[Federal Register: October 5, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 192)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 59697-59698]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05oc04-6]
[[Page 59697]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part III
Department of Defense
General Services Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
48 CFR Chapter 1 et al.
Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-25; Introduction; Final and Interim
Rules
[[Page 59698]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
48 CFR Chapter 1
Federal Acquisition Circular 2001-25; Introduction
AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
ACTION: Summary presentation of final and interim rules, and technical
amendments and corrections.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document summarizes the Federal Acquisition regulation
(FAR) rules agreed to by the Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and
the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council in this Federal Acquisition
Circular (FAC) 2001-25. A companion document, the Small Entity
Compliance Guide (SECG), follows this FAC. The FAC, including the SECG,
is available via the Internet at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.acqnet.gov/far.
DATES: For effective dates and comment dates, see separate documents
which follow.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The FAR Secretariat, at (202) 501-
4755, for information pertaining to status or publication schedules.
For clarification of content, contact the analyst whose name appears in
the table below in relation to each FAR case or subject area. Please
cite FAC 2001-25 and specific FAR case number(s). Interested parties
may also visit our Web site at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.acqnet.gov/far.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item Subject FAR case Analyst
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I................... Elimination of the Standard Form 1417.. 2002-017 Davis.
II.................. Free Trade Agreements--Chile and 2003-016 Davis.
Singapore, and Trade Agreements
Thresholds.
III................. Telecommuting for Federal Contractors 2003-035 Zaffos.
(Interim).
IV.................. Section 508 Micropurchase Exemption 2004-020 Nelson.
(Interim).
V................... Technical Amendments...................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Summaries for each FAR rule follow. For the
actual revisions and/or amendments to these FAR cases, refer to the
specific item number and subject set forth in the documents following
these item summaries.
FAC 2001-25 amends the FAR as specified below:
Item I--Elimination of the Standard Form 1417 (FAR Case 2002-017)
This final rule eliminates the use of the Standard Form 1417, Pre-
Solicitation Notice (Construction Contract), in contracts for
construction, alteration or repair, dismantling, demolition, or removal
of improvements. The use of this form has become unnecessary because
contracting officers provide access to presolicitation notices through
the Governmentwide point of entry (GPE) via the Internet at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fedbizopps.gov
pursuant to FAR 5.204. Elimination of the form
increases reliance on electronic business practices and reduces the
estimated information collection requirement burden hours imposed on
offerors.
Item II--Free Trade Agreements--Chile and Singapore, and Trade
Agreements Thresholds (FAR Case 2003-016)
The interim rule to implement new Free Trade Agreements with Chile
and Singapore, published in the Federal Register at 69 FR 1050, January
7, 2004, is converted to a final rule with changes. The interim rule
included in each Trade Agreements clause the statement that United
States law will apply to resolve any claim of breach of contract. At
the request of the Department of Justice, the final rule relocates this
statement into a separate clause to be included in all contracts. All
contracting officers must be aware of this new requirement.
Item III--Telecommuting for Federal Contractors (FAR Case 2003-025)
(Interim)
This interim rule addresses telecommuting by employees of Federal
contractors. This rule implements Section 1428 of the Services
Acquisition Reform Act of 2003 (Title XIV of Public Law 108-136), which
prohibits agencies from including a requirement in a solicitation that
precludes an offeror from permitting its employees to telecommute or,
when telecommuting is not precluded, from unfavorably evaluating an
offeror's proposal that includes telecommuting unless it would
adversely affect agency requirements, such as security. Contracting
officers awarding service contracts should familiarize themselves with
this rule.
Item IV--Section 508 Micropurchase Exemption (FAR Case 2004-020)
(Interim)
This interim rule extends from October 1, 2004, to April 1, 2005,
the micropurchase exception from the requirement to purchase electronic
and information technology that provides individuals with disabilities
better access to and use of information and data, as required by
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The extension will
provide agencies time to update their purchase card training modules on
the 508 requirements and train their personnel. This rule is of special
interest to contracting officers who purchase electronic and
information technology.
Item V--Technical Amendments
Editorial changes are made at FAR 14.403(c), 52.212-5(b)(34)(ii),
52.215-15(b)(2), 52.217-5, and 52.219-4(d)(3) to update various
references.
Dated: September 28, 2004.
Ralph J. De Stefano,
Acting Director, Contract Policy Division.
Federal Acquisition Circular
Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 2001-25 is issued under the
authority of the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of General
Services, and the Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
Unless otherwise specified, all Federal Acquisition Regulation
(FAR) and other directive material contained in FAC 2001-25 is
effective October 5, 2004, except for Item I, which is effective
November 4, 2004.
Dated: September 22, 2004.
Vincent J. Feck,
Lt Col USAF, Acting Director, Defense Procurement and Acquisition
Policy.
Dated: September 8, 2004.
David A. Drabkin,
Senior Procurement Executive, Office of the Chief Acquisition Officer,
General Services Administration.
Dated: September 7, 2004.
Tom Luedtke,
Deputy Chief Acquisition Officer, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-22243 Filed 10-4-04; 8:45 am]