[Federal Register: March 12, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 48)]
[Notices]
[Page 11833-11835]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12mr03-84]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPPT-2002-0022; FRL-7292-9]
Access to Confidential Business Information by Centerscope
Technologies and Titan Systems Corporation
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform the public of several
corporate mergers/acquisitions involving contractors cleared for Toxic
Substances Control Act Confidential Business Information (CBI) access.
[[Page 11834]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara A. Cunningham, Acting
Director, Environmental Assistance Division (7408M), Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200
Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
554-1404; e-mail address: TSCA-Hotline@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. Does this Notice Apply to Me?
This action is directed to the public in general. This action may,
however, be of interest to those persons who are or may be required to
conduct testing of chemical substances under the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA). Since other entities may also be interested, the
Agency has not attempted to describe all the specific entities that may
be affected by this action. If you have any questions regarding the
applicability of this action to a particular entity, consult the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?
1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under docket identification (ID) number OPPT-2002-0022. The
official public docket consists of the documents specifically
referenced in this action, any public comments received, and other
information related to this action. Although a part of the official
docket, the public docket does not include CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. The official public docket
is the collection of materials that is available for public viewing at
the EPA Docket Center, Rm. B102-Reading Room, EPA West, 1301
Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket Center is open
from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The EPA Docket Center Reading Room telephone number is (202)
566-1744 and the telephone number for the OPPT Docket, which is located
in EPA Docket Center, is (202) 566-0280.
2. Electronic access. You may access this Federal Register document
electronically through the EPA Internet under the ``Federal Register''
listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
An electronic version of the public docket is available through
EPA's electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may
use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public
use EPA Dockets at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official
public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that
are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be
available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly
available docket materials through the docket facility identified in
Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the
appropriate docket ID number.
II. What Action is the Agency Taking?
Under contract number 68-W-98-232, Centerscope Technologies, of
8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD, will assist the
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (OPPT) in processing 12(b)
export notices submitted under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA CBI
and to issue notification letters to foreign governments.
Under contract number 68-W-98-045, TSC, of 3033 Science Park Road,
San Diego, CA is assisting the OPPT in conducting a system analysis and
provide data base maintenance support to the Confidential Business
Information Center (CBIC) document tracking system.
In accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(j), EPA has determined that under
EPA contract number 68-W-98-232, Centerscope Technologies requires
access to CBI submitted to EPA under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of
TSCA, to perform successfully the duties specified under the contract.
Also, in accordance with 40 CFR 2.306(j), EPA has determined that under
EPA contract number 68-W-98-045, TSC requires access to CBI submitted
to EPA under all sections of TSCA, to perform successfully the duties
specified under the contract.
Centerscope Technologies personnel have been given access to
information submitted to EPA under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA.
Some of the information may be claimed or determined to be CBI. TSC
personnel were given access to information submitted to EPA under all
sections of TSCA. Some of the information has been claimed or
determined to be CBI.
EPA is issuing this notice to inform all submitters of information
under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA, that the Agency is providing
Centerscope Technologies access to these CBI materials on a need-to-
know basis only. EPA is also issuing a notice to inform all submitters
of information under all sections of TSCA, that the Agency provides TSC
with access to these CBI materials on a need-to-know basis only. All
access to TSCA CBI under these contracts is taking place at EPA
Headquarters.
Centerscope Technologies and TSC are required to adhere to all
provisions of the EPA's TSCA Confidential Business Information Security
Manual.
Clearance for Centerscope Technologies and TSC to have access to
TSCA CBI under these contracts may continue until March 31, 2003, and
January 31, 2003, respectively.
Centerscope Technologies and TSC personnel are required to sign
nondisclosure agreements and are briefed on appropriate security
procedures before they are permitted to have access to TSCA CBI.
The remainder of this unit discusses the mergers/acquisitions.
1. EPA's contractor, Optimus Corporation (Optimus), in a contract
first awarded in 1998, operates the TSCA Hotline and processes export
notices under section 12(b) of the statute. Garcia Consulting
Incorporated (GCI) was the original subcontractor for the 12(b)
function. Both entities and their employees were duly cleared for TSCA
CBI.
On January 3, 2000, Stanley Associates, Inc. (Stanley), of
Alexandria, VA, acquired GCI as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company
became GCI/Stanley.
On March 31, 2002, the contract between Optimus (the prime) and
GCI/Stanley (the subcontractor) expired. On April 1, 2002, Optimus
contracted with Centerscope Technologies (Centerscope), a corporation
which shares ownership and management with Optimus, to perform the same
functions as GCI/Stanley.
Centerscope was granted access to TSCA CBI through the grant of a
waiver dated July 3, 2002. This waiver was necessary to allow
Centerscope Technologies to assist OPPT in processing 12(b) export
notices submitted under sections 4, 5, 6, 7, and 12 of TSCA and to
issue notification letters to foreign governments.
2. EPA's contractor, Titan Systems Corporation (TSC), of San Diego,
CA, operates the TSCA Confidential Business Information Center at EPA
Headquarters in Washington, DC. The contract for performing this
function was first awarded to Computer Based Systems, Inc. (CBSI), of
Fairfax, VA, on March 17, 1998. At the time of award, CBSI was a wholly
owned subsidiary of AverStar, Inc. (AverStar). On June 26, 2000, Titan
Systems, Inc. (Titan) acquired AverStar. On October 4, 2000, CBSI
changed its corporate identity to reflect the new ownership--becoming
``Titan Systems Corporation--CBSI Division.''
TSC was granted access to CBI under all sections of TSCA through
the grant
[[Page 11835]]
of a waiver dated March 26, 1998. This waiver was necessary to allow
TSC to assist OPPT in conducting a system analysis and to provide data
base maintenance support to the CBIC document tracking system.
At all times during each of these corporate acquisitions or mergers
described above, all contractor and subcontractor employees were
trained and cleared for access to TSCA CBI. In addition, all employees
had signed and remained subject to the standard non-disclosure
agreements required of all such persons working with TSCA CBI.
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Confidential business information.
Dated: February 27, 2003.
Allan S. Abramson,
Director, Information Management Division, Office of Pollution
Prevention and Toxics.
[FR Doc. 03-5480 Filed 3-11-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S