[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 177 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 49759]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-23952]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 177 / Tuesday, September 14, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 49759]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Request for Approval for an Addendum to a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the intention of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to 
amend a current information collection. To facilitate payment to 
vendors, invoice and payment forms (KC-269, Notice to Deliver and KC-
269-A, Forwarding Notice) previously cleared by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB), are being amended to include a self-
certification form concerning delivery of commodities. These 
commodities are purchased for use in domestic food assistance programs, 
which are operated through a cooperative effort of the Commodity Credit 
Corporation (CCC) and three agencies within the Department of 
Agriculture: FSA, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and the 
Agriculture Marketing Service (AMS).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before November 
15, 1999 to be assured consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Greg Borchert, Chief, 
Planning and Analysis Division, Kansas City Commodity Office, 9200 Ward 
Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri 64114, telephone (816) 926-3536, fax 
(816) 926-6767.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Offer Forms and Shipment Information Log--5 CFR 1320.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0177.
    Expiration Date: 1/31/01.
    Type of Request: Approval of an Addendum to a Currently Approved 
Information Collection.
    Abstract: FSA and AMS purchase commodities for FNS's domestic food 
assistance programs for delivery to warehouses operated for, or under 
contract with, State agencies. Under an agreement among FSA, CCC, AMS, 
and FNS, each agency agrees to perform a certain function in order to 
carry out the domestic food assistance programs. One of the FSA's 
functions is to handle billing documents and make payments. Until now, 
FSA has solely relied upon consignee receipts to provide sufficient 
proof of delivery to allow payments to vendors. Because these receipts 
were handled by several parties, including State Governments and 
warehouses, the amount of time it took for such receipts to reach the 
FSA payment office because quite lengthy. To shorten the payment 
process, FSA is allowing vendors to self-certify to the quantity of 
commodity delivered and to the date of delivery. Self-certification 
will ease the burden on small business' cash flow by allowing payments 
for commodities to be issued more timely. The self-certification will 
be included in the package of forms previously approved by OMB under 
0560-0052. The use of self-certification provides reasonable and proper 
financial controls and accountability for program funds. Procurement 
agencies will also amend purchase announcements and transportation 
contracts to allow for the self-certification. FNS will still require 
the submission of an FNS-57 (Report of Shipment Received Over, Short, 
and/or Damaged (OSD)), when necessary.
    Regulations governing paperwork burdens on the public require that 
before an agency collects information from the public, the agency must 
receive approval from OMB. In accordance with those regulations, FSA is 
seeking approval for these forms to provide for delivery self-
certification.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for collecting 
information under this notice is estimated to average 5 minutes per 
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and 
completing and reviewing the collection of information.
    Respondents: Business and other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 176 for form KC-269, and 30 for 
form KC-269-A.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 100 for form 
KC-269, and 150 for form KC-269-A.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,467 hour for form 
KC-269, and 375 hours for form KC-269-A.
    Proposed topics for comment included: (a) whether the collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility, (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including 
the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collected; 
and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of the 
information on those who are to respond, including through the use of 
appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments regarding this information collection requirement should 
be directed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office 
of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20503, and to Greg Borchert, Chief, Planning and 
Analysis Division, Kansas City Commodity Office, 9200 Ward Parkway, 
Kansas City, Missouri 64114, telephone (816) 926-3536, fax (816) 926-
6767.
    OMB is required to make a decision concerning the collection of 
information contained in this notice between 30 and 60 days after 
publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, a 
comment to OMB is best assured of consideration if OMB receives it 
within 30 days of publication of this notice. All responses to this 
notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. 
All comments will also become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC., on September 8, 1999.
Parks Shackelford,
Acting Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 99-23952 Filed 9-13-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-M