FR1400_20231031_omb

Supporting Statement for the
Procurement Solicitation Package
(FR 1400; OMB No. 7100-0180)
Summary
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board), under authority
delegated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), has extended for three years, with
revision, the Procurement Solicitation Package (FR 1400; OMB No. 7100-0180). The Board uses
the Procurement Solicitation Package, which includes a supplier database and solicitation
documents as appropriate, to assist in the competitive process of soliciting proposals from
suppliers of goods and services. The Procurement Solicitation Package includes the:
• Supplier Registration System (FR 1400A),1
• Solicitation Package (Solicitation, Offer, and Award Form; Supplier Information Form;
Past Performance Data Sheet; and Past Performance Questionnaire) (FR 1400B),
• Supplier Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire (FR 1400C),2 and
• Subcontracting Report (FR 1400D).
The solicitation documents are typically for the procurement of goods, services and
construction that are not off-the-shelf items. The Board’s supplier database serves as a venue for
Board staff to research potential suppliers and their qualifications. When a solicitation is
constructed for a specific acquisition, the solicitation package is typically called a Solicitation,
Offer, and Award (SOA) document, which consists of the Solicitation Form (Section A of the
SOA) and Supplier Information Form (Section N of the SOA), which are both part of FR 1400B.
Depending on the requirements of the specific acquisition, the SOA may also consist of a Past
Performance Data Sheet (part of FR 1400B), Past Performance Questionnaire (part of
FR 1400B), Supplier Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire (FR 1400C), or Subcontracting
Report (FR 1400D). This information collection is required to collect data on prices,
specifications of goods and services, and qualifications of prospective suppliers.
The Board revised the FR 1400 by transitioning the FR 1400B, FR 1400C, and
FR 1400D into the new online source to settle system3 provided by Coupa.4 The FR 1400B was
revised with minor restructuring to help improve reporting and reduce commonly asked followup questions. The FR 1400B was also revised by adding a new section that respondents will be
required to complete and then update or re-certify each year. The contents of the FR 1400C and
FR 1400D were not changed with the transition to the Coupa system. There were no revisions
made to the FR 1400A.
Previously, the FR 1400A was titled “Vendor Database”. It was renamed “Supplier Registration System” so that
the terminology used when referring to respondents was uniform across the collection.
2
Previously, the FR 1400C was titled “Vendor Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire”. It was renamed “Supplier
Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire” so that the terminology used when referring to respondents was uniform
across the collection.
3
Source-to-settle describes an end-to-end sourcing experience between the Board and its suppliers that begins with a
requisition and ends in payment or contract closeout for large, complex acquisitions. 
4
Coupa is a third-party cloud-based spend management application streamlined to handle every spend-related aspect
of our business such as, procurement, invoicing, expenses, and payments. Suppliers will still be allowed to submit
PDF versions via email of the FR 1400B, FR 1400C, or FR 1400D if they are unable to complete them in Coupa.
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The current estimated total annual burden for the FR 1400 is 24,830 hours, and would
increase to 24,863 hours. The revisions would result in an increase of 33 hours.
Background and Justification
The Board is continuously seeking suppliers who are interested in doing business with
the Board through various outreach events, minority/diversity conferences, meetings, and events
targeted to either a specific industry classification of suppliers or an upcoming acquisition.
Suppliers are encouraged during these efforts to register in the Board’s database of interested
suppliers (FR 1400A). A supplier searching the Internet can also find the registration system via
the Board’s public website and elect to register.5 The Supplier Registration System collects
pertinent information on the supplier and the capabilities it can offer to the Board. While
completion of the registration process does not guarantee future opportunities with the Board, it
does bring a supplier’s capabilities to the attention of Procurement staff whose role is to match
supplier capabilities with specific acquisition activities when contracting opportunities arise. In
announcing an acquisition, Board staff contacts suppliers registered in the Board’s system via
electronic mail or by telephone, and provides the documents and applicable attachments included
in the Solicitation Package (FR 1400B).
The Solicitation Package and Supplier Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire
(FR 1400C) collect information used in evaluating the competitive bids and contracts submitted
by suppliers (also referred to as offerors). Depending upon the goods and services for which the
Board is seeking bids, the supplier is asked to provide a document (proposal) covering prices, the
means of performing a particular service, and a description of the qualification of the staff of the
supplier who will perform the service. The supplier may also be asked to provide past
performance and information regarding security protocols. The security controls required, which
are reported using the Supplier Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire (FR 1400C), are
defined and prioritized based on the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014
(FISMA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication
800-53 (Security Controls and Assessment Procedures for Federal Information Systems and
Organizations). The entire proposal submitted by the supplier is used by the Board staff to
evaluate the solicitation package documents and select the offer providing the best value.
In addition, depending upon the supplier selected for the contract award, the supplier is
required to submit the Subcontracting Report (FR 1400D). The Subcontracting Report collects
information regarding the supplier’s subcontracting commitments toward diversity and inclusion
of minority-owned and women-owned suppliers in subcontracting activities to facilitate the
Board’s compliance with section 342(c) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act).
The information collected through the Procurement Solicitation Package is necessary for
Board staff to fairly and accurately evaluate the merits of suppliers’ proposals; to select the
proposal most advantageous to the Board, taking into account price and other key factors; and to
award and administer contracts after a supplier has been selected. This information is not
available from other sources.
5

See https://www.federalreserve.gov/secure/supplierregistration/.

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Description of Information Collection
The Supplier Registration System (FR 1400A) has five sections. The first section asks for
the company name (legal), the company name (doing business as), and the Federal Tax ID of the
company. The second section asks for the full business mailing address. The third section asks
for the business phone number, fax, website, and number of years in business (0-99). The fourth
section asks for Dun & Bradstreet number6, industry classification code (NAICS code), business
size (small or large), and for the respondent to indicate whether they are a General Services
Administration contract holder, Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement contract holder, a
woman-owned business, a veteran-owned business, or a minority-owned business; if they select
that they are a minority-owned business, a demographic drop down list will appear. In the fifth
and final section, it asks for a contact name, title, e-mail address, phone number, a brief
description of their business, and how they met the Board (outreach event, advocacy group, or
other).
•
•
•

•
•
•
•
•
•

The Solicitation Package (FR 1400B) includes:
A cover letter,
A Solicitation, Offer, and Award Form (Section A), which outlines pertinent dates for the
supplier as well as requires the supplier to input contact information and a summary of
proposed pricing,
A Supplier Information Form, which requires the supplier to utilize Coupa and provide
contact information, demographic, and payment information so that the supplier can be
properly established in the contract writing system and receive payment upon the receipt
of a proper and valid invoice,
A description, provided by the Board, of the goods or services desired,
A statement of how the Board will evaluate the prospective suppliers,
A statement of how the Board will evaluate the proposal,
Solicitation instructions (how to prepare and submit the proposal, including all
deadlines),
Contract terms (work standards, inspections, work delays, work change orders, payment,
taxes, and compliance with small business and labor laws), and
Representations and certifications suppliers must make in order to participate in the
solicitation.

The Solicitation, Offer, and Award form (Section A of FR 1400B) is required with
proposals offered in response to a solicitation issued by the Board. The Supplier Information
Form is required for the entry of a supplier into the Board’s contract writing and invoice payment
system. The Solicitation Package may also include the Past Performance Data Sheet and Past
Performance Questionnaire (Section I) if past performance is an evaluation factor. This
questionnaire requests information on up to three previous contracts that are recent and relevant
to the solicitation, such as a description of the work, the period of performance when the work
was completed, the agency for which the work was performed, and an estimated total dollar
amount of the effort.
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The Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S® Number is a unique nine-digit identifier for businesses that is associated with a
business’s Live Business Identity.

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The Procurement Solicitation Package requires additional information for solicitations
that require the supplier to process, store, or transmit data from the Board (Data Solicitations)
and for solicitations involving contracts that have subcontracting opportunities and are expected
to exceed $100,000, or $300,000 for construction solicitations (Subcontracting Solicitations). For
Data Solicitations, suppliers must complete the Supplier Risk Management Offeror
Questionnaire (FR 1400C). This questionnaire requires suppliers to specify the security controls
surrounding the supplier’s security protocols and proposed application, if applicable, that will be
used to process, store, or transmit the data.7 For Subcontracting Solicitations, non-covered
company8 suppliers must submit a subcontracting plan in the supplier’s own format. The
subcontracting plan provided contains information on the nature of subcontracted activities,
including the percentage of subcontracted work, and identity of subcontractors, including the
subcontractors’ size and ownership status, the company will use if awarded the effort. If a
supplier is awarded a contract following a Subcontracting Solicitation, the supplier must provide
semiannual Subcontracting Reports (FR 1400D) to the Board, to document compliance with
section 342(e) of the Dodd-Frank Act.9
The Board is the contracting authority for itself and the Federal Financial Institutions
Examination Council (FFIEC), and the Procurement Solicitation Package is also used for
solicitations conducted on behalf of the FFIEC. Applicants and members of the Board’s
Community Advisory Council (CAC) and Insurance Policy Advisory Committee (IPAC) also
use the Supplier Information Form to provide banking information for travel reimbursement.
Personally Identifiable Information
Personally identifiable information (PII) obtained in this information collection includes
information regarding the ownership of a company based on race and ethnicity in the Supplier
Information Form. Suppliers are also asked to provide banking information to allow for
electronic payment in the Supplier Information Form. The information provided is sensitive in
nature and is necessary for the Board to comply with Dodd-Frank, which requires the Board to
develop and implement standards and procedures to assess the diversity policies and practices in
all business and activities of the agency at all levels, including procurement, and all types of
contracts. The payment information is necessary to securely complete payment transactions to
suppliers and travel reimbursement for applicants and members of the Board’s CAC. Information
collected as part of this process is stored in the System of Records BGFRS-9 Supplier Files
7

Security controls are defined and prioritized based on the FIMSA and the NIST Special Publication 800-53
(Security Controls and Assessment Procedures for Federal Information Systems and Organizations).
8
A “covered company” is a firm qualified as a small business concern under the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. §
632) and regulations thereunder, including (1) business concerns that meet the size eligibility standards set forth in
13 CFR 121, (2) small business concerns owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans as defined by 15 U.S.C.
§ 632(q), (3) qualified HUBZone small business concerns pursuant to 15 U.S.C. § 632(p) and 13 CFR 126,
(4) socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 637 and certified as
such under 13 CFR 125, and (5) small business concerns owned and controlled by women as defined by 15 U.S.C. §
632(n).
9
12 U.S.C. § 5452(e) requires the Board to submit an annual report to Congress regarding the total amounts paid by
the agency to contractors since the previous report, the successes achieved and challenges faced by the agency in
operating minority and women outreach programs, the challenges the agency may face in hiring qualified minority
and women employees and contracting with qualified minority-owned and women-owned businesses, and any other
information, findings, conclusions, and recommendations for legislative or agency action.

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(88 FR 40270). This information is also covered by the Privacy Impact Assessment, “Coupa
Business Spend Management for Federal.”
Respondent Panel
The FR 1400 panel comprises businesses and individuals.
Frequency and Time Schedule
The FR 1400 is event-generated. The use and input of supplier information into the
Board’s Supplier Registration System (FR 1400A) is solely at the discretion of the supplier and
may occur at any point in time. The remainder of the Procurement Solicitation Package is
collected as-needed from suppliers when Board staff issues a solicitation. Board staff will
provide prospective suppliers with deadlines for inquiries regarding the solicitation and for
submitting proposals, which must include the Solicitation Package (FR 1400B) and, if
appropriate, the Supplier Risk Management Offeror Questionnaire (FR 1400C). For
Subcontracting Solicitations, the selected supplier must submit the Subcontracting Report
(FR 1400D) semiannually beginning six months after the contract was awarded if it is not a
covered company.
Revisions to the FR 1400
The Board revised the FR 1400 by transitioning the FR 1400B into the new online source
to settle system provided by Coupa, adopting minor revisions to the content to help improve
reporting and reduce commonly asked follow-up questions, and adding a new section to the
SOA, which respondents will be required to complete and then update or re-certify each year.
This information will be required for every supplier when they complete a solicitation.
Additionally, on an annual basis, suppliers will be required to login to Coupa to update or recertify10 that representation information they originally entered in the “Board of Governors
Policy Information” section is still correct. The FR 1400C and FR 1400D will also be
transitioned to the Coupa system; however, the contents and format of the FR 1400C and
FR 1400D will not change. There were no revisions to the FR 1400A.
Public Availability of Data
No data collected by this information collection are published.
Legal Status
The filing requirements under the FR 1400 are authorized by sections 10 and 11 of the
Federal Reserve Act (FRA) (12 U.S.C. §§ 243 and 248(1))11 and section 342(c) of the Dodd-

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Such certifications are not considered information collections under 5 CFR 1320.3(h)(1).
Section 10(3) and section 11 of the FRA authorize the Board to manage its buildings and staff. Section 10(4) of
the FRA authorizes the Board to determine and prescribe the manner in which its obligations shall be incurred and
its disbursements and expenses allowed and paid.
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Frank Act (12 U.S.C. § 5452(c)).12 Registering in the Supplier Registration System (FR 1400A)
is voluntary. The remaining portions of the FR 1400 (FR 1400B, FR 1400C, and FR 1400D) are
required to obtain a benefit for prospective suppliers to the Board.
A prospective supplier may request confidential treatment under exemption 4 of the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for information submitted as part of its Procurement
Solicitation Package if it contains commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private (5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(4)). Information provided by a supplier as part
of its Procurement Solicitation Package may also be considered confidential under FOIA
exemption 6 if it contains personal information, the disclosure of which would “constitute a
clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy” (5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6)).
Consultation Outside the Agency
There has been no consultation outside the Federal Reserve System.
Public Comments
On May 15, 2023, the Board published an initial notice in the Federal Register (88 FR
30970) requesting public comment for 60 days on the extension, with revision, of the FR 1400.
The comment period for this notice expired on July 14, 2023. The Board did not receive any
comments. The Board adopted the extension, with revision, of the FR 1400 as originally
proposed. On September 11, 2023, the Board published a final notice in the Federal Register (88
FR 62369).
Estimate of Respondent Burden
As shown in the table below, the estimated total annual burden for the FR 1400 is 24,830
hours, and would increase to 24,863 hours with the revisions. The number of respondents is
based on the average number of FR 1400 filings received in the past two years and review of
current projections for upcoming procurement efforts. These reporting requirements represent
less than 1 percent of the Board’s total paperwork burden.

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Requiring the Board to develop and implement standards and procedures for the review and evaluation of contract
proposals and for hiring service providers that include a component that gives consideration to the diversity of a
prospective vendor and the fair inclusion of women and minorities in the workforce of such vendor and any
subcontractor.

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Estimated
number of
respondents13

Estimated
annual
frequency

250
300
60
20

1
1
1
2

1
81
4
1

250
24,300
240
40
24,830

250
300
60
20

1
1
1
2

1
81.11
4
1

Proposed Total

250
24,333
240
40
24,863

Change

33

FR 1400
Current
FR 1400A
FR 1400B
FR 1400C
FR 1400D

Estimated
Estimated
average hours annual burden
per response
hours

Current Total
Proposed
FR 1400A
FR 1400B
FR 1400C
FR 1400D

The estimated total annual cost to the public for the FR 1400 is $1,644,988, and would
increase to $1,647,174 with the revisions.14
Sensitive Questions
As stated above in the PII subsection, in order to comply with the mandate and reporting
of the Dodd-Frank Act, suppliers are asked to submit information regarding the ownership of
their company based on race and ethnicity in the Supplier Information Form. The collection of
banking and payment information is necessary to securely complete payment transactions to
suppliers and travel reimbursement for applicants and members of the Board’s CAC.
Estimate of Cost to the Federal Reserve System
The estimated cost to the Federal Reserve System for collecting and processing this
information collection is negligible.

13

Respondents to this collection fall under a variety of small business thresholds from $18.5 million to $39.5 million
and it is estimated that 150 out of 300 would be considered small entities as defined by the Small Business
Administration. Size standards effective March 17, 2023. See https://www.sba.gov/document/support-table-sizestandards. There are no special accommodations given to mitigate the burden on small institutions.
14
Total cost to the responding public is estimated using the following formula: total burden hours, multiplied by the
cost of staffing, where the cost of staffing is calculated as a percent of time for each occupational group multiplied
by the group’s hourly rate and then summed (30% Office & Administrative Support at $22, 45% Financial
Managers at $80, 15% Lawyers at $79, and 10% Chief Executives at $118). Hourly rates for each occupational
group are the (rounded) mean hourly wages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Occupational Employment
and Wages, May 2022, published April 25, 2023, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.t01.htm. Occupations
are defined using the BLS Standard Occupational Classification System, https://www.bls.gov/soc/.

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