SUPPORTING STATEMENT FOR PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION
OMB Control No. 9000-0113, ACQUISITION OF HELIUM
A. Justification.
1. Administrative requirements. The Helium Act (Pub. L. 86-777) (50 U.S.C. 167, et seq.) and the Department of the Interior’s regulations (43 CFR parts 3195) on purchase of helium are implemented in the FAR at Subpart 8.5 and through clause 52.208-8.
The FAR requires contractors to purchase major helium requirements from Federal helium suppliers, to the extent that supplies are available. In addition, the Contractor is required to provide the Contracting Officer the following data within 10 days after the Contractor or subcontractor receives a delivery of helium from a Federal helium supplier: (1) The name of the supplier; (2) The amount of helium purchased; (3) The delivery date(s); and (4) The location where the helium was used.
The information is used in administration of certain Federal contracts to ensure contractor compliance with contract clauses. The contracting officer must forward the information to the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within 45 days of the close of each fiscal quarter. The quarterly reports will help BLM verify refined helium sales made to Federal agencies by Federal helium suppliers. Without the information, the required use of Federal helium suppliers cannot be monitored and enforced effectively.
2. Uses of information. The information is used in administration of certain Federal contracts to ensure contractor compliance with contract clauses. Without the information, the required use of Government helium cannot be monitored and enforced effectively.
3. Consideration of information technology. We use improved information technology to the maximum extent practicable. Where both the Government agency and contractors are capable of electronic interchange, the contractors may submit this information collection requirement electronically.
4. Efforts to identify duplication. This requirement is being issued under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) which has been developed to standardize Federal procurement practices and eliminate unnecessary duplication. Similar information is not already available to the contracting officer or buyer.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other entities, describe methods used to minimize burden. The burden applied to small businesses is the minimum consistent with applicable laws, Executive orders, regulations, and prudent business practices.
6. Describe consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently. Similar information is not already available to the contracting officer or buyer.
7. Special circumstances for collection. Collection of information on a basis other than as proposed would severely hamper, if not make impossible, the necessary monitoring to be done by the Bureau of Land Management. Collection is consistent with guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.6.
8. Efforts to consult with persons outside the agency.
A 60-day notice published in the Federal Register at 81 FR 83844 on November 22, 2016. No comments were received. A 30-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 82 FR 17664 on April 12, 2017. No comments were received.
9. Explanation of any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees. Not applicable.
10. Describe assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents. This information is disclosed only to the extent consistent with prudent business practices and current regulations.
11. Additional justification for questions of a sensitive nature. No sensitive questions are involved.
12 & 13. Estimated total annual public hour and cost burden. In consultation with subject matter experts at the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Helium Operations, in November 2016, the estimated number of responses per year was verified as being within an acceptable range, as was the average time required to read and prepare information which was estimated at 1 hour per response. The total cost per response is approximately $988.
Number of responses/yr. 26
Average hours per response............................ x 1
Total hours........................................... 26
Cost per hour........................................ x $38*
Total annual burden................................... $988.00
*Based on the OPM FY 16 GS-11/step 5 salary ($28.14 an hour) plus 36.25 percent burden per the OMB-mandated burden rate for A-76 public-private competitions.
14. Estimated cost to the Government. Time required for Government-wide review is estimated at .5 hours per response.
Number of responses......................... 26
Average hours per response.................. x .5
Total hours................................. 13
Cost per hour............................... x $38*
Total annual cost........................... $494.00
*Based on the OPM FY 16 GS-11/step 5 salary ($28.14 an hour) plus 36.25 percent burden per the OMB-mandated burden rate for A-76 public-private competitions.
15. Explain reasons for program changes or adjustments reported in Item 13 and 14. There is no difference between the justifications for the collection as it previously existed and as it exists now.
16. Outline plans for published results of information collections. Results will not be tabulated or published.
17. Approval not to display expiration date. Not applicable.
Explanation of exception to certification statement. Not applicable.
Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods.
Statistical methods are not used in this information collection.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | JUSTIFICATION FOR 9000-0113 |
| Author | GSA |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-22 |