

and Budget review under Executive

Order 12866, dated September 30, 1993,

and is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C.

804.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 21, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The

FAR Secretariat, Room 4035, GS

Building, Washington, DC 20405, (202)

501–4755, for information pertaining to

status or publication schedules. For

clarification of content, contact Ms.

Linda Nelson, Procurement Analyst, at

(202) 501–1900. Please cite FAC 97–05,

FAR case 97–007.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

An interim rule was published in the

Federal Register on December 9, 1997

(62 FR 64932). The interim rule

amended FAR 31.205–46 to increase

from $25 to $75 the threshold at which

contractor personnel must provide a

receipt to support travel expenditures.

Public comments were received from

one source. All comments were

considered in developing the final rule.

The interim rule is converted to a final

rule without change.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

The Department of Defense, the

General Services Administration, and

the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration certify that this final

rule will 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. 601, et seq., because most

contracts awarded to small entities use

simplified acquisition procedures or are

awarded on a competitive, fixed-price

basis, and do not require application of

the cost principle contained in this rule.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

The Paperwork Reduction Act (44

U.S.C. 3501, et seq.) is deemed to apply

because the final rule contains

information collection requirements.

Since the threshold at which contractor

personnel must provide a receipt to

support travel expenditures has been

increased, a request to decrease the

burden hours previously approved

under Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) Control Number 9000–0088 was

submitted to OMB under 44 U.S.C.

3501, et seq. Public comments

concerning this request were invited

through Federal Register notice dated

December 9, 1997 (62 FR 64932). No

public comments were received.

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Part 31

Government procurement.

Dated: June 11, 1998.

Edward C. Loeb,

Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.

Interim Rule Adopted as Final Without

Change

Accordingly, the interim rule

amending 48 CFR Part 31, which was

published at 62 FR 64932, December 9,

1997, is adopted as a final rule without

change.

The authority citation for 48 CFR Part

31 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 10 U.S.C.

chapter 137; and 42 U.S.C. 2473(c).

[FR Doc. 98–16120 Filed 6–19–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6820–EP–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES

ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND

SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Part 48

[FAC 97–05; FAR Case 96–011; Item X]

RIN 9000–AH37

Federal Acquisition Regulation; NoCost Value Engineering Change

Proposals

AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DoD),

General Services Administration (GSA),

and National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Interim rule with request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency

Acquisition Council and the Defense

Acquisition Regulations Council have

agreed on an interim rule amending the

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to

clarify that no-cost value engineering

change proposals (VECPs) may be used

when, in the contracting officer’s

judgment, reliance on other VECP

approaches likely would not be more

cost-effective, and the no-cost

settlement would provide adequate

consideration to the Government. This

regulatory action was not subject to

Office of Management and Budget

review under Executive Order 12866,

dated September 30, 1993, and is not a

major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

DATES: Effective June 22, 1998.

Comment Date: Comments should be

submitted to the FAR Secretariat at the

address shown below on or before

August 21, 1998 to be considered in the

formulation of a final rule.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should

submit written comments to: General

Services Administration, FAR

Secretariat (MVR), 1800 F Street, NW,

Room 4035, Attn: Ms. Laurie Duarte,

Washington, DC 20405.

E-Mail comments submitted over the

Internet should be addressed to:

farcase.96–011@gsa.gov.

Please cite FAC 97–05, FAR case 96–

011 in all correspondence related to this

case.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The

FAR Secretariat, Room 4035, GS

Building, Washington, DC 20405, (202)

501–4755, for information pertaining to

status or publication schedules. For

clarification of content, contact Ms.

Linda Klein, Procurement Analyst, at

(202) 501–3775. Please cite FAC 97–05,

FAR case 96–011.