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    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>9000-AN32</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>201804</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>9000</CODE>
            <NAME>DOD/GSA/NASA (FAR)</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>FAR</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR); FAR Case 2017-005, Whistleblower Protection for Contractor Employees</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[<!DOCTYPE html>
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<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>DoD, GSA, and NASA are proposing to amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement 41 U.S.C. 4712, Enhancement of contractor protection from reprisal for disclosure of certain information and makes the pilot program permanent. The pilot was enacted on January 2, 2013, by section 828 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. The rule makes clear that contractors and subcontractors are prohibited from discharging, demoting, or otherwise discriminating against an employee as a reprisal for disclosing, to any of the entities such as agency Inspector Generals and Congress, information the employee reasonably believes is evidence of gross mismanagement of a Federal contract; a gross waste of Federal funds; an abuse of authority relating to a Federal contract; a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety; or violation of law, rule, or regulation related to a Federal contract (including the competition for or negotiation of a contract. This rule enhances whistleblower protections for contractor employees, by making permanent the protection for disclosure of the aforementioned information, and ensuring that the prohibition on reimbursement for legal fees accrued in defense against reprisal claims applies to subcontractors, as well as contractors.</p>
</body>
</html>]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Proposed Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <EO_13771_DESIGNATION>Other</EO_13771_DESIGNATION>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>48 CFR 3</CFR>
            <CFR>48 CFR 31</CFR>
            <CFR>48 CFR 52</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>40 U.S.C. 121(c)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>10 U.S.C. ch. 137</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>51 U.S.C. 20113</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>08/00/2018</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>10/00/2018</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>Yes</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Businesses</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <FURTHER_INFO_URL>www.regulations.gov</FURTHER_INFO_URL>
        <PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>www.regulations.gov</PUBLIC_COMMENT_URL>
        <PRINT_PAPER>Yes</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Cecelia</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Davis</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>L.</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <TITLE>Procurement Analyst</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>9000</CODE>
                    <NAME>DOD/GSA/NASA (FAR)</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>FAR</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>202 219-0202</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>cecelia.davis@gsa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>1800 F Street, NW,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Washington</CITY>
                    <STATE>DC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20405</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
