[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 29, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15871-15872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6114]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Submission of Paperwork Reduction Act Request to Office of
Management and Budget
AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces that the 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) has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
for approval under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995. The BIA is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 28, 2005.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent directly to the Desk Officer
for the Department of the Interior, by facsimile at (202) 395-6566 or
you may send an e-mail to: [email protected]. Send a copy of
your comments 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:
A 60-day notice for public comments was published in the Federal
Register on October 6, 2004 (69 FR 59945). No comments were received on
the workload burden or the form itself (OMB Control No. 1076-0160)
during this public comment period. One comment was received on October
6, 2004, which concerned a substantive requirement for descendants of
members of federally recognized Indian tribes but who were not
themselves enrolled members of the tribe. This issue will be addressed
during the rule revision.
I. Abstract
The purpose of the Indian Preference Form is to encourage qualified
Indians to seek employment with the BIA and the IHS by offering
preferential treatment to qualified candidates of Indian heritage. BIA
collects information under the proposed regulations to ensure
compliance with Indian preference hiring requirements. 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. The collection of
information allows certain persons who are of Indian descent to 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 the 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
[[Page 15872]]
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. The
information is submitted in order to obtain or retain a benefit,
namely, preference in employment with the BIA and the IHS.
II. 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 agency, including whether
the information will have practical utility;
(b) The accuracy of the agency'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.
The Office of Management and Budget has up to 60 days to approve or
disapprove the information collection but may respond after 30 days;
therefore, comments submitted in response to this notice should be
submitted to OMB within 30 days in order to assure their maximum
consideration. Our practice is to make comments, including names and
home addresses of respondents, available for public review during
regular business hours. If you wish us to withhold any information, you
must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We will
honor your request to the extent allowable by law. Please note that an
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information unless a currently valid OMB
control number is displayed. You may request copies of the information
collection forms and our submission to OMB from the person listed in
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
III. Data
Title: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA
and the IHS, BIA Form 4432, 25 CFR 5.
OMB approval number: 1076-0160.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Description of respondents: Qualified Indians who are seeking
preference in employment with the BIA and IHS. Approximately a total of
5,000 applications for preference in employment are received annually
by the BIA field offices.
Frequency: On occasion as needed.
Estimated completion time: 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.
Total annual burden: 5,000 x \1/2\ hour = 2500 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.
Dated: February 11, 2005.
David W. Anderson,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 05-6114 Filed 3-28-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-4J-P