2900-0588 justification]

Supporting Statement for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) Provision 852.211-71,

Special Notice,

OMB No. 2900-0588

A. Justification

1. This Paperwork Reduction Act submission seeks an extension of Office of Management and Budget approval No. 2900-0588 for collection of information for both commercial and non-commercial item, service, and construction solicitations and contracts using provision 852.211-71, Special Notice. The provision number has been changed from 852.210-74 to 852.211-71 with no other changes.

2. VAAR provision 852.211-71, Special Notice, is used only in VA's telephone system acquisition solicitations and requires the contractor, after award of the contract, to submit descriptive literature on the equipment the contractor intends to furnish to show how that equipment meets the specification requirements of the solicitation. The information is needed to ensure that the equipment proposed by the contractor meets the specification requirements. Failure to require the information could result in the installation of equipment that does not meet contract requirements, with significant loss to the contractor if the contractor subsequently had to remove the equipment and furnish equipment that did meet the specification requirements.

3. Collection efforts do not involve the use of automation. The information required is specific and unique to each solicitation and cannot be collected through the use of automation.

4. There are no duplicated efforts. Each reporting situation is unique and the data that must be submitted is unique to the product being offered for sale to the Government.

5. There is no significant impact on small businesses.

6. Failure to require the information could result in the installation of equipment that does not meet contract requirements, with significant loss to the contractor if the contractor subsequently had to remove the equipment and furnish equipment that did meet the specification requirements.

7.

a. The information is needed with each awarded contract rather than quarterly. Each contract is unique.

b. The information is submitted within 5 days of contract award. The sooner the contractor can submit the data, the sooner the contractor can proceed with performance. It is in the best interest of both the contractor and the Government to expedite submission of the data.

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 on pages 13211-13212. 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: 30.

b. Estimated frequency of responses: One response for each awarded contract.

c. Estimated average burden per collection: 5 hours.

d. Estimated total annual reporting burden: 150 hours.

e. Estimated annualized cost: $1,500 (150 hours at $15 per hour).

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: $1,500 (150 hours at $10 per hour).

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 the telephone systems purchased for VA facilities meet the specification requirements before installation is begun. 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.

B. Collection of Information Employing Statistical Methods: Statistical methods will not be employed.