Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/20/2018-27478/environmental-protection-agency-acquisition-regulation-epaar-clause-update-for-submission-of
Timestamp: 2020-07-13 03:01:27
Document Index: 438014404

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 1552', '§\u20091552', '§\u20091552', 'art 1552', 'art 1552', '§\u20091552']

Federal Register :: Environmental Protection Agency Acquisition Regulation (EPAAR) Clause Update for Submission of Invoices
Environmental Protection Agency Acquisition Regulation (EPAAR) Clause Update for Submission of Invoices
A Proposed Rule by the Environmental Protection Agency on 12/20/2018
Comments must be received on or before February 19, 2019.
83 FR 65328
65328-65331 (4 pages)
40 CFR 1552
EPA-HQ-OARM-2018-0742
FRL 9987-89-OARM
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-27478
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is revising its Submission of Invoices clause to add electronic invoicing requirements. In 2019 the EPA will begin using the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), which is a secure web-based service provided by the U.S. Treasury that efficiently manages government invoicing.
Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2018-0742, at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from Regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received to its public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e. on the web, cloud, or other file sharing system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general guidance on making effective comments, please visit https://www2.epa.gov/​dockets/​commenting-epa-dockets.
1. Submitting Classified Business Information. Do not submit CBI to EPA website https://www.regulations.gov or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk or CD-ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD-ROM as CBI, and then identify electronically within the disk or CD-ROM the specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so marked will not be Start Printed Page 65329disclosed except in accordance with procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
The EPA is revising clause 1552.232-70, Submission of Invoices, to add electronic invoicing requirements. On September 13, 2018, the EPA issued a direct final rule in 83 FR 46418 that in part revised the subject clause to incorporate a 1996 class deviation and make minor administrative updates. This proposed rule revises the clause again since the EPA will begin using the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) in 2019, which is a secure web-based service provided by the U.S. Treasury that efficiently manages government invoicing. Currently the EPA requires contractors and vendors to submit paper invoices, which are inefficient and costly. The EPA will also begin using IPP to satisfy the requirements of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-15-19, Improving Government Efficiency and Saving Taxpayer Dollars Through Electronic Invoicing. By changing the subject clause to require electronic invoicing, the EPA will reap benefits of efficiency and cost that have become ubiquitous in modern commerce, and be in compliance with Memorandum M-15-19.
The proposed rule proposes to amend EPAAR Part 1552, Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses, by revising EPAAR § 1552.232-70, Submission of Invoices.
1. EPAAR § 1552.232-70, Submission of Invoices clause is revised to provide new electronic invoicing requirements as the EPA begins using the IPP electronic-invoicing program in 2019. The clause is revised by replacing the current preamble and paragraphs (a) and (b) with new paragraphs (a) and (b), that update the old paper invoicing instructions to electronic invoicing. Paragraph (g)(5) is being revised to remove references to suspended costs, which are not authorized under IPP. The “Note to paragraph (i)” and “Note to paragraph (j)” are also being revised to remove references to suspended costs. Finally, paragraph (k) and “Note to paragraph (k)” are being removed because suspended costs are not allowed under IPP, which re-letters the last three paragraphs redesignating paragraphs (l) through (n) as paragraphs (k) through (m), respectively.
The Regulatory Flexibility Act generally requires an agency to prepare a regulatory flexibility analysis of any rule subject to notice and comment rulemaking requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act or any other statute; unless the agency certifies that the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Small entities include small businesses, small organizations, and small governmental jurisdictions. For purposes of assessing the impact of this final rule on small entities, “small entity” is defined as: (1) A small business that meets the definition of a small business found in the Small Business Act and codified at 13 CFR 121.201; (2) a small governmental jurisdiction that is a government of a city, county, town, school district or special district with a population of less than 50,000; or (3) a small organization that is any not-for-profit enterprise which is independently owned and operated and is not dominant in its field. After considering the economic impacts of this rule on small entities, I certify that this action will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. In determining whether a rule has a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, the impact of concern is any significant adverse economic impact on small entities, because the primary purpose of the regulatory flexibility analyses is to identify and address regulatory alternatives “which minimize any significant economic impact of the proposed rule on small entities” 5 U.S.C. 503 and 604. Thus, an agency may certify that a rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities if the rule relieves regulatory burden, or otherwise has a positive economic effect on all of the small entities subject to the rule. This action revises an existing EPAAR clause that will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. We continue to be interested in the potential impacts of the rule on small entities and welcome comments on issues related to such impacts.
Executive Order 13132, entitled “Federalism” (64 FR 43255, August 10, 1999), requires EPA to develop an accountable process to ensure “meaningful and timely input by State and Local officials in the development of regulatory policies that have Start Printed Page 65330federalism implications. “Policies that have federalism implications” is defined in the Executive Order to include regulations that have “substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.” This rule does not have federalism implications. It will not have substantial direct effects on the States, on the relationship between the national government and the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government as specified in Executive Order 13132.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, EPA proposes to amend 48 CFR part 1552 as follows:
1. Authority: The authority citation for part 1552 continues to read as follows:
2. Section 1552.232-70 is amended by:
a. Revising paragraphs (a), (b), and (g)(5);
b. Revising “Note to paragraph (i)” and “Note to paragraph (j)”;
c. Removing paragraph (k) and “Note to paragraph (k)”; and
d. Redesignating paragraphs (l) through (n) as paragraphs (k) through (m).
§ 1552.232-70
Submission of invoices.
(a) Electronic invoicing and the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP)—
(1) Definitions. As used in this clause—
“Contract financing payment” and “invoice payment” are defined in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 32.001.
“Electronic form” means an automated system that transmits information electronically from the initiating system to all affected systems. Facsimile, email, and scanned documents are not acceptable electronic forms for submission of payment requests. However, scanned documents are acceptable when they are part of a submission of a payment request made using Invoice Processing Platform or another electronic form authorized by the Contracting Officer.
“Payment request” means any request for contract financing payment or Start Printed Page 65331invoice payment submitted by the Contractor under this contract.
(2) (i) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this clause, the Contractor shall submit invoices using the electronic invoicing program Invoice Processing Platform (IPP), which is a secure web-based service provided by the U.S. Treasury that more efficiently manages government invoicing.
(ii) Under this contract, the following documents are required to be submitted as an attachment to the IPP invoice: (This is a fill-in for acceptable types of required documentation, such as an SF 1034 and 1035, or an invoice/self-designed form on company letterhead that contains the required information.)
(iii) The Contractor's Government Business Point of Contact (as listed in System for Award Management ( SAM )) will receive enrollment instructions via email from the IPP. The Contractor must register within 3 to 5 days of receipt of such email from IPP.
(iv) Contractor assistance with enrollment can be obtained by contacting the IPP Production Helpdesk via email at IPPCustomerSupport@fiscal.treasury.gov or by telephone at (866) 973-3131.
(3) If the Contractor is unable to comply with the requirement to use IPP for submitting invoices for payment, the Contractor shall submit a waiver request in writing to the Contracting Officer. The Contractor may submit an invoice using other than IPP only when—
(i) The Contracting Officer administering the contract for payment has determined, in writing, that electronic submission would be unduly burdensome to the Contractor; and in such cases, the Contracting Officer shall modify the contract to include a copy of the Determination; or
(ii) When the Governmentwide commercial purchase card is used as the method of payment.
(4) The Contractor shall submit any non-electronic payment requests using the method or methods specified in Section G of the contract.
(5) In addition to the requirements of this clause, the Contractor shall meet the requirements of the appropriate payment clauses in this contract when submitting payment requests.
(6) Invoices submitted through IPP will be either rejected, or accepted and paid, in their entirety, and will not be paid on a partial basis.
(b) The Contractor shall prepare its invoice or request for contract financing payment in accordance with FAR 32.905 on the prescribed Government forms, or the Contractor may submit self-designed forms which contain the required information. Standard Form 1034, Public Voucher for Purchases and Services other than Personal, is prescribed for used by contractors to show the amount claimed for reimbursement. Standard Form 1035, Public Voucher for Purchases and Services other than Personal—Continuation Sheet, is prescribed for use to furnish the necessary supporting detail or additional information required by the Contracting Officer.
(5) Voucher Number—Insert the appropriate serial number of the voucher. A separate series of consecutive numbers, beginning with Number 1, shall be used by the contractor for each new contract. For an adjustment invoice, write “[invoice number] #Adj” at the voucher number. For a final invoice, put invoice number F. For a completion invoice, put invoice number #C.
(i)—Any costs requiring advance consent by the Contracting Officer will be considered improper and will be disallowed, if claimed prior to receipt of Contracting Officer consent. Include the total cost claimed for the current and cumulative-to-date periods. After the total amount claimed, provide summary dollar amounts disallowed on the contract as of the date of the invoice. Also include an explanation of the changes in cumulative costs disallowed by addressing each adjustment in terms of: Voucher number, date, dollar amount, source, and reason for the adjustment. Disallowed costs should be identified in unallowable accounts in the contractor's accounting system.
(j)—Any costs requiring advance consent by the Contracting Officer will be considered improper and will be disallowed, if claimed prior to receipt of Contracting Officer consent. Include the total cost claimed for the current and cumulative-to-date periods. After the total amount claimed, provide summary dollar amounts disallowed on the contract as of the date of the invoice. Also include an explanation of the changes in cumulative costs disallowed by addressing each adjustment in terms of: Voucher number, date, dollar amount, source, and reason for the adjustment. Disallowed costs should be identified in unallowable accounts in the contractor's accounting system.
[FR Doc. 2018-27478 Filed 12-19-18; 8:45 am]