[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 207 (Friday, October 26, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 60796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21148]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 207 / Friday, October 26, 2007 / 
Notices  

[[Page 60796]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Economist, USDA.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces that the Department of 
Agriculture, Office of the Chief Economist, is hereby requesting an 
extension of a currently approved information collection, Guidelines 
for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement.

DATES: Comments received by December 26, 2007 will be considered.
    Additional Information or Comments: Comments and questions should 
be directed to Marvin Duncan, USDA, Office of the Chief Economist, 
Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, Room 4059, South Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., MS-3815, Washington, DC 20250-3815.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal 
Procurement.
    OMB Control Number: 0503-0011.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The USDA BioPreferred Program provides that qualifying 
biobased products that fall under items (generic groups of biobased 
products) that have been designated for preferred procurement by rule 
making are required to be purchased by Federal agencies in lieu of 
their fossil energy-based counterparts, with certain limited 
exceptions. Further, USDA is required by section 9002 of the Farm 
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to provide certain 
information on qualified biobased products to Federal agencies. To meet 
these statutory requirements, USDA will use a number of forms to gather 
that information from manufacturers and vendors of biobased products. 
To the extent feasible, the information sought by USDA can be 
transmitted electronically using the Web site http://www.usda.gov/biopreferred. If electronic transmission of information is not 
practical, USDA will provide technical assistance to support the 
transmission of information to USDA. The information collected will 
enable USDA to meet statutory information requirements that then permit 
USDA to designate items for preferred procurement under the 
BioPreferred Program. Once items are designated, manufacturers and 
vendors of qualifying biobased products that fall under these 
designated items will benefit from preferred procurement by Federal 
agencies.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 14.9 hours per response.
    Respondents: Manufacturers and vendors of biobased products.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,905
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One per manufacturer 
or vendor.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 14,387 hours one time 
only. Manufacturers and vendors are asked to respond only once. 
Therefore, there is no ongoing annual paperwork burden on respondents.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

Roger Conway,
Director, Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture.
[FR Doc. E7-21148 Filed 10-25-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-GO-P