Administrative and Audit Requirements and Cost Principles for Assistance Programs

This action finalizes an interim rule the Department of the Interior (Department) published in response to the issuance of Executive Order 13043 of April 16, 1997, "IncreasingSeat Belt Use in the United States" (Order). Under Section 1(c), after the date of the Order, each Federal agency was required to seek to encourage contractors, subcontractors, and grantees to adopt and enforce on-the- job seat belt policies and programs for their employees when operating company-owned, rented, or personally owned vehicles. Section 2 of the Order directed all agencies of the executive branch to promulgate rules and take other appropriate measures within their existing programs to further the policies of the Order. The Department published an interim final rule on December 27, 1999, because there had been no government-wide implementation of this policy. This final rule applies to grants and cooperative agreements awarded by the Department, and provides a regulatory basis for the inclusion of a provision in grants and cooperative agreements awarded by the Department. In the event that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) chooses to implement this requirement through the issuance of a government-wide directive, the Department will revise this regulation, as appropriate.