[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 56 (Friday, March 22, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13358-13359]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-6978]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Submission of Paperwork Reduction Act Request to Office of 
Management and Budget

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Information Collection Request 
for Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Form-4432, Verification of Indian 
Preference for Employment in the BIA and the Indian Health Service 
(IHS) has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995. The BIA is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

[[Page 13359]]


DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 22, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent directly to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior, 725 17th 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. Send a copy of your comments to 
Duane Bird Bear, Chief, Division of Tribal Government Services, Office 
of Tribal Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1849 C Street, NW., MS-
4660-MIB, Washington, DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Newman, 202-208-2473.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A 60-day notice for public comments was 
published in the Federal Register on November 21, 2001 (66 FR 58514). 
No comments were received on the workload burden or the form itself 
(OMB Control No. 1076-0160) during this public comment period. Comments 
were received on January 28, 2002, but they concerned substantive 
requirements for descendants of members of federally recognized Indian 
tribes but who were not themselves enrolled members of the tribe. This 
issue will be addressed during rule revision.

I. Abstract

    The purpose of the Indian Preference Form is to encourage qualified 
Indians to seek preference in employment with the BIA and the IHS. BIA 
collects information under the proposed regulations to ensure 
compliance with Indian preference hiring requirements. The information 
collection relates only to individuals applying for employment with the 
BIA and the IHS. The tribe's involvement is limited to verifying 
membership information submitted by the applicant. The collection of 
information allows certain persons who are of Indian descent to receive 
preference when appointments are made to vacancies in positions with 
the BIA and IHS as well as in any unit that has been transferred intact 
from the BIA to a Bureau or office within the Department of the 
Interior, or the Department of Health and Human Services and that 
continues to perform the functions formerly performed as part of the 
BIA or the IHS. You are eligible for preference if (a) you are a member 
of a federally recognized Indian tribe; (b) you are a descendant of a 
member and you were residing within the present boundaries of any 
Indian reservation on June 1, 1934; (c) you are an Alaska Native; or 
(d) you possess one-half degree Indian blood derived from tribes that 
are indigenous to the United States. The information is submitted in 
order to obtain or retain a benefit, namely, preference in employment 
with the BIA and the IHS.

II. Request for Comments

    The Department of the Interior invites comments on:
    (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 the burden (including 
the hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information, 
including the validity of the methodology and assumption 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 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    The Office of Management and Budget has up to 60 days to approve or 
disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days; 
therefore, comments submitted in response to this notice should be 
submitted to OMB within 30 days in order to assure their maximum 
consideration. Our practice is to make comments, including names and 
home addresses of respondents, available for public review during 
regular business hours. If you wish us to withhold any information, you 
must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will 
honor your request to the extent allowable by law. Please note that an 
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless a currently valid OMB 
control number is displayed. You may request copies of the information 
collection forms and our submission to OMB from the person listed in 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

III. Data

    Title: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA 
and the IHS, BIA Form 4432.
    OMB approval number: 1076-0160.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Description of respondents: Qualified Indians who are seeking 
preference in employment with the BIA and IHS. Approximately a total of 
5,000 applications for preference in employment are received annually 
by the BIA field offices.
    Frequency: On occasion as needed.
    Estimated completion time: The average burden of submitting an 
Indian Preference Form is 30 minutes including time for reviewing 
instructions, searching data sources and assembling the information 
needed.
    Total annual burden: 5,000  x  \1/2\ hour = 2500 hours.
    Estimated cost: There are no costs to consider, except postage and 
the cost of duplicating the original verification form, because 
verification of the information is already available for other reasons. 
The form will be used by an applicant to seek documentation of Indian 
descent or membership from either a tribal official or the BIA.

    Dated: March 4, 2002.
Neal A. McCaleb,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 02-6978 Filed 3-21-02; 8:45 am]
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