[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 73 (Wednesday, April 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18653-18654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-9264]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
SUMMARY: Background. On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System (Board) its approval authority under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act, as per 5 CFR 1320.16, to approve of and assign OMB control numbers 
to collection of information requests and requirements conducted or 
sponsored by the Board under conditions set forth in 5 CFR 1320 
Appendix A.1. Board-approved collections of information are 
incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved 
collections of information. Copies of the OMB 83-I's and supporting 
statements and approved collection of information instruments are 
placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not 
conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, 
an information collection that has been extended, revised, or 
implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

Request for comment on information collection proposal.

    The following information collection, which is being handled under 
this delegated authority, has received initial Board approval and is 
hereby published for comment. At the end of the comment period, the 
proposed information collection, along with an analysis of comments and 
recommendations received, will be submitted to the Board for final 
approval under OMB delegated authority. Comments are invited on the 
following:
    a. whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of the Federal Reserve's functions; including 
whether the information has practical utility;
    b. the accuracy of the Federal Reserve's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed information collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    c. ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    d. ways to minimize the burden of information collection on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before [insert date 60 days 
from publication in the Federal Register].

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed to Ms. Jennifer J. Johnson, 
Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th 
Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20551. However, 
because paper mail in the Washington area and at the Board of Governors 
is subject to delay, please consider submitting your comments by e-mail 
to [email protected], or faxing them to the Office of 
the Secretary at 202-452-3819 or 202-452-3102. Comments addressed to 
Ms. Johnson may also be delivered to the Board's mail facility in the 
West Courtyard between 8:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m., located on 21st Street 
between Constitution Avenue and C Street, N.W. Members of the public 
may inspect comments in Room MP-500 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on 
weekdays pursuant to 261.12, except as provided in 261.14, of the 
Board's Rules Regarding Availability of Information, 12 CFR 261.12 and 
261.14.
    A copy of the comments may also be submitted to the OMB desk 
officer for the Board: Joseph Lackey, Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive 
Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the proposed form and 
instructions, the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission (OMB 83-I), 
supporting statement, and other documents that will be placed into 
OMB's public docket files once approved may be requested from the 
agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.
    Cindy Ayouch, Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer (202-452-
3829), Division of Research and Statistics, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551. Telecommunications Device 
for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202-263-4869), Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposal for approval under OMB delegated authority to conduct the 
following survey:

    Report title: Survey of Small Business Finances
    Agency form number: FR 3044
    OMB control number: 7100-0262
    Frequency: One-time
    Reporters: Small businesses
    Annual reporting hours: 5,100 hours
    Estimated average hours per response: 1 hour
    Number of respondents: 5,100
    Small businesses are affected.
    General description of report: This information collection would be 
voluntary and authorized by law (12 U.S.C. Sec. Sec.  252(a)(1), 
1817(j), and 1841 et seq.). Individual respondent data would be 
provided in a public-use file. However, any information that could 
identify respondent firms, or the financial institutions that they use, 
would be excluded from the public dataset pursuant to the Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. Sec.  552(b)(4)).
    Abstract: This voluntary survey would be similar to the 1987, 1993, 
and 1998 Surveys of Small Business Finances (SSBF). In part, this 
survey would be conducted to collect information needed to satisfy the 
requirements of Section 2227 of the Economic Growth and Regulatory 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996. This law requires the Board to conduct 
a study and submit a report to the Congress every five years 
``...detailing the extent of small business lending by all 
creditors....''
    The 2003 SSBF would gather data from small businesses on their 
financial relationships, credit experiences, lending terms and 
conditions, income and balance sheet information, the location and 
types of financial institutions used, and other firm characteristics. 
The survey would be conducted by a private survey firm,

[[Page 18654]]

which would be chosen in a competitive bidding process. In conjunction 
with the Federal Reserve, the survey firm would update and finalize the 
questionnaire for the new survey. The survey firm would then conduct 
two pre-tests with a minimum of fifty small business firms in each pre-
test. Following pre-test revisions to the questionnaire, the survey 
would be conducted by means of computer-assisted telephone interviews. 
Interviewing would likely commence in early 2004.
    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, April 10, 2003.

Jennifer J. Johnson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 03-9264 Filed 4-15-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-S