3037-AA01 201610 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 3037 Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled CPBSD AbilityOne Program; Determining Whether Commodities Are "Essentially the Same"

The Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (Committee), which is responsible for administering the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act through the AbilityOne Program, proposes to amend its regulations by adding guidelines for Federal agencies’ use in determining whether commercial commodities are "essentially the same" as items on the Procurement List. The Procurement List is the official list of commodities and services that the Committee has determined to be suitable to be provided to the Government by nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind or who have other severe disabilities and that must be purchased from the source designated by the Committee, pursuant to the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act and its implementing regulations. The proposed guidelines for Federal agencies will incorporate the definition of the term essentially the same (ETS) and clarify its applicability. Currently the term "ETS" appears in Committee regulations and is defined in agency policy. The proposed guidelines will assist acquisition personnel to comply with the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act.

]]> Other Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Prerule Stage No No 41 CFR 51 41 U.S.C. ch 85 No ANPRM 05/00/2017 ANPRM Comment Period End 07/00/2017 Includes Retrospective Review under E.O.13563. No Federal No No No No Kimberly Zeich Deputy Executive Director 3037 Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled CPBSD 703 603-2130 703 603-0655 kzeich@abilityone.gov 1401 S. Clark Street, Suite 715, Arlington VA 22202-3259