2900-0593 justification

Supporting Statement for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Provision 852.214-70,

Caution to Bidder--Bid Envelopes,

OMB No. 2900-0593

A. Justification

1. This Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) submission seeks an extension of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval number 2900-0593 for collection of information for commercial and non-commercial item, service, and construction solicitations and contracts using provision 852.214-70, Caution to Bidders – Bid Envelopes. There are no statutory or administrative provisions requiring this information.

2. VAAR provision 852.214-70, Caution to Bidders--Bid Envelopes, advises bidders that it is their responsibility to insure that their bid price cannot be ascertained by anyone prior to bid opening. It also advises bidders to identify their bids by showing the invitation number and bid opening date on the outside of the bid envelope. The Government often furnishes a blank bid envelope or a label for use by bidders/offers to identify their bids. The bidder is advised to fill in the required information. This information requested from bidders is needed by the Government to identify bid envelopes from other mail or packages received without having to open the envelopes or packages and possibly exposing bid prices before bid opening. The information will be used to identify which parcels or envelopes are bids and which are other routine mail. The information is also needed to help ensure that bids are delivered to the proper bid opening room on time and prior to bid opening.

3. Collection efforts do not involve the use of automation. Each bid must be individually identified. The identification must accompany the bid itself and the collection of that information cannot be automated.

4. The information is required with each bid or offer submitted.

5. There is no significant impact on small businesses.

6. Failure to collect the information could have a negative impact on the bidder, as the bidder’s bid might not be delivered to the proper bid opening room prior to bid opening if it is not identified as a bid.

7.

a. The information is needed with each bid submitted rather than quarterly. The information is needed for each and every bid to ensure that the bid is delivered to the bid opening room prior to the time set for bid opening.

b. The information is submitted with each bid. The time for response is the same as the time for submission of the bid, which may be fewer than 30 days, especially for lower dollar value solicitations or for commercial items. The respondent only needs to identify its bid on the bid envelope. This should take as little as 10 seconds.

c. Only one original is required.

d. There are no records retention requirements.

e. This is not a statistical survey.

f. This does not require the use of statistical data classification.

g. This does not include a pledge of confidentiality.

h. This does not require the submission of proprietary information.

8. Notice regarding use of this clause in all applicable solicitations was published in the Federal Register on March 18, 2010, page 13212. There were no comments received.

9. No payments or gifts will be provided.

10. No assurances of confidentiality will be provided to respondents.

11. The request for information does not include any questions of a sensitive nature.

12.

a. Estimated number of respondents: 346,000 sealed bids or offers.

b. Estimated frequency of responses: One response for each sealed bid or offer submitted.

c. Estimated average burden per collection: 10 seconds.

d. Estimated total annual reporting burden: 960 hours.

e. Estimated annualized cost: $9,600 (960 hours at $10 per hour ($.03 per response)).

13.

a. There are no capital costs or operating or maintenance costs.

b. Costs are not expected to vary widely.

c. There are no equipment costs.

14. Estimated annualized cost to the Government: None. There are no costs to the Government. The information is only used to route mailed or hand-delivered sealed bids to the proper location within the contracting office.

15. There are no program changes.

16. The results will not be published.

17. This request seeks approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval. This is an on-going requirement. VA has a continuing need for this information in order to ensure that sealed bids received are routed to the proper location. VA expects to continue use of this provision indefinitely and an expiration date would only tend to confuse the public.

18. This submission does not contain any exceptions to the certification statements.

Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods:

Statistical methods will not be employed.