83_FR_45413 83 FR 45240 - Submission for OMB Review; Notarized Document Submittal for System for Award Management Registration

83 FR 45240 - Submission for OMB Review; Notarized Document Submittal for System for Award Management Registration

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 173 (September 6, 2018)

Page Range45240-45241
FR Document2018-19324

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 existing OMB clearance regarding a notarized document submittal for System for Award Management (SAM) Registration.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 173 (Thursday, September 6, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 173 (Thursday, September 6, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45240-45241]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19324]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 3090-0317
Docket No. 2018-0001; Sequence No. 15]


Submission for OMB Review; Notarized Document Submittal for 
System for Award Management Registration

AGENCY: Office of Acquisition Policy, General Services Administration 
(GSA).

ACTION: Notice of request for comments regarding an extension to 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 existing 
OMB clearance regarding a notarized document submittal for System for 
Award Management (SAM) Registration.

DATES: Submit comments on or before October 9, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments regarding this burden estimate or any other 
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for 
reducing this burden to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs 
of OMB, Attention: Desk Officer for GSA, Room 10236, NEOB, Washington, 
DC 20503. Additionally submit a copy to GSA by any of the following 
methods:
     Regulations.gov: http://www.regulations.gov. Submit 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking portal by searching for the OMB 
Control number 3090-0317. Select the link ``Comment Now'' that 
corresponds with ``Information Collection 3090-0317; Notarized Document 
Submittal for System for Award Management Registration''. Follow the 
instructions on the screen. Please include your name, company name (if 
any), and ``Information Collection 3090-0317; Notarized Document 
Submittal for System for Award Management Registration'' on your 
attached document.
     Mail: General Services Administration, Regulatory 
Secretariat Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20405-
0001. ATTN: Ms. Mandell/IC 3090-0317; Notarized Document Submittal for 
System for Award Management Registration.
    Instructions: Please submit comments only and cite Information 
Collection 3090-0317; Notarized Document Submittal for System for Award 
Management Registration, 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: Mr. Curtis E. Glover, Sr. Procurement 
Analyst, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, GSA, telephone number 
202-501-1448, or via email to [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    A. Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Subpart 4.11 prescribes 
policies and procedures for requiring contractor registration in the 
System for Award Management (SAM) database to: (1) Increase visibility 
of vendor sources (including their geographical locations) for specific 
supplies and services; and (2) establish a common source of vendor data 
for the Government.
    In the past, the GSA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted an 
investigation into fraudulent activities discovered within SAM. Certain 
bad actors have, through electronic means, used public information to 
impersonate legitimate entities and established new entity 
registrations for those entities in SAM. By establishing fraudulent 
entity registrations, bad actors submitted bids in certain U.S. 
Government procurement systems or shipped deficient or counterfeit 
goods to the U.S. Government.
    GSA established a new Information Collection Request (ICR) to 
collect additional information to support increased validation of 
entities registered and registering in the System for Award Management 
(SAM). This additional information is contained in a notarized letter 
in which an officer or other signatory authority of the entity formally 
appoints the Entity Administrator for the entity registering or 
recertifying in SAM. The original, signed letter is mailed to the 
Federal Service Desk for SAM prior to the registration's activation or 
re-registration.
    The new ICR expires September 30, 2018, without authority for an 
extension. GSA is actively pursuing technical alternatives to the 
collection of this information for all non-federal entities. GSA seeks 
to refine the requirement and adopt a risk-based approach. This notice 
for an extension of the ICR lays the groundwork for the authority to 
continue collection of the information provided GSA is still pursuing 
the technical alternative beyond the ICR expiration date. In the 
interim, the collection of the notarized letter information is 
essential to GSA's acquisition mission to meet the needs of all federal 
agencies, as well as the needs of the grant community. A key element of 
GSA's mission is to provide efficient and effective acquisition 
solutions across the Federal Government. SAM is essential to the 
accomplishment of that mission. In addition to federal contracts, 
federal assistance programs also rely upon the integrity and security 
of the information in SAM. Without assurances that the information in 
SAM is protected and, is at minimal risk of compromise, GSA would risk 
losing the confidence of the federal acquisition and assistance 
communities which is serves. As a result, some entities may prefer not 
to do business with the Federal Government.

B. Discussion and Analysis

    A 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 83 FR 
24312 on May 25, 2018. Two comments were received.
    Comments: One respondent stated that it is already time-consuming 
and frustrating for our grantees to use the SAM registration process. 
If the process was simple, it would not be a problem; however, having 
to submit notarized documents in addition to an already difficult 
process affects our ability to nimbly respond to programmatic 
initiatives through small grants to organizations or individuals who we 
know and want to partner with to achieve our goals. The other 
respondent stated that the new procedure creates another challenge for 
our grantees in that mailing the notarized document requires extra 
effort, but also finding a

[[Page 45241]]

reliable courier service will be costly and requires a considerable 
amount of time to complete the registration process.
    Response: GSA has taken several actions to address alleged 
fraudulent activity in the System for Award Management (SAM). The 
measures GSA has put in place to help prevent improper activity in SAM 
include masking specific data elements in the entity registration even 
for authorized entity users; requiring ``parent'' approval of new 
registrations for their ``child'' entities; multi-factor authentication 
using login.gov and notifying Entity Administrators when there is a 
change in the entity's bank account information. Requiring the formal 
appointment of the Entity Administrator by original, signed notarized 
letter ensures that the individual(s) reporting for their entity are 
associated with the entity and provides a validation of the letter 
submitter's identity by the notary. GSA is actively pursuing technical 
alternatives to replace and/or supplement the collection of notarized 
letters.

C. Annual Reporting Burden

    Respondents: 686,400.
    Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Total Annual Responses: 686,400.
    Hours per Response: 2.25.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,544,400.
    The information collection allows GSA to request the notarized 
letter, and apply this approach to new registrants (an average of 7,200 
per month) and to existing SAM registrants (an average of 50,000 re-
register per month).
    Entities registered and registering in SAM are provided the 
template for the requirements of the notarized letter. It is estimated 
that the Entity Administrator will take on average 0.5 hour to create 
the letter and 0.25 hour to mail the hard copy letter. GSA proposes 
that an Entity Administrator equivalent to a GS-5, Step 5 
Administrative Support person within the Government would perform these 
tasks. The estimated hourly rate of $24.70 (Base + Locality + Fringe) 
was used for the calculation.
    Based on historical data of the ratio of small entities to other 
than small entities registering in SAM, GSA approximates 32,200 of the 
57,200 new and existing entities (re-registrants) will have in-house 
resources to notarize documents. GSA proposes that the entities with 
in-house notaries will typically be large businesses where the 
projected salary of the executive or officer responsible for signing 
the notarized letter is on average approximately $150 per hour. The 
projected time for signature and notarizing the letter internally is 
0.5 hour.
    The other remaining 25,000 new and existing entities (re-
registrants) per month are estimated to be small entities where the 
projected salary of the executive or officer responsible signing the 
notarized letter is on average approximately $100 per hour. These 
entities will more than likely have to obtain notary services from an 
outside source. The projected time for signature and notarizing the 
letter externally is 1 hour. The estimate includes a nominal fee 
($5.00) usually charged by third- party notaries.

D. Public Comments

    Public comments are particularly invited on: Whether this 
collection of information is necessary, 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. ATTN: Information Collection 3090-0317; 
Notarized Document Submittal for System for Award Management 
Registration. Please cite OMB Control No. 3090-0317; Notarized Document 
Submittal for System for Award Management Registration, in all 
correspondence.

    Dated: August 22, 2018.
David A. Shive,
Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2018-19324 Filed 9-5-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6820-EP-P

45240 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 173 / Thursday, September 6, 2018 / Notices public interest does not require the Notarized Document Submittal for increased validation of entities matter to be open. System for Award Management registered and registering in the System Registration’’. Follow the instructions for Award Management (SAM). This General Counsel Certification on the screen. Please include your additional information is contained in a The General Counsel has certified that name, company name (if any), and notarized letter in which an officer or Matter Number Two may properly be ‘‘Information Collection 3090–0317; other signatory authority of the entity closed, citing the following relevant Notarized Document Submittal for formally appoints the Entity exemptive provision: 5 U.S.C. System for Award Management Administrator for the entity registering 552b(c)(10). Registration’’ on your attached or recertifying in SAM. The original, Expected Attendees document. signed letter is mailed to the Federal • Mail: General Services Service Desk for SAM prior to the Expected to attend the closed meeting Administration, Regulatory Secretariat registration’s activation or re- are the Commissioners themselves, an Division (MVCB), 1800 F Street NW, registration. advisor to one of the Commissioners, Washington, DC 20405–0001. ATTN: The new ICR expires September 30, and such other Commission staff as may Ms. Mandell/IC 3090–0317; Notarized 2018, without authority for an be appropriate. Document Submittal for System for extension. GSA is actively pursuing By direction of the Commission, Award Management Registration. technical alternatives to the collection Commissioner Ohlhausen not participating. Instructions: Please submit comments of this information for all non-federal Donald S. Clark, only and cite Information Collection entities. GSA seeks to refine the Secretary. 3090–0317; Notarized Document requirement and adopt a risk-based Submittal for System for Award approach. This notice for an extension [FR Doc. 2018–19226 Filed 9–5–18; 8:45 am] Management Registration, in all of the ICR lays the groundwork for the BILLING CODE 6750–01–P correspondence related to this authority to continue collection of the collection. Comments received generally information provided GSA is still will be posted without change to http:// pursuing the technical alternative GENERAL SERVICES beyond the ICR expiration date. In the www.regulations.gov, including any ADMINISTRATION interim, the collection of the notarized personal and/or business confidential [OMB Control No. 3090–0317 information provided. To confirm letter information is essential to GSA’s Docket No. 2018–0001; Sequence No. 15] receipt of your comment(s), please acquisition mission to meet the needs of check www.regulations.gov, all federal agencies, as well as the needs Submission for OMB Review; approximately two-to-three days after of the grant community. A key element Notarized Document Submittal for submission to verify posting (except of GSA’s mission is to provide efficient System for Award Management allow 30 days for posting of comments and effective acquisition solutions Registration submitted by mail). across the Federal Government. SAM is essential to the accomplishment of that AGENCY: Office of Acquisition Policy, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. mission. In addition to federal contracts, General Services Administration (GSA). Curtis E. Glover, Sr. Procurement federal assistance programs also rely ACTION: Notice of request for comments Analyst, Federal Acquisition Policy upon the integrity and security of the regarding an extension to an existing Division, GSA, telephone number 202– information in SAM. Without OMB clearance. 501–1448, or via email to curtis.glover@ assurances that the information in SAM gsa.gov. is protected and, is at minimal risk of SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Paperwork Reduction Act, the compromise, GSA would risk losing the A. Federal Acquisition Regulation confidence of the federal acquisition Regulatory Secretariat Division will be (FAR) Subpart 4.11 prescribes policies and assistance communities which is submitting to the Office of Management and procedures for requiring contractor serves. As a result, some entities may and Budget (OMB) a request to review registration in the System for Award prefer not to do business with the and approve an existing OMB clearance Management (SAM) database to: (1) Federal Government. regarding a notarized document Increase visibility of vendor sources submittal for System for Award (including their geographical locations) B. Discussion and Analysis Management (SAM) Registration. for specific supplies and services; and A 60-day notice was published in the DATES: Submit comments on or before (2) establish a common source of vendor Federal Register at 83 FR 24312 on May October 9, 2018. data for the Government. 25, 2018. Two comments were received. ADDRESSES: Submit comments regarding In the past, the GSA Office of Comments: One respondent stated this burden estimate or any other aspect Inspector General (OIG) conducted an that it is already time-consuming and of this collection of information, investigation into fraudulent activities frustrating for our grantees to use the including suggestions for reducing this discovered within SAM. Certain bad SAM registration process. If the process burden to: Office of Information and actors have, through electronic means, was simple, it would not be a problem; Regulatory Affairs of OMB, Attention: used public information to impersonate however, having to submit notarized Desk Officer for GSA, Room 10236, legitimate entities and established new documents in addition to an already NEOB, Washington, DC 20503. entity registrations for those entities in difficult process affects our ability to Additionally submit a copy to GSA by SAM. By establishing fraudulent entity nimbly respond to programmatic any of the following methods: registrations, bad actors submitted bids initiatives through small grants to daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES • Regulations.gov: http:// in certain U.S. Government organizations or individuals who we www.regulations.gov. Submit comments procurement systems or shipped know and want to partner with to via the Federal eRulemaking portal by deficient or counterfeit goods to the U.S. achieve our goals. The other respondent searching for the OMB Control number Government. stated that the new procedure creates 3090–0317. Select the link ‘‘Comment GSA established a new Information another challenge for our grantees in Now’’ that corresponds with Collection Request (ICR) to collect that mailing the notarized document ‘‘Information Collection 3090–0317; additional information to support requires extra effort, but also finding a VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:56 Sep 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00035 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06SEN1.SGM 06SEN1

Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 173 / Thursday, September 6, 2018 / Notices 45241 reliable courier service will be costly projected time for signature and DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND and requires a considerable amount of notarizing the letter internally is 0.5 HUMAN SERVICES time to complete the registration hour. process. Agency for Toxic Substances and The other remaining 25,000 new and Response: GSA has taken several Disease Registry existing entities (re-registrants) per actions to address alleged fraudulent [60Day–18–18ARO; Docket No. ATSDR– activity in the System for Award month are estimated to be small entities where the projected salary of the 2018–0007] Management (SAM). The measures GSA has put in place to help prevent executive or officer responsible signing Proposed Data Collection Submitted improper activity in SAM include the notarized letter is on average for Public Comment and masking specific data elements in the approximately $100 per hour. These Recommendations entity registration even for authorized entities will more than likely have to entity users; requiring ‘‘parent’’ obtain notary services from an outside AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances approval of new registrations for their source. The projected time for signature and Disease Registry (ATSDR), ‘‘child’’ entities; multi-factor and notarizing the letter externally is 1 Department of Health and Human authentication using login.gov and hour. The estimate includes a nominal Services (HHS). notifying Entity Administrators when fee ($5.00) usually charged by third- ACTION: Notice with comment period. there is a change in the entity’s bank party notaries. account information. Requiring the SUMMARY: The Agency for Toxic formal appointment of the Entity D. Public Comments Substances and Disease Registry Administrator by original, signed (ATSDR), as part of its continuing effort Public comments are particularly to reduce public burden and maximize notarized letter ensures that the invited on: Whether this collection of individual(s) reporting for their entity the utility of government information, information is necessary, whether it will invites the general public and other are associated with the entity and have practical utility; whether our provides a validation of the letter Federal agencies the opportunity to estimate of the public burden of this comment on a proposed and/or submitter’s identity by the notary. GSA collection of information is accurate, continuing information collection, as is actively pursuing technical and based on valid assumptions and required by the Paperwork Reduction alternatives to replace and/or supplement the collection of notarized methodology; ways to enhance the Act of 1995. This notice invites letters. quality, utility, and clarity of the comment on a proposed information information to be collected; and ways in collection project titled ‘‘Prenatal C. Annual Reporting Burden which we can minimize the burden of Assessment of Environmental Risk Respondents: 686,400. the collection of information on those (PAER)’’. This web-based data collection Responses per Respondent: 1. who are to respond, through the use of will provide information on behavioral Total Annual Responses: 686,400. appropriate technological collection risks for environmental exposures for Hours per Response: 2.25. techniques or other forms of information patients seeking preconception and Total Burden Hours: 1,544,400. technology. prenatal care, and for their reproductive The information collection allows health care clinicians (RHCCs). GSA to request the notarized letter, and Obtaining Copies of Proposals: DATES: ATSDR must receive written apply this approach to new registrants Requesters may obtain a copy of the comments on or before November 5, (an average of 7,200 per month) and to information collection documents from 2018. existing SAM registrants (an average of the General Services Administration, 50,000 re-register per month). Regulatory Secretariat Division (MVCB), ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, Entities registered and registering in 1800 F Street NW, Washington, DC identified by Docket No. ATSDR–2018– SAM are provided the template for the 20405. ATTN: Information Collection 0007 by any of the following methods: requirements of the notarized letter. It is 3090–0317; Notarized Document • Federal eRulemaking Portal: estimated that the Entity Administrator Submittal for System for Award Regulations.gov. Follow the instructions will take on average 0.5 hour to create for submitting comments. Management Registration. Please cite the letter and 0.25 hour to mail the hard • Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information OMB Control No. 3090–0317; Notarized copy letter. GSA proposes that an Entity Collection Review Office, Centers for Document Submittal for System for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Administrator equivalent to a GS–5, Award Management Registration, in all Step 5 Administrative Support person Clifton Road NE, MS–D74, Atlanta, correspondence. Georgia 30329. within the Government would perform these tasks. The estimated hourly rate of Dated: August 22, 2018. Instructions: All submissions received $24.70 (Base + Locality + Fringe) was David A. Shive, must include the agency name and used for the calculation. Chief Information Officer. Docket Number. ATSDR will post, Based on historical data of the ratio of without change, all relevant comments [FR Doc. 2018–19324 Filed 9–5–18; 8:45 am] small entities to other than small to Regulations.gov. BILLING CODE 6820–EP–P entities registering in SAM, GSA Please note: Submit all comments approximates 32,200 of the 57,200 new through the Federal eRulemaking portal and existing entities (re-registrants) will (regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the have in-house resources to notarize address listed above. daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES documents. GSA proposes that the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To entities with in-house notaries will request more information on the typically be large businesses where the proposed project or to obtain a copy of projected salary of the executive or the information collection plan and officer responsible for signing the instruments, contact Jeffery M. Zirger, notarized letter is on average Information Collection Review Office, approximately $150 per hour. The Centers for Disease Control and VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:56 Sep 05, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\06SEN1.SGM 06SEN1


Document Created: 2018-09-05 23:56:29
Document Modified: 2018-09-05 23:56:29
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of request for comments regarding an extension to an existing OMB clearance.
DatesSubmit comments on or before October 9, 2018.
ContactMr. Curtis E. Glover, Sr. Procurement Analyst, Federal Acquisition Policy Division, GSA, telephone number 202-501-1448, or via email to [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 45240 
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