[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 250 (Friday, December 29, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78403-78404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22337]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Malcolm 
Baldrige National Quality Award and Examiner Applications

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before February 27, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to JoAnne M. Surette, Baldrige National Quality Program, 
Administration Building, Room 621, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1020, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
1020; telephone (301) 975-5267, fax (301) 948-3716, e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Department of Commerce is responsible for the Baldrige National 
Quality Program and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. 
Directly associated with this Award is the Malcolm Baldrige Board of 
Examiners, an integral part of the National Quality Program. NIST, an 
agency of the Department's Technology Administration, manages the 
Baldrige Program. Applicants for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality 
Award are required to perform two steps: (1) the applicant organization 
certifies that it meets eligibility requirements; and (2) the applicant 
organization prepares and completes an application form and the 
application process. The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award 
Program Office will assist with or offer advice on any questions or 
issues that the applicant may have concerning the eligibility process 
or in completing the self-certification forms. NIST will use the 
application package to assess and provide feedback on the applicant's 
quality and performance practices.
    The application to be a member of the Malcolm Baldrige Board of 
Examiners is a one-step process. Each year the Award Program recruits 
highly skilled experts in the fields of manufacturing, service, small 
business, health care, and education, the five Award eligibility 
categories, to evaluate the applications that the Program receives. 
Examiners serve for a one-year term; participation on the board is 
entirely voluntary.

II. Method of Collection

    Award applicants must comply in writing according to the Baldrige 
Award Application Forms available at http://www.baldrige.nist.gov/Award_Application.htm.
    The application for the 2007 Board of Examiners can be found at 
http://www.baldrige.nist.gov/Examiner_Application.htm.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0693-0006.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; not-
for profit institutions; and individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 900 (Award, 100; and Board of 
Examiners, 800.
    Estimated Time Per Response: Applications for the Malcolm Baldrige 
Quality Award, 74 hours; and Applications for Board of Examiners, 30 
minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,800.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information

[[Page 78404]]

is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the 
accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and 
cost) of the proposed collection of information; (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 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    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.

    Dated: December 22, 2006.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
 [FR Doc. E6-22337 Filed 12-28-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P