[Federal Register: November 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 225)]
[Rules and Regulations]               
[Page 67778-67779]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22no06-15]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

48 CFR Parts 25 and 52

[FAC 2005-14; FAR Case 2006-001; Item IV; Docket 2006-0020, Sequence 
18]
RIN 9000-AK45

 
Federal Acquisition Regulation; FAR Case 2006-001, Free Trade 
Agreements--Morocco

AGENCIES: Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration 
(GSA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense 
Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) agree to adopt as final, 
without change, an interim rule that amended the Federal Acquisition 
Regulation (FAR) to implement the new Free Trade Agreement with Morocco 
as approved by Congress (Public Law 108-302).

DATES:
    Effective Date: November 22, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact 
Ms. Jeritta Parnell, Procurement Analyst, at (202) 501-4082. Please 
cite FAC 2005-14, FAR case 2006-001. For information pertaining to 
status or publication schedules, contact the FAR Secretariat at (202) 
501-4755.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    DoD, GSA, and NASA published an interim rule in the Federal 
Register at 71 FR 20306 on April 19, 2006, to implement the new Free 
Trade Agreement with Morocco as approved by Congress (Public Law 108-
302). This Free Trade Agreement waives the

[[Page 67779]]

applicability of the Buy American Act for some foreign supplies and 
construction materials from Morocco, and specifies procurement 
procedures designed to ensure fairness, applicable to the acquisition 
of supplies and services.
    No comments were received by the close of the public comment period 
on June 19, 2006. Therefore, the Councils agreed to convert the interim 
rule to a final rule without change.
    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

    The Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration certify that this 
final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. Although the rule opens up 
Government procurement to the products of Morocco, the Councils do not 
anticipate any significant economic impact on U.S. small businesses. 
The Department of Defense only applies the trade agreements to the non-
defense items listed at DFARS 225.401-70, and acquisitions that are set 
aside for small businesses are exempt.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act does apply; however, these changes to 
the FAR do not impose additional information collection requirements to 
the paperwork burden previously approved under OMB Control Numbers 
9000-0025 and 9000-0141.

List of Subjects in 48 CFR Parts 25 and 52.

    Government procurement.

    Dated: November 15, 2006.
Ralph De Stefano,
Director, Contract Policy Division.

Interim Rule Adopted as Final Without Change

0
Accordingly, the interim rule amending 48 CFR parts 25 and 52, which 
was published at 71 FR 20306 on April 19, 2006, is adopted as a final 
rule without change.
[FR Doc. 06-9305 Filed 11-21-06; 8:45 am]

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