Enhancing The Rulemaking Process Via The World Wide Web - web sites for the department of defense - Brief Article

Program Manager, March, 2001

The Defense Acquisition Regulations (DAR) Directorate in the Office of the Secretary of Defense has implemented new procedures to improve the rulemaking process. The new procedures make it easier for the public to submit and view comments on proposed revisions to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).

Interested parties are no longer restricted to paper copies, faxes, or emails when submitting comments on proposed revisions to the DFARS. The public may now submit comments directly on the World Wide Web by typing the comments in a text box or by attaching documents at http://emissaryacq.osd.mi/dar/dfars.nsf/pubcomm. The World Wide Web is now the preferred method of submitting comments.

Another new feature enables the public to view comments on proposed DFARS revisions on the World Wide Web at http://emissaryacq.osd.mil/dar/dfars.nsf. The DAR Directorate will post comments to the World Wide Web the day after a comment period closes. Previously anyone interested in reading the comments submitted by others had to request paper copies of the comments from the DAR Directorate.

Deidre A Lee, the Director of Defense Procurement, stated that "these improvements will enhance public participation in the rulemaking process by providing a simpler method for submission of comments and for viewing of comments submitted by others." For additional information, contact Kathleen Fenk, DAR Directorate Automation Program Manager, at (703) 602-0296.