[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 193 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51673-51674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25365]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service


Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection for Bid 
Form for National Forest System Timber for Sale

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service announces its intent to request an extension of a 
currently approved information collection. The information is necessary 
to determine if a bidder, submitting a bid to the National Forest 
System timber sale program, meets the requirements for the program.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before December 2, 
1996.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to: Director, Timber 
Management (2430), Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, 
D.C. 20090-6090.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Naylor, Timber Management Staff, 
at (202) 205-0858.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be extended:
    Title: FS-2400-42a--Bid Form for Advertised National Forest System 
Timber.
    OMB Number: 0596-0066.
    Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 1997.
    Type of Request: Extension of a previously approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The data collected are used by the agency to ensure that 
National Forest System timber is sold at not less than appraised value, 
that bidders meet specific criteria when submitting a bid, and that 
anti-trust violations do not occur during the bidding process. 
Respondents are bidders on National Forest System timber sales. Forest 
Service Sale Officers mail bid forms to potential bidders, and bidders 
return the completed forms, dated and signed, to the Forest Service 
Sale Officer. Each bidder must include the following: the price bid for 
the timber, an address, and a tax identification number. The tax 
identification number of each bidder is entered into an automated bid 
monitoring system, which is used to determine if speculative bidding or 
bid collusion is occurring. The tax identification number is also used 
to facilitate electronic payments to the purchaser. Data gathered in 
this information collection is not available from other sources.
    Estimate of Burden: 10 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals, large and small businesses, and 
corporations bidding on National Forest timber sales.

[[Page 51674]]

    Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,000.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.5.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,250 hours.
    The agency invites comments on the following: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

Use of Comments

    All comments received in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Dated: September 26, 1996.
David G. Unger,
Associate Chief.
[FR Doc. 96-25365 Filed 10-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P