[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 18 (Thursday, January 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4897-4899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1750]
[[Page 4897]]
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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
[OMB Control No. 3090-0291; Docket No. 2010-0002; Sequence 19]
Submission for OMB Review; OMB Control No. 3090-0291; FSRS
Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information Reporting
Requirements
AGENCY: Office of Technology Strategy/Office of Governmentwide Policy,
General Services Administration (GSA).
ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding a new OMB
information clearance.
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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Regulatory Secretariat will be submitting
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and
approve an emergency new information collection requirement regarding
FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information
Reporting Requirements.
Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of
functions of the FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related
Information Reporting Requirements, whether it will have practical
utility; whether our estimate of the public burden of this collection
of information is accurate, and based on valid assumptions and
methodology; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and ways in which we can minimize the
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond,
through the use of appropriate technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
DATES: Submit comments on or before February 28, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 3090-
0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information by
any of the following methods:
Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by inputting ``Information
Collection 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-
Related Information Reporting Requirements'' under the heading ``Enter
Keyword or ID'' and selecting ``Search''. Select the link ``Submit a
Comment'' that corresponds with ``Information Collection 3090-0291,
FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information
Reporting Requirements.'' Follow the instructions provided at the
``Submit a Comment'' screen. Please include your name, company name (if
any), and ``Information Collection 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and
Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information Reporting (line up with left
margin) Requirements'' on your attached document.
Fax: 202-501-4067.
Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory
Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20417. ATTN:
Hada Flowers/IC 3090-0291.
Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information
Collection 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-
Related Information Reporting Requirements, in all correspondence
related to this collection. All comments received will be posted
without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal
and/or business confidential information provided.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Janice Miller, Program Analyst,
Office of Technology Strategy/Office of Governmentwide Policy, GSA, at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Purpose
The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006,
Public Law 109-282 (Transparency Act) requires information disclosure
of entities receiving Federal financial assistance through Federal
awards such as Federal contracts, sub-contracts, grants and sub-grants,
FFATA Sec. 2(a), (2), (i), (ii). Beginning October 1, 2010, this
Paperwork Reduction Act submission directs compliance with the
Transparency Act to report prime and first-tier sub-award data. Federal
agencies and prime awardees will ensure disclosure of Federal contract
and grant sub-award and compensation data. This information collection
requires information necessary for prime awardee registration into the
FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) and review of its entity-related
information, at http://www.fsrs.gov. An entity may be required to
provide information to include:
DUNS number.
Name and address of entity.
Parent DUNS number.
Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN).
CFDA Number.
Federal Awarding Agency of the Grant.
If a prime awardee has already registered in the system to report
contracts-related Transparency Act financial data, a new log-in will
not be required.
B. Discussion of Public Comments
Burden Imposed. Two comments were received on the burden imposed by
this information collection. One respondent commented that it appears
from the precision of the data used to identify the number of
respondents (49,308) GSA is relying on a specific source rather than
simply estimating a number. Because there is no identification about
where these data on respondents comes from, it is virtually impossible
to assess whether they are accurate or based on valid assumptions and
methodologies. The respondent requests that GSA and OMB publish
additional information about the sources of data in this request so
that they can be assessed in accordance with the letter and spirit of
the Paperwork Reduction Act. The respondent also added that the simple
round number of .5 hours per response identified in the estimate belies
the effort that they and other similarly situated organizations would
be required to undertake. One respondent requested that the burden
estimate be re-evaluated.
Response: The number of respondents (49,308) is based on the total
reported prime grant awardees reporting into USAspending.gov in FY 2009
(see Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submission, FSRS
Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related Information, footnote
1, p. 10, at http://www.reginfo.gov). The burden time of .5
hour per response was based on the assumption that prime grant awardees
are already required to be registered in the Central Contractor
Registration (CCR). With a direct feed from CCR, FSRS pulls information
associated with the prime awardee's DUNS number. Pre-populating entity
data from CCR into FSRS significantly reduces the burden associated
with a prime recipient's registration into FSRS. As a result, prime
grant awardees will only be required to manually input a minimal amount
of contact information when registering in FSRS.
Multiple Recipients. One comment was received expressing concern
with the reporting and pre-population of fields and the ability to list
multiple subawards on a single Federal award (FAIN) which is common on
awards supporting clinical trials. The ability to create and submit a
single report rather than submitting each subaward separately will be
an important functionality for some grantees. The respondent also
states that the batch-file reporting is particularly important if
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only one FSRS report per FAIN can be submitted during a single 30-day
reporting period.
Response: Both requested capabilities already exist in FSRS: A
FFATA subaward report can contain multiple subawards against a single
Federal award (as reported by Federal Award Identifier Number or FAIN).
In fact, the FFATA subaward report should contain all subaward activity
for that report month for that particular FAIN. There are also three
methods for submitting multiple FFATA subaward reports: A batch upload
template using Microsoft Excel, an XML report submission template and
an XML web service. Technical documentation can be found on all three
multiple report submission methods and on FSRS functionality on the
Resources page from within the FSRS Web site or by direct link to
https://www.fsrs.gov/resources.
Batch-File Submission. One respondent stated that the capability of
uploading data from a batch file into FSRS does not take advantage of
the agency and CCR data available as it does when entering data through
the Web site. The batch file would need to include not only all of the
local data, but all of the CCR and agency data would need to be entered
locally as well in order to complete the report. Therefore, there is no
pre-population advantage. The respondent urged that the batch-file
process be modified to take advantage of the CCR and agency systems and
eliminate the need to re-key data, such that the data sets needed to
complete the report would be the same whether filed via batch or Web
site data entry.
Response: There are three methods for submitting multiple FFATA
subaward reports: A batch upload template using Microsoft Excel, an XML
report submission template and an XML web service. These methods do
take advantage of the system interfaces with CCR and the agencies'
reported award data. Technical documentation can be found on all three
multiple report submission methods and on FSRS functionality on the
Resources page from within the FSRS Web site or by direct link to
https://www.fsrs.gov/resources.
Foreign Entities as Subrecipients. Two comments were received
stating that the value of the DUNS approach is less clear when working
with foreign entities as subrecipients. These entities may or may not
have a DUNS number and may or may not have ready access to apply for a
DUNS number. One respondent stated that because of poor infrastructure,
the telecommunication required to process a DUNS registration would
prove very problematic, and that there is a vast difference between
feasible reporting requirements for a municipality in the U.S. and for
a small community of self-help organizations operating in a remote
region of Africa. The respondent expressed concern regarding requiring
local partner organizations to obtain a DUNS number and that posting of
their data on a public website may pose unacceptable security risks for
them. One respondent noted that the Final Guidance concerning Financial
Assistance Use of Universal Identifier and Central Contractor
Registration (2 CFR subtitle A, chapter 1, and part 25) requires
subrecipients to obtain a DUNS number but an agency can exempt entities
from the requirement in certain circumstances [Sec. 25.110(d)] with
the caution that such exemptions should be rare. The respondent
believes that agencies may need to exercise this authority more
frequently than anticipated by OMB in the case of foreign
subrecipients. The respondent urged OMB to consider giving agencies the
option to apply the exemption from obtaining a DUNS number for foreign
recipients at any value (values greater than $25,000), and that
agencies should be directed to describe how an exemption under any of
the conditions is obtained by the prime recipient.
Response: Based on OMB guidance, FSRS requires a valid DUNS number
be used to (1) register as a prime grant awardee to report subaward
activity in FSRS; and (2) report a subawardee. Without a valid DUNS
number, subaward reporting cannot occur. Currently, 2 CFR Subtitle A,
Chapter A Part 25 does allow for agency exemptions in certain
circumstances. In those instances, agencies would not be able to report
subaward activity in FSRS. GSA and OMB recognize the safety and
security concerns regarding some types of foreign recipients and will
provide additional guidance regarding the reporting of sensitive
information. Any revisions to the requirements based on this guidance
will be incorporated in a subsequent Paperwork Reduction Act submission
for this information collection.
Foreign Assistance Awards--Data Elements. Four respondents
suggested that the data collection fields and forms be reviewed to take
into consideration foreign assistance awards. For example, as these
programs are not conducted within U.S. congressional districts, the
``principal place of performance'' data field on the Prime Award Data
Elements form could be modified to include a checkbox to make
``overseas'' if the purpose of the award is foreign assistance and the
principal place of performance is not within the U.S. One respondent
commented that the granularity of the notices is not a helpful or
useful snapshot of how the U.S. Government is spending taxpayer dollars
in development programs, and that additional elements would need to be
added to the database in order to (1) maintain the accuracy of the
information entered; (2) reduce misconceptions; and (3) ensure the
safety of staff in politically sensitive countries.
Response: With a direct feed from USAspending.gov, FSRS displays
the prime award data as reported by the awarding Federal agency. For
subaward information, FSRS is able to accept foreign recipient
locations and/or project place of performance. When completing an
editable location field, the prime awardee selects ``Non-US'' from the
State drop-down menu. When Non-US is selected for State, then a non-
United States country must be selected and the zip code field and the
congressional district become optional. With some limited exceptions,
the reporting requirements apply to all prime awardees of Federal
grants, including foreign prime recipients and foreign subawardees.
Please refer to the data definitions found on the Resources page from
within the FSRS Web site or by direct link to https://www.fsrs.gov/resources for more information on the data elements themselves. Contact
your awarding agency with any specific questions regarding
applicability.
Purpose of the Information Collection Request. One respondent asked
what this ICR really does and why was it an emergency new information
collection requirement.
Response: This information collection requires information
necessary for prime awardee registration into the FFATA Subaward
Reporting System (FSRS) and the review of its entity-related
information. Emergency review and clearance of this new information
collection requirement is essential to the implementation of the
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (``FFATA'' or
``Transparency Act''). Without OMB approval, prime grant awardees would
not have been able to report subaward and executive compensation data
pursuant to the Transparency Act's transparency requirements for new
grant awards as of October 1, 2010. Information on grants subaward and
executive compensation will be collected on the FSRS Web site, http://www.fsrs.gov. The FSRS Web site is part of the Integrated Acquisition
Environment and is managed at GSA. This information collection requests
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approval of the information needed to properly register an entity in
FSRS to facilitate the statutorily required reporting of Transparency
Act information (DUNS number, name of entity, address, parent DUNS
number, Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN), CFDA number and the
Federal awarding agency of the grant).
C. Annual Reporting Burden
Respondents: 49,308.
Responses per Respondent: 1.
Hours per Response: .5 hr.
Total Burden Hours: 24,645.
Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the
information collection documents from the General Services
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20417, telephone (202) 501-4755. Please cite OMB Control
No. 3090-0291, FSRS Registration and Prime Awardee Entity-Related
Information Reporting Requirements, in all correspondence.
Dated: January 21, 2011.
Casey Coleman,
Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2011-1750 Filed 1-26-11; 8:45 am]
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