[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 90 (Monday, May 11, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 25816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-12418]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

TITLE: Export Trading Companies Contact Facilitation Service.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506 (c) (2) (A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 10, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. Phone 
number: (202) 482-3272.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to: Mary Michael, Office of Export Trading Company Affairs, 
Service Industries and Finance, Room 1800, 14th and Constitution 
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 482-5131, and fax: (202) 
482-1790.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Contact Facilitation Service (CFS) is designed to put producers 
together with exporters. Many U.S. firms have never exported because of 
a fear of the risks involved in exporting and a lack of knowledge of 
the international marketplace. New-to-export firms need the assistance 
of firms offering export trade services. One of the purposes of the 
Export Trading Company (ETC) Act of 1982 is to increase United States 
exports of goods and services by encouraging more efficient provision 
of export trade services to U.S. producers and suppliers. Section 104 
of the Act directs Commerce to provide a service to facilitate contact 
between producers of exportable goods and services and firms offering 
export trade services.
    The International Trade Administration (ITA) maintains a database 
for U.S. manufacturers, export trading and management companies, 
wholesalers/distributors, and international service firms. The CFS is 
designed to help promote exports and enable U.S. producers to locate 
ETCs and export services providers. Companies registered in the 
database are also listed in annual editions of The Export Yellow Pages 
which are distributed throughout the United States and worldwide. 
Without the information collected by the form, the CFS and The Export 
Yellow Pages would be unreliable and ineffective, because users of this 
kind of information need the current information about the listed 
companies.

II. Method of Collection

    Form ITA-4094P is sent by request to U.S. firms.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0625-0120.
    Form Number: ITA-4094P.
    Type of Review: Revision-Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions and State, local or Tribal Government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 9,500.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 30 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,750.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $198,184 ($112,684 government and 
$85,500 respondents).

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (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 
(including hours and costs) of the proposed collection of information; 
(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 through the use of 
automated collection techniques or forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: May 5, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 98-12418 Filed 5-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P