Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation—Information Security and Privacy Contract[...]

Agency Information Collection Activity: Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR)-Information Security and Privacy Contract Clauses

DATES:

Comments and recommendations on the proposed information collection should be sent by April 24, 2026.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR)-Information Security and Privacy Contract Clauses.

OMB Control Number: 2900-0895. https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRASearch.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: VA uses three Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR) contract clauses to ensure security when a contractor has access to VA information or information systems, as follows:

• Clause 852.239-70, Security Requirements for Information Technology Resources, is required in all solicitations, contracts and orders exceeding the micro-purchase threshold that include information technology services. This clause requires the contractor to be responsible for information technology security for all systems connected to a VA network or operated by the contractor for VA, regardless of location.
• Clause 852.239-72, Information System Design and Development, is required in all solicitations, contracts, orders and agreements where services to perform information system design and development are required.
• Clause 852.239-73, Information System Hosting, Operation, Maintenance, or Use, is required in all solicitations, contracts, orders and agreements where services to perform information system hosting, operation, or maintenance are required.

Clauses 852.239-72 and 852.239-73 are intended to protect VA sensitive information and information technology by requiring contractor and subcontractor personnel to be subject to the same Federal laws, regulations, standards, and VA directives and handbooks as VA and VA personnel regarding information and information system security.

This revision changes the title from "Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation Clause 852.239-70, VA Information and Information System Security and Privacy" to "Department of Veterans Affairs Acquisition Regulation (VAAR)-Information Security and Privacy Contract Clauses". The previous title implied that this OMB Control Number covered a single clause instead of multiple clauses. The title change is the only revision to the currently approved collection.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of information was published at 91 FR 2276, January 16, 2026.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Estimated Annual Burden: 4,815 hours.

Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 19 minutes.

Frequency of Response: Less than quarterly.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 15,384.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.