[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 193 (Wednesday, October 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59945-59946]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22455]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces that an 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), OMB Control 
No. 1076-0160, needs renewal. The BIA is now seeking comments from 
interested parties to renew the clearance.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted by December 6, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments are to be mailed or hand delivered to Daisy 
West, Acting Chief, Division of Tribal Government Services, Office of 
Tribal Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1951 Constitution Avenue, 
NW., MS-320-SIB, Washington, DC 20240; Telephone: (202) 513-7641.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Newman, (202) 513-7641.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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.

II. Method of Collection

    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.

III. Data

    Title of the collection of information: Verification of Indian 
Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Form.
    Type of review: Renewal of Indian Preference for Employment in the 
BIA and IHS Form.
    Summary of the collection of information: The collection of 
information provides that certain persons who are of Indian descent 
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 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.
    Description of the need for the information and proposed use of the 
information: The information is submitted in order to retain a benefit, 
namely, preference in employment with the BIA and IHS.
    Affected entities: Qualified Indian applicants and the tribe's 
involvement in verifying membership information submitted by the 
applicant.
    Estimated number of respondents: Approximately a total of 5,000 
applications for preference in employment are received annually by the 
BIA field offices.
    Proposed frequency of responses: On occasion as needed.
    Burden: 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. We estimate that the 
annual public burden is 2,500 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.

IV. 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 BIA, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the BIA'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.
    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; to develop, acquire, install and utilize 
technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating, and 
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and 
disclosing and providing information, to search data sources, to 
complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or 
otherwise disclose the information.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection. They also will become a matter of public record.
    All written comments will be available for public inspection in 
Room

[[Page 59946]]

320 of the South Interior Building, 1951 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
excluding legal holidays. If you wish to have your name and address 
withheld from public view, you must state this prominently at the 
beginning of your comments. We will honor your request to the extent 
allowable by law. There may be instances when we will withhold comments 
from the public for other reasons. Comments submitted by businesses or 
business representatives will be made available for public review.
    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 Office of Management and Budget control number.

    Dated: September 28, 2004.
David W. Anderson,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 04-22455 Filed 10-5-04; 8:45 am]
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