SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

Standard Form 1449, Solicitation/Contract/Order for Commercial Items, is prescribed by the FAR for the acquisition of commercial items. This final rule makes several minor revisions to the form, including the addition of a block to indicate that the acquisition is a HUBZone set-aside, the substitution of a NAICS code for the SIC code, the notation that award is made only on the offeror's items specifically listed in block 29, and the addition of several blocks in the area of the form used as a receiving report by the Government. None of the changes involve blocks that are completed by the public.

This is not a significant regulatory action, and therefore, was not subject to review under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.

B. Regulatory Flexibility Act

This final rule does not constitute a significant FAR revision within the meaning of FAR 1.501 and Public Law 98-577, and publication for public comments is not required. However, the Councils will consider comments from small entities concerning the affected FAR parts 1 and 52 in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 610. Interested parties must submit such comments separately and should cite 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. (FAC 2001-06, FAR case 2000-012), in correspondence.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

The Paperwork Reduction Act does not apply because these changes to the FAR do not impose additional information collection requirements to the paperwork burden previously approved under OMB Control Number 9000-0136. The previous edition of the form indicated that the public reporting burden related to the form had been cleared under OMB No. 9000-0136. That statement has been removed from this edition because OMB Clearance 9000-0136 covers information collections unique to commercial item acquisition. It does not cover the information required by this form. This form is primarily completed by the Government. The contractor/offeror fills in only its name, address, and proposed prices. Those pieces of information do not require clearance in the FAR under ( printed page 13050) the Paperwork Reduction Act. Office of Management and Budget Number 9000-0136 remains valid for the other information collection requirements related to the acquisition of commercial items.

Therefore, DoD, GSA, and NASA amend 48 CFR parts 1 and 53 as set forth below:

1. The authority citation for 48 CFR parts 1 and 53 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 137; and 42 U.S.C. 2473(c).

2. Amend section 1.106 in the table by removing the FAR segment “SF 1449” and its corresponding OMB Control Number “9000-0136”.

3. Amend section 53.212 by removing “( OCT 1995)” and adding “(Rev. 4/02)” in its place.

4. Amend section 53.213 in paragraph (a) and the introductory text of paragraph (f) by removing “( 10/95 Ed.)” and adding “(Rev. 4/02)” in its place.

5. Revise section 53.301-1449 to read as follows.