81 FR 15304 - Information Collection; Bid Guarantees, Performance and Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 55 (March 22, 2016)

Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a previously approved information collection requirement concerning bid guarantees, performance and payment bonds, and alternative payment protections.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15304-15305]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06356]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0045; Docket 2016-0053; Sequence 19]


Information Collection; Bid Guarantees, Performance and Payment 
Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections

AGENCY: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration 
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of request for an extension of an information collection 
requirement regarding an existing OMB clearance.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act, the 
Regulatory Secretariat Division will be submitting to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) a request to review and approve an 
extension of a previously approved information collection requirement 
concerning bid guarantees, performance and payment bonds, and 
alternative payment protections.

DATES: Submit comments on or before May 23, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments identified by Information Collection 9000-
0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and Payment Bonds, and Alternative 
Payment Protections by any of the following methods:
     Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching the OMB 
control number. Select the link ``Submit a Comment'' that corresponds 
with ``Information Collection 9000-0045, Bid, Performance, and Payment 
Bonds''. Follow the instructions provided at the ``Submit a Comment'' 
screen. Please include your name, company name (if any), and 
``Information Collection 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and 
Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections'' on your attached 
document.
     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20405. 
ATTN: Ms. Flowers/IC 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and 
Payment Bonds, and Alternative Payment Protections.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information 
Collection 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and Payment Bonds, 
and Alternative Payment Protections, in all correspondence related to 
this collection. Comments received generally will be posted without 
change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal and/or 
business confidential information provided. To confirm receipt of your 
comment(s), please check www.regulations.gov, approximately two to 
three days after submission to verify posting (except allow 30 days for 
posting of comments submitted by mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kathlyn Hopkins, Procurement 
Analyst,

[[Page 15305]]

Contract Policy Division, at 202-969-7226 or email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

    FAR Subparts 28.1 and 28.2; FAR clauses at 52.228-1, 52.228-2, 
52.228-13, 52.228-15, 52.228-16; and associated FAR standard forms 
implement the statutory requirements of the Miller Act (40 U.S.C. 3131 
et seq.), which requires performance and payment bonds for any 
construction contract exceeding $150,000, unless it is impracticable to 
require bonds for work performed in a foreign country, or it is 
otherwise authorized by law. In addition, the note to 40 U.S.C. 3132, 
entitled ``Alternatives to Payment Bonds Provided by the Federal 
Acquisition Regulation,'' is implemented in the FAR, which requires 
alternative payment protection for construction contracts that exceed 
$30,000 but do not exceed $150,000.
    Although not required by statute, under certain circumstances the 
FAR permits the Government to require bonds on other than construction 
contracts. In addition to the contract clauses at FAR 52.228-1, 52.228-
2, 52.228-13, 52.228-15, 52.228-16, this information collection covers 
the following FAR standard forms (SF) as prescribed at FAR Subparts 
28.1 and 28.2: SF 25, Performance Bond; SF 25A, Payment Bond; SF 273, 
Reinsurance Agreement for a Miller Act Performance Bond; SF 274, 
Reinsurance Agreement for a Bonds Statute Payment Bond; SF 24, Bid 
Bond; SF 25B, Continuation Sheet (For Standard Forms 24, 25, and 25A); 
Standard Form 34, Annual Bid Bond; Standard Form 275, Reinsurance 
Agreement in Favor of the United States; Standard Form 1416, Payment 
Bond for Other Than Construction Contracts; Standard Form 1418, 
Performance Bond for Other Than Construction Contracts; and Standard 
Form 35, Annual Performance Bond. The information collected under this 
clearance provides the Government with a form of security that the 
contractor will not withdraw a bid or assures that the contractor will 
perform its obligations under a contract.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

    Respondents: 974.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Total Responses: 974.
    Hours per Response: 1.
    Total Burden Hours: 974.

C. Public comments

    Public Comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
functions of the FAR, and 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.
    Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requesters may obtain a copy of the 
information collection documents from the General Services 
Administration, Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street 
NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone 202-501-4755. Please cite OMB 
Control No. 9000-0045, Bid Guarantees, Performance, and Payment Bonds, 
and Alternative Payment Protections, in all correspondence.

    Dated: March 17, 2016.
Lorin S. Curit,
Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, Office of Governmentwide 
Acquisition Policy, Office of Acquisition Policy, Office of 
Governmentwide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2016-06356 Filed 3-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P