(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, all proposed CNCS guidance documents determined to be significant within the meaning of § 2509.20 are subject to public notice-and-comment. CNCS shall publish notification in the Federal Register of the proposed significant guidance document and invite public comments for a minimum of 30 days, then publish a response to major concerns raised in the comments when the final guidance document is published.

(b) The requirements of paragraph (a) of this section will not apply to any significant guidance document for which CNCS finds, in consultation with OIRA, good cause that notice-and-comment procedures are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest (and incorporates the finding of good cause and a brief statement of reasons in the guidance issued).

(c) CNCS and OIRA may establish an agreement on presumptively exempted categories of guidance; such documents will be presumptively exempt from the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section.