[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 40 (Monday, March 1, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9615-9616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-4468]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OAR-2003-0170, FRL-7627-8]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for 
Review and Approval; Comment Request; Invitation for Bids and Request 
for Proposals (IFBs and RFPs) EPA ICR Number 1038.11, OMB Control 
Number 2030-0006

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection 
Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing 
approved collection. This ICR is scheduled to expire on February 29, 
2004. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or 
sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending 
at OMB. This ICR describes the nature of the information collection and 
its estimated burden and cost.

DATES: Additional comments may be submitted on or before March 31, 
2004.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, referencing docket ID number OAR-2003-
0170, to (1) EPA online using EDOCKET (our preferred method), by email 
to [email protected], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, Air and Radiation Docket and 
Information Center, Mail Code 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; and (2) OMB at: Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: 
Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Murphy, OAM, 3802R, 
Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone number: (202) 564-4382; fax number 
(202) 565-2551; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB 
for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 
1320.12. On September 10, 2003, (68 FR 53368), EPA ICR No. 1038.11, EPA 
sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received 
no comments.
    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. OAR-2003-0170, which is available for public viewing at the Air and 
Radiation Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 
B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA Docket 
Center Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the 
Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone number for the Air 
and Radiation Docket is (202) 566-1742. An electronic version of the 
public docket is available through EPA Dockets (EDOCKET) at http://www.epa.gov/edocket. Use EDOCKET to submit or view public comments, 
access the index listing of the contents of the public docket, and to 
access those documents in the public docket that are available 
electronically. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the 
docket ID number identified above.
    Any comments related to this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB 
within 30 days of this notice. EPA's policy is that public comments, 
whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available 
for public viewing in EDOCKET as EPA receives them and without change, 
unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other 
information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. When EPA 
identifies a comment containing copyrighted material, EPA will provide 
a reference to that material in the version of the comment that is 
placed in EDOCKET. The entire printed comment, including the 
copyrighted material, will be available in the public docket. Although 
identified as an item in the official docket, information claimed as 
CBI, or whose disclosure is otherwise restricted by statute, is not 
included in the official public docket, and will not be available for 
public viewing in EDOCKET. For further information about the electronic 
docket, see EPA's Federal Register notice describing the electronic 
docket at 67 FR 38102 (May 31, 2002), or go to http://www.epa.gov/edocket.
    Title: Invitation for Bids and Request for Proposals (IFBs and 
RFPs).
    Abstract: EPA requires contractors to submit information in order 
to be considered for the award of a contract. Information requested 
includes: prices for the supplies/services requested, information on 
past performance, technical and cost information, and general financial 
and organizational information. Information provided by vendors in 
response to an RFP/IFB is used to evaluate which vendor will provide 
the best product in terms of quality, timeliness and price. Response to 
IFBs/RFPs are required to be considered for a contract award. The legal 
authority for this collection is 41 U.S.C. 253, contractor confidential 
business information submitted in connection with an IFB or RFP 
response is protected from public release in accordance with 40 CFR 
2.201 et seq.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and are identified on 
the form and/or instrument, if applicable.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 8 
hours per response for IFBs and 251 hours per response for RFPs. Burden 
means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by 
persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide 
information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed 
to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize 
technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to 
comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; 
train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; 
search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; 
and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: Large and small businesses 
performing contracts for the agency.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 981.
    Frequency of Response: On occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 219,015.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost for IFBs and RFPs: $14,251,635.00, 
includes $0 annualized capital or O&M costs.
    Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 27,512 hours in 
the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of 
Approved ICR Burdens. This decrease is due to a decrease in the number 
of proposals

[[Page 9616]]

anticipated as a result of Government-wide contract reform measures. 
There are also smaller adjustments in the time required to complete 
each submission due to increased use of and improvements in technology.

    Dated: February 2, 2004.
Oscar Morales,
Director, Collection Strategies Division.
[FR Doc. 04-4468 Filed 2-27-04; 8:45 am]
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