[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 65 (Monday, April 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17703-17704]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-7619]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Notice of Intent To Request Approval From the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for a New Public Collection of Information; 
Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) National Survey

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration (TSA), DHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: TSA invites public comment on the new information collection 
requirement abstracted below that will

[[Page 17704]]

be submitted to OMB in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act.

DATES: Send your comments by June 4, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed or delivered to Lolie Kull, TWIC 
Program Office, TSA Headquarters, East Tower, Floor 8, TSA-19, 601 
South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Conrad Huygen, Office of Information 
Management Programs, TSA Headquarters, West Tower, Floor 4, TSA-17, 601 
South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 22202-4220; telephone (571) 227-1954; 
facsimile (571) 227-2912.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3501 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 valid OMB control number. Therefore, 
in preparation for submission of the specified information collection, 
TSA solicits comments in order to--
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden;
    (3) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) 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 where appropriate.

Purpose of Data Collection

    TSA is in the process of testing the TWIC Program concept, which, 
if approved, will provide for a single, uniform credential nationwide 
for transportation workers who require access to secure transportation 
areas. In the Technology Evaluation phase of the TWIC Program, TSA 
evaluated five card technologies in many types of physical and logical 
access transactions, and in the Prototype phase, it intends to evaluate 
a broad range of business processes as they relate to credentialing, 
identity, and identity management.
    The information collected for the TWIC National Survey differs from 
these pilot programs in that it will be used as a means to develop a 
predictive model of the current access control technology 
infrastructure at transportation sites across the nation, should the 
TWIC be approved for implementation. The bulk of the information to be 
collected in the National Survey pertains to the facility (i.e., number 
of access points, badged population, etc.), not to individuals. This 
information will be used to help determine implementation approaches 
for the TWIC Program at transportation facilities and modes across the 
country that differ by type and size (e.g., aviation, rail, maritime, 
and pipeline).

Description of Data Collection

    TSA will administer a data collection tool (e.g., interviews and/or 
a web-based survey) to be used at selected transportation facilities. 
Participation by stakeholders will be voluntary. Selection will be 
based on interest/willingness to participate, site size, and mode, so 
as to survey a representative sample of sites nationwide. The survey 
will have a list of questions designed to collect the following 
information: (a) Facility name, (b) facility access control technology 
and infrastructure information (e.g., number of access points, number 
of worker credentials issued annually, defined secure areas, etc.), (c) 
facility contact information (e.g., phone number and e-mail address), 
and (d) company, organization, or affiliation. The respondents who 
choose to participate in the surveys will be asked to return the 
completed survey within two weeks of receipt. TSA estimates a total of 
up to 300 respondents and, based on an estimated two-hour burden per 
respondent, a maximum program-wide burden of approximately 600 hours.
    TSA intends to collect data via the following instruments:
    (1) Site Surveys. TSA intends to conduct site surveys at 
transportation sites nationwide. The surveys will be administered using 
an interview methodology, in which the TSA representative will ask site 
Security Directors, or their designee, questions pertaining to the 
site's access control technology infrastructure. While at the site, the 
TSA representative will also tour the facility to gain a thorough 
understanding of the site's layout.
    (2) Web-based Survey. After a thorough understanding of site 
infrastructures is gained through site surveys, the National Survey 
will be available as a web-based survey to selected sites. These 
surveys will be filled out by site Security Directors, or their 
designee, and be retrieved by a TSA representative. The results of 
these surveys will serve to further contribute to the data that will be 
analyzed to develop the predictive model.

Use of Results

    The targeted outcome of this data collection will be used to create 
a predictive model that will aid the TWIC Program in determining the 
level of effort and capital investment needed to implement the TWIC 
Program at sites based on their respective site-specific information.

    Issued in Arlington, Virginia, on March 26, 2004.
Susan T. Tracey,
Chief Administrative Officer.
[FR Doc. 04-7619 Filed 4-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P