[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 111 (Thursday, June 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36401-36404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14412]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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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 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 111 / Thursday, June 8, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 36401]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

June 2, 2000.
    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
regarding (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 to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of 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 should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, D.C. 20503 and to 
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, 
D.C. 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are 
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of 
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by 
calling (202) 720-6746.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1951-A, Account Servicing Policies.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0075.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Housing Service (RHS) provides 
supervised credit in the form of Single Family Housing, Multi-Family 
Housing, and Community Facility loans and grants. Regulation 7 CFR 
1951-A sets forth the policies and procedures, including the collection 
and use of information, regarding the application of payments on loans 
made under the programs administered by the agencies and the return of 
paid-in-full and satisfied promissory notes.
    Need and Use of the Information: Information collection is 
submitted by Agency borrowers to the local Agency office servicing the 
county in which their operation is located and is used by agency 
servicing officials. The collection of information is required only 
when needed on an individual case basis.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; business or 
other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 110.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 28.

Rural Utilities Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1780, Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0572-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is 
authorized by Section 306 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926) to make loans to public agencies, 
American Indian tribes, and nonprofit corporations for the development 
of drinking water and wastewater, and solid waste disposal facilities 
in rural areas of up to 10,000 residents. These regulations were also 
used to administer the Community Facilities programs, whose functions 
the Rural Housing Service also had assumed from Farmers Home 
Administration (FmHA) and Rural Development Administration (RDA). RUS 
amended the regulations to establish separate regulations for the Water 
and Waste Disposal programs. RUS also replaced references to FmHA and 
RDA with references to RUS and its officials.
    Need and Use of the Information: RUS state and field offices will 
collect information from applicants, borrowers, and consultants to 
determine eligibility and project feasibility, and to ensure borrowers 
operate on a sound basis and use loan and grant funds for authorized 
purposes. Failure to collect proper information could result in 
improper determinations of eligibility or improper use of funds.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government; Not-
for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 5,800.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion; 
Weekly; Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 134,240.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Federal Plant Pest and Noxious Weeds Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0054.
    Summary of Collection: The Plan Protection and Quarantine Program 
of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United 
States Department of Agriculture is responsible for preventing plant 
pests and noxious weeds from entering the United States, preventing the 
spread of pests and weeds not widely distributed in the United States, 
and eradicating those imported pests and weeds when eradication is 
feasible. Section 150bb of the Federal Plant Pest Act (7 U.S.C. 150aa-
150jj) and Section 4(a) of the Federal Noxious Weed Act (7 U.S.C. 2801-
2813) provide that no plant pest or noxious weed can be moved from a 
foreign country into or through the United States, or interstate, 
unless the movement is authorized under a permit issued by the 
Secretary of Agriculture and the movement is carried out in accordance 
with the conditions the Secretary may prescribe to prevent the 
dissemination of plant pests or noxious weeds into the United States. 
APHIS will collect information using forms PPQ 525A, 526, 526-1, and 
519.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect information to 
evaluate the risk associated with the proposed movement of plant pest, 
noxious weeds, and soil. APHIS will also collect information to monitor 
operations at facility to ensure permit conditions are being met. The 
information is used to determine whether a permit can be issued, and

[[Page 36402]]

also to develop risk-mitigating conditions for the proposed movement. 
If the information were not collected, APHIS' ability to protect the 
United States from a plant pest or noxious weed incursion would be 
significantly compromised.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
individuals or households; Federal Government; State, Local or Tribal 
Government.
    Number of Respondents: 40,312.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 38,133.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    Title: Conifer Solid Wood Packing Material to China, Export 
Certification.
    OMB Control Number: 0579-0147.
    Summary of Collection: The Plant Protection and Quarantine Program 
of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United 
States Department of Agriculture is responsible for preventing plant 
diseases or insect pest from entering the United States, preventing the 
spread of pests not widely distributed in the United States, and 
eradicating those imported pests and weeds when eradication is 
feasible. The Federal Plant Pest Act authorizes the Department to carry 
out this mission. APHIS provides export certification services to 
assure other countries that the plants and plant products (as well as 
associated packing materials) they are receiving from the United States 
are free of prohibited (or regulated) plant diseases and insect pest. 
Effective January 1, 2000, the government of China requires goods from 
the United States to be accompanied by either a statement from the 
exporter that the shipment does not contain any softwood (conifer) 
packing materials, or by an APHIS-issued certificate certifying that 
the conifer packing materials in the shipment have been heat treated by 
being subjected to a minimum core temperature of 56 degrees Celsius for 
30 minutes. APHIS will collect information using form PPQ 553.
    Need and Use of the Information: APHIS will collect the names and 
address of the exporter and the consignee and a description of the 
consignment. APHIS will also collect information certifying that heat 
treatment has been performed, as well as the actual certification. The 
information is needed to assure China that conifer packing materials 
from the United States do not harbor insect pests such as the pine wood 
nematode. If the information is not collected this would cause China to 
refuse any shipments from the United States that contained conifer 
packing materials.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
individuals or households; not-for-profit institutions; Farms; Federal 
Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 6,500.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 2,808.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Marketing Order No. 917 for Peaches Grown in California.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0080.
    Summary of Collection: Marketing Order No. 917 (7 CFR 917), 
regulates the handling of peaches grown in California and emanates from 
enabling legislation (The Agricultural Marketing Agreement (AMS) Act of 
1937, Secs. 1-19, 48 Stat. 31, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 601-674). This 
legislation, hereinafter referred to as the Act, was designed to permit 
regulation of certain agricultural commodities for the purpose of 
providing orderly marketing conditions in interstate commerce and 
improving returns to producers. The Order authorizes the issuance of 
grade, size, and maturity regulations; inspection requirements; and 
marketing and production research, including paid advertising. 
Regulatory provisions apply to peaches shipped within and out of the 
area of production to any market, except those specifically exempted by 
the Order. There is no State order in effect at this time. The Order 
also has authority for production and marketing research and 
development projects. Data will be collected using AMS forms FV-75, FV-
76, FM-91, FV-92, FV-93, and FV-103.
    Need and Use of the Information: The committee powers, as set forth 
in the Order, are: (1) to administer the provisions of the Order in 
accordance with its terms; (2) to receive, investigate, and report to 
the Secretary complaints of violations of the Order; (3) to make and 
adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the Order; and (4) to 
recommend amendments to the Order.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; farms.
    Number of Respondents: 2,287.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; reporting; on occasion, 
Monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,411.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1924-F, Complaints and Compensation for Construction 
Defects.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0082.
    Summary of Collection: This regulation provides instruction to all 
Rural Housing Service (RHS) personnel to enable them to implement a 
procedure to accept and process complaints from borrowers/owners 
against builders and dealers/contractors, to resolve the complaint 
informally and when the complaint involves structural defects which 
cannot be resolved by cooperation of the builder or dealer/contractor, 
authorizes expenditure to resolve the defect with grant funds. 
Resolution could involve expenditure for (1) repairing defects; (2) 
reimbursing for emergency repairs; (3) pay temporary living expenses or 
(4) convey dwelling to RHS with release of liability for the RHS loan. 
Information is collected using RD Form 1924-4.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information is collected from 
Agency borrowers and the local Agency office serving the county in 
which the dwelling is located. This information is used by Rural 
Housing Staff to evaluate the request and assist the borrower in 
identifying possible causes and corrective actions. The information is 
collected on a case-by-case basis when initiated by the borrower. RHS 
has reviewed the program's need for the collection of information 
versus the burden placed on the public.
    Description of Respondents: Business or for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 5,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,350.

Office of Procurement and Property Management

    Title: Maximum Workweek--Construction Schedule.
    OMB Control Number: 0505-0011.
    Summary of Collection: In order to obtain goods or services such as 
construction services, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 
like other Federal agencies, has established agency contracting offices 
to enter into Federal contracts. These offices employ contracting 
officers, who solicit bids or offers for work from businesses in the 
private sector. When USDA contracts from construction services, both 
the contracting officer and the contractor need to establish a schedule 
for the work. The contractor needs to ensure that his weekly work 
schedule will not conflict with the time during which USDA may allow 
him access to the work side. The contracting officer needs to know when 
the contractor will be working in order to schedule on-site 
conferences, to perform quality assurance inspections, and to perform 
compliance checks required to enforce the Davis Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. 
276a-276a-7). Such compliance checks are specifically required by the 
Federal

[[Page 36403]]

Acquisition Regulations (FAR) to conduct employee interviews, to check 
the type of work being performed, to verify the number and pay 
classification of workers at the site, and to verify that posters 
informing workers of their rights are displayed at the site (FAR 
22.406-7(b)). Contracting officers put the Maximum Workweek--
Construction Schedule clause in solicitations and contracts for 
construction when the contractor's access to the work site may be 
restricted to certain times of the day or week.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Office of Procurement and 
Property Management (OPPM) will collect information to determine when 
government inspectors or representatives will be needed at the site, 
and to schedule contractor access to the work site. The information is 
not collected unless the contracting officer anticipates problems with 
contractor access or scheduling government inspections. If the 
information were not collected, contracting offices would be unable to 
allocate contract administration resources efficiently.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 600.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 150.

Office of Procurement and Property Management

    Title: Instructions for the Preparation of Technical and Business 
Proposals.
    OMB Control Number: 0505-0013
    Summary of Collection:
    In order to obtain goods or services, the United States Department 
of Agriculture (USDA), like other Federal agencies, has established 
agency contracting offices to enter into Federal contracts. These 
offices employ contracting officers, who use various methods to award 
contracts for good or services. One method, prescribed by part 15 of 
the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is contracting by negotiation. 
In contracting by negotiation, contracting officers issue solicitations 
to request offers for required products or services from businesses in 
the private sector. Together with the solicitation document, the 
offeror's cost proposal and its technical and business proposals 
constitute the offer submitted to the contracting office for evaluation 
and acceptance. The technical proposal, together with the offeror's 
pricing, is needed to select the offeror who will be awarded a 
contract. The Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) (48 CFR ch. 4) 
prescribes the provision titled Instructions for the Preparation of 
Technical and Business Proposals (48 CFR 452.215-71) help an offeror 
preparing a proposal to address the factors on which it will be 
evaluated.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Office of Procurement and 
Property Management (OPPM) will collect information to evaluate and 
determine the feasibility of the offeror's management, technical 
approach, and offered cost/price to provide the services and/or 
supplies required if awarded a contract. If the information were not 
collected OPPM would be unable to obtain goods and services required 
for its daily operations.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Not-for-
profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 3,200.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 112,000.

Office of Procurement and Property Management

    Title: Brand Name or Equal Provision and Clause.
    OMB Control Number: 0505-0014.
    Summary of Collection: In order to obtain goods or services, the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), like other Federal 
agencies, has established agency contracting offices to enter into 
Federal contracts. The Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) (48 
CFR ch. 4) and the (48 CFR 411.171), provision (48 CFR 452.211-70), and 
a clause (48 452.211-71) permits the use of ``brand name or equal'' 
purchase descriptions to procure commercial products. Such descriptions 
require the offeror on a supply procurement to identify the ``equal'' 
item being offered and to indicate how that item meets the salient 
characteristics stated in the purchase description. The use of brand 
name or equal descriptions eliminates the need for bidders or offerors 
to read and interpret detailed specifications or purchase descriptions.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Office of Procurement and 
Property Management (OPPM) will collect information to determine from 
the descriptive information furnished whether the offered ``equal'' 
item meet the salient characteristics of the Government's requirements. 
If information were not collected, PPM would spend more time developing 
purchase descriptions and offerors would spend more time reading and 
interpreting the purchase descriptions.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 45,170.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 4,517.

Office of Procurement and Property Management

    Title: Procurement: Key Personnel Clause.
    OMB Control Number: 0505-0015.
    Summary of Collection: In order to obtain goods or services, the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), like other Federal 
agencies, has established agency contracting offices to enter into 
Federal contracts. These offices employ contracting officers, who issue 
solicitations to request offers (proposals) for required products or 
services from businesses in the private sector. When USDA wishes to 
acquire research and development services (R&D), Information Technology 
(IT) design or support services, or advisory and assistance services, 
it must consider the capabilities of the personnel who the contractor 
assigns to the job. The contributions of certain contractor employees 
may be critical to the success of the work. Such employees are 
designated as ``Key personnel.'' The Agriculture Acquisition Regulation 
(AGAR) (48 CFR ch. 4) (48 CFR 437.110) and 48 CFR 452.237-74) 
prescribes the Key Personnel clause to collect information about key 
contractor personnel. The contracting officer uses the Key Personnel 
clause to require the contractor to inform USDA if a key person will no 
longer be available to perform work on the contract. Contractors whose 
contracts include the key personnel clause are required to notify the 
contracting officer about proposed substitutions for key personnel 
identified in the contract.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Office of Procurement and 
Property Management (OPPM) will collect information to determine 
whether the departure of a key person from the contractor's staff could 
jeopardize contract performance, and to determine what accommodations 
or remedies may be taken. If the OPPM could not obtain information 
about departing key personnel, it could not ensure that qualified 
personnel continue to perform contract work.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; non-for-
profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 200.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 200.

[[Page 36404]]

Office of Procurement and Property Management

    Title: Progress Reporting Clause.
    OMB Control Number: 0505-0016.
    Summary of Collection: In order to obtain goods or services, the 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), like other Federal 
agencies, has established agency contracting offices to enter into 
Federal contracts. These offices employ contracting officers, who 
request bids or offers for work from businesses in the private sector 
using solicitations. In order to administer contracts for research and 
development services (R&D), or for advisory and assistance services 
(AAS), contracting officers need information about contractor progress 
in performing the contracts. The Agriculture Acquisition Regulation 
(AGAR) (48 CFR ch.4) (48 CFR 437.270(a)) and (48 CFR 452.237-76) 
prescribe the Progress Reporting Clause to collect information about 
contractor progress. Contracting officers include the Progress 
Reporting Clause in R&D and AAS contracts to obtain information from 
the contractors about their performance.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Office of Procurement and 
Property Management (OPPM) will collect information to compare actual 
progress and expenditures to anticipated performance and contractor 
representations on which the award was based. The information alerts 
the agency of technical problems; to the need for additional staff 
resources or finding; and to the probability of timely completion 
within the contract cost or price. If the contracting officers could 
not obtain progress report information, they would have to physically 
monitor the contractor's operation on a day to day basis throughout the 
performance period.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; non-for-
profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal Government.
    Number of Repondents: 200.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Quarterly; monthly.
    Total Burden Hours: 3,600.

Rural Housing Service

    Title: 7 CFR 1940-G, Enviromental Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0575-0094.
    Summary of Collection: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
requires Federal agencies, prior to the approval of proposed actions, 
to consider the potential environmental impacts of these actions. 
Consequently, for the Agencies to comply with NEPA, it is necessary 
that they have information on the types of environmental resources on 
site or in the vicinity that might be impacted by the proposed action, 
as well as information on the nature of the project selected by the 
applicant (the activities to be carried out at the site; any air, 
liquid and solid wastes produced by these activities, etc.). The agency 
will collect environmental data using form RD 1940-20.
    Need and Use of the Information: The agency will collect 
information on the proposed project site and the activities to be 
conducted there. This will enable the Agency official to determine the 
magnitude of the potential environmental impacts and whether the 
project is controversial for environmental reasons.
    Description of Respondents: Farms; individuals or households; 
Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit institutions; State, Local 
or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 3,050.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 15,320.

Barbara Lacour,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-14412 Filed 6-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M