[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 67 (Tuesday, April 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 17007]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-8528]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 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 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 67 / Tuesday, April 8, 2003 / 
Notices  

[[Page 17007]]



AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT


Notice of Public Information Collections Being Reviewed by the 
U.S. Agency for International Development; Comments Requested

SUMMARY: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is making 
efforts to reduce the paperwork burden. USAID invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following proposed and/or continuing information collections, as 
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Comments are requested 
concerning: (a) Whether the proposed or continuing collections of 
information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the burden estimates; (c) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) 
ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the 
respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.

DATES: Submit comments on or before June 9, 2003.

For Further Information Contact: Beverly Johnson, Bureau for 
Management, Office of Administrataive Services, Information and Records 
Division, U.S. Agency for International Development, Room 2.07-106, 
RRB, Washington, DC 20523, (202) 712-1365 or via e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB No.: OMB 0412-.
    Form No.: N/A.
    Title: Reporting of foreign value added taxes and custom duties.
    Type of Review: New.
    Purpose: Subsections (b) and (g) of section 579 of USAID's FY 2003 
appropriations act require USAID to withhold the equivalent of 200 
percent of the amount of value added taxes and custom duties assessed 
by a foreign government or entity, from February 20, 2003 through 
September 30, 2003, on commodities financed with foreign assistance 
funds either directly or through grantees, contractors and 
subcontractors. The amount is to be withheld from FY 2004 funds 
allocated for a central government of the country or for the West Bank 
and Gaza Program. The amount to be withheld is reduced by any 
reimbursements of value added taxes and custom duties.
    Subsection (e) of section 579 provides that the Secretary of State 
shall issue rules, regulations, or policy guidance, as appropriate, to 
implement the prohibition against taxation of assistance contained in 
this section.
    In order for USAID to implement the statute and withhold the 
correct amounts, the agency needs to know from its contractors and 
grantees for each foreign country the amount of value added tax and 
custom duties paid and any reimbursements received.
    We are interested in hearing from contractors and grantees as to 
the most effective way or ways to do this (e.g., on voucher or other 
payment documents, separate report), and frequency (every voucher, 
monthly, quarterly, one-time report) and to the workings in practice of 
existing reimbursement systems.
    Section 579(c) permits USAID to establish a minimum exception from 
the withholding requirements of subsection (b). We welcome your 
comments on what would be an appropriate minimum amount consistent with 
statute, by transaction amount or other basis, taking into account the 
administrative burden on contractors and grantees to track 
transactions.
    USAID's appropriations act is the Foreign Operations, Export 
Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2003 contained in 
Division E of H.J. Res. 2, the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, 
2003 (P.L. 108[dash]7), February 20, 2003.

Annual Reporting Burden

    Respondents: 4,000.
    Total annual responses: 4,000.
    Total annual hours requested: 24,000 hours.

    Dated: April 1, 2003.
Joanne Paskar,
Chief, Information and Records Division, Office of Administrative 
Services, Bureau for Management.
[FR Doc. 03-8528 Filed 4-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116-01-M