15127
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 56 / Friday, March 21, 2008 / Notices
nonprofit agencies participate in the
Forest Service, 333 Broadway SE, Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled,
AbilityOne Program. The implementing
Albuquerque, NM 87102. Office of Management and Budget, 725
Individuals who use regulations for the JWOD Act, which are
17th Street, NW., Room 10222,
telecommunication devices for the deaf located at 41 CFR Chapter 51, detail the
Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are
(TDD) may call the Federal Information recordkeeping requirements imposed on
encouraged to submit responses
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1鈥?800鈥?877鈥?8339 nonprofit agencies participating in the
electronically by e-mail to:
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern AbilityOne Program. Section 51鈥?2.4 of
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov or via fax
Standard Time, Monday through Friday. the regulations describes the criteria
to (202) 395鈥?6974. Commenters should
that the Committee must consider when
include the following subject line in
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
adding a product or service to its
their response: 鈥樷?楥omment: 3037鈥?0005
meeting is open to the public. Panel
Procurement List. One of these criteria
Nonprofit Agency Responsibilities.鈥欌??
discussion is limited to Forest Service
is that a proposed addition must
Persons submitting comments
staff and Panel members. However,
demonstrate a potential to generate
electronically should not submit paper
project proponents may respond to
employment for people who are blind or
copies.
questions of clarification from Panel
severely disabled. The Committee
members or Forest Service staff. Persons FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
decided that evidence that employment
who wish to bring Collaborative Forest Janet Yandik, Information Management
will be generated for those individuals
Restoration Program grant proposal Specialist, Committee for Purchase
consists of recordkeeping that tracks
review matters to the attention of the From People Who Are Blind or Severely
direct labor and revenues for products
Panel may file written statements with Disabled, 1421 Jefferson Davis Highway,
or services sold through an AbilityOne
the Panel staff before or after the Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800,
Program contract. This recordkeeping
meeting. Public input sessions will be Arlington, VA 22202鈥?3259; phone (703)
can be done on each individual
provided and individuals who 603鈥?2147; fax (703) 603鈥?0655; or e-mail
AbilityOne project or by product or
submitted written statements prior to rulescomment@abilityone.gov.
service family. In addition, Section 51鈥?
the public input sessions will have the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office
4.3 of the regulations requires that
opportunity to address the Panel at of Management and Budget (OMB) nonprofit agencies keep records on
those sessions. regulations at 5 CFR part 1320, which direct labor hours performed by each
implement provisions of the Paperwork
Dated: March 13, 2008. worker and keep an individual record or
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
Faye L. Krueger, file for each blind or severely disabled
et seq.), require that interested members
Deputy Regional Forester. individual documenting that
of the public and affected agencies have individual鈥檚 disability and capabilities
[FR Doc. E8鈥?5610 Filed 3鈥?20鈥?08; 8:45 am]
an opportunity to comment on for competitive employment. The
BILLING CODE 3410鈥?11鈥揗
information collection and records that nonprofit agencies must
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR keep in accordance with Section 51鈥?4.3
1320.8(d)). The Committee is submitting of the regulations constitute the bulk of
COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
a request to OMB to renew its approval the hour burden associated with this
PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR
of the collection of information for OMB control number.
SEVERELY DISABLED
nonprofit agency responsibilities related On December 21, 2007, the Committee
to recordkeeping. The Committee is published in the Federal Register
Information Collection Submitted to
requesting a 3-year term of approval for (Volume 72, Number 245, Pages 72665鈥?
the Office of Management and Budget
this information collection activity. 72666) a notice requesting public
(OMB) for Approval Under the
Federal agencies may not conduct or comment on these recordkeeping
Paperwork Reduction Act; Nonprofit
sponsor, and a person is not required to requirements for 60 days, ending
Agency Recordkeeping Requirements
respond to, a collection of information February 19, 2008. By that date, the
Committee for Purchase From unless it displays a currently valid OMB
AGENCY: Committee received comments from 44
People Who Are Blind or Severely control number. The OMB control respondents with a total of 75
Disabled. number for this collection of comments.
information is 3037鈥?0005.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments. Seven comments were received
The Javits-Wagner-O鈥橠ay (JWOD) Act opposing the request by indicating that
The Committee for Purchase
SUMMARY: of 1971 (41 U.S.C. 46鈥?48c) is the this is a new recordkeeping
From People Who Are Blind or Severely authorizing legislation for the requirement. There is nothing new in
Disabled (The Committee) is submitting AbilityOne Program. (The name of the the Committee鈥檚 request. The Committee
the collection of information listed JWOD Program was changed to the did make a change in its recordkeeping
below to OMB for approval under the AbilityOne Program on November 28, requirements in 2002 to add
provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 2006, Federal Register Volume 71, recordkeeping of the direct labor hours
Act. This notice solicits comments on Number 227, Page 68492鈥?68494). The and sales for AbilityOne projects on at
that collection of information. AbilityOne Program creates jobs and least a product or service family basis.
DATES: The Office of Management and training opportunities for people who This change was approved by OMB and
Budget (OMB) has up to 60 days to are blind or who have other severe was renewed in 2005. There is no
approve or disapprove information disabilities. Its primary means of doing change to the recordkeeping
collection but may respond after 30 so is by requiring Government agencies requirements that the Committee is
days. Therefore, to ensure maximum to purchase selected products and requesting OMB to approve again.
consideration, your comments should Eight comments were received
services from nonprofit agencies
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
be received by OMB by April 20, 2008. questioning the necessity of the
employing such individuals. The JWOD
recordkeeping requirement and if it has
Act, through the AbilityOne Program, is
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
any practical utility. The JWOD Act
administered by the Committee. Two
be addressed to the Office of
requires that 75% of the direct labor of
national, independent organizations,
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
all work done at a participating
National Industries for the Blind (NIB)
Attention: Desk Officer for the
nonprofit agency be done by people
and NISH, help State and private
Committee for Purchase from People
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15128 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 56 / Friday, March 21, 2008 / Notices
therefore, the current recordkeeping information be available to them to
who are blind or severely disabled. A
burden will be estimated at 550 hours ensure that the purposes of the Act are
number of these comments also stated
annually per nonprofit agency. The met. Reasonable requirements by
that this requirement does nothing to
Committee recognizes that the burden participating nonprofit agencies will
increase jobs for people with
will be higher for some nonprofit permit the Committee to gather data
disabilities. This recordkeeping
agencies based on their size, types of required to report the results to the
requirement is to ensure that those
disabilities served, and whether or not President and to Congress.
nonprofit agencies participating in the
they provide rehabilitation functions.
AbilityOne Program employ people who Dated: March 18, 2008.
However, based on the information
meet the Act鈥檚 definitions. This Kimberly M. Zeich,
submitted, the Committee believes that,
requirement does not involve any
Director, Program Operations.
on average, 550 hours per nonprofit
reporting requirements by nonprofits,
[FR Doc. E8鈥?5768 Filed 3鈥?20鈥?08; 8:45 am]
agency is a reasonable burden estimate
only that the nonprofits keep records
BILLING CODE 6353鈥?01鈥揚
of those tasks imposed directly by this
that can be used to document their
recordkeeping requirement.
compliance with the requirements of the
Sixteen comments were received with
Act. The requirement to keep records on
COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM
suggestions on minimizing the burden.
the direct labor hours of AbilityOne
PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR
These included making changes to the
projects is to ensure that the projects are
SEVERELY DISABLED
JWOD Act, adhering to the Act as
suitable to remain on the Committee鈥檚
promulgated and intended by Congress,
Procurement List. Without this Procurement List; Additions and
abolishing the Committee, deleting
recordkeeping requirement, the Deletions
requirements from the Committee
Committee would have no way of
Committee for Purchase From
regulations, not requiring annual AGENCY:
verifying that those nonprofits that
People Who Are Blind or Severely
evaluations on some disabilities, and
participate in the AbilityOne Program
Disabled.
that the Committee include the cost of
were meeting the requirements of the
meeting the recordkeeping requirements ACTION: Additions to and Deletions from
JWOD Act.
in the price of products and services on
Thirty-eight of the comments referred the Procurement List.
the Procurement List. The Committee
to the accuracy of the Committee鈥檚
This action adds to the
SUMMARY:
has reviewed its regulations and
burden estimate. The comments
Procurement List products and services
believes that its current regulations are
included estimates of the actual burden
to be furnished by nonprofit agencies
in keeping with its administration of the
for the recordkeeping requirement that
employing persons who are blind or
JWOD Act, and those recommendations
ranged from 25 minutes per person who
have other severe disabilities, and
that would require a change to the Act
is blind or severely disabled to 35.6
deletes from the Procurement List
itself are, therefore, beyond the scope of
hours per person who is blind or
products and a service previously
the Committee鈥檚 information collection
severely disabled.
furnished by such agencies.
The Committee has used a burden authority. One commenter questioned
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 20, 2008.
estimate of 5 hours per agency since the necessity for requiring annual
2002 and before that, 3 hours per agency ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase
evaluations of all people with severe
since at least 1992, and has not received From People Who Are Blind or Severely
disabilities. This issue had previously
any prior comments as to its accuracy. Disabled, Jefferson Plaza 2, Suite 10800,
been addressed by the Committee and
However, after review, the Committee 1421 Jefferson Davis Highway,
determined that the requirement exists.
Five comments were received that do
agrees that 5 hours per agency is Arlington, Virginia 22202鈥?3259.
not fit within the four areas about which
incorrect and that the burden is much FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
the Committee requested comments.
higher. The range of burden estimates is Kimberly M. Zeich, Telephone: (703)
One commenter requested that the
a result of the many differences between 603鈥?7740, Fax: (703) 603鈥?0655, or e-
Committee鈥檚 request be denied; one
individual nonprofit agencies and a mail CMTEFedReg@jwod.gov.
discussed the difficulties involved with
misunderstanding of the recordkeeping SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
meeting the requirements of different
requirement being considered. Many of
Additions:
Federal and State requirements; one
the burden estimates identified in the
requested that the Committee seriously
comments included tasks that are On January 18 and January 25, 2008,
consider the comments from all
required to meet other requirements, the Committee for Purchase From
nonprofit agencies; one commented that
such as those of the Department of People Who Are Blind or Severely
this request was perpetuating the
Labor, or would be performed by the Disabled published notice (73 FR 3450;
inefficiencies which hamper the
nonprofit agency even if they were not 4519) of proposed additions to the
AbilityOne Program; and one comment
in the AbilityOne Program. Procurement List.
Based on an analysis of the was that the Committee had made After consideration of the material
information contained in the comments substantive and material modifications presented to it concerning capability of
and discussions with several other to collection requirements after qualified nonprofit agencies to provide
nonprofit agencies during the comment approval by OMB. The Committee the products and services and impact of
period, the Committee believes that a believes that this recordkeeping the additions on the current or most
reasonable burden estimate is 2.5 hours requirement is critical for the recent contractors, the Committee has
per person that is blind or severely Committee to determine if nonprofit determined that the products and
disabled. Currently, there are over 600 agencies are in compliance with the services listed below are suitable for
nonprofit agencies participating in the JWOD Act. There has been no procurement by the Federal Government
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
AbilityOne Program with employee substantive or material modification to under 41 U.S.C. 46鈥?48c and 41 CFR 51鈥?
numbers ranging from less than 10 to collection requirements since 2002, and 2.4.
more than 2,000. The average number of those made in 2002 were approved by
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
people who are blind or severely OMB in 2002 and renewed in 2005. The
disabled at participating nonprofit Committee鈥檚 responsibility to I certify that the following action will
agencies was 218 in fiscal year 2007; administer the Act requires that certain not have a significant impact on a
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