Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled U.S.-Flag Air Carriers Certification

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

[OMB Control No. 9000-0054]

Proposed Collection; Comment Request Entitled U.S.-Flag Air

Carriers Certification

AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DOD), General Services Administration

(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Notice of request for public comments regarding an extension to

an existing OMB clearance.

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SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

Secretariat will be submitting to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) a request to review and approve an extension of a currently

approved information collection requirement concerning U.S.-Flag Air

Carriers

[[Page 6055]]

Certification. The clearance currently expires on May 31, 1999.

DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before April 9, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect

of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing

this burden, should be submitted to: FAR Desk Officer, OMB, Room 10102,

NEOB, Washington, DC 20503, and a copy to the General Services

Administration, FAR Secretariat (MVRS), 1800 F Street, NW., Room 4035,

Washington, DC 20405.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Klein, Federal Acquisition

Policy Division, GSA (202) 501-3775.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Purpose

Section 5 of the International Air Transportation Fair Competitive

Practices Act of 1974 (49 U.S.C. 1517) (Fly America Act) requires that

all Federal agencies and Government contractors and subcontractors use

U.S.-flag air carriers for U.S. Government-financed international air

transportation of personnel (and their personal effects) or property,

to the extent that service by those carriers is available. It requires

the Comptroller General of the United States, in the absence of

satisfactory proof of the necessity for foreign-flag air

transportation, to disallow expenditures from funds, appropriated or

otherwise established for the account of the United States, for

international air transportation secured aboard a foreign-flag air

carrier if a U.S.-flag carrier is available to provide such services.

In the event that the contractor selects a carrier other than a U.S.-

flag air carrier for international air transportation, the contractor

shall include a certification on vouchers involving such

transportation. The contracting officer uses the information furnished

in the certification to determine whether adequate justification exists

for the contractor's use of other than a U.S.-flag air carrier.

B. Annual Reporting Burden

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is

estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time for

reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the

collection of information.

The annual reporting burden is estimated as follows: Respondents,

150; responses per respondent, 2; total annual responses, 300;

preparation hours per response, .25; and total response burden hours,

75.

Obtaining Copies of Proposals: Requester may obtain a copy of the

justification from the General Services Administration, FAR Secretariat

(MVRS), Room 4035, 1800 F Street, NW., Washington, DC 20405, telephone

(202) 208-7312. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0054, U.S.-Flag Air

Carriers Certification, in all correspondence.

Dated: February 2, 1999.

Edward C. Loeb,

Director, Federal Acquisition Policy Division.

[FR Doc. 99-2876 Filed 2-5-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6820-34-P