[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 124 (Thursday, June 26, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36368-36370]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-14488]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Docket No. DOT-OST-2008-0182]


Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU); 
Notice of Request for Renewal of Data Collection by the Office of Small 
and Disadvantaged Business Utilization's (OSDBU) Regional Small 
Business Transportation Resource Centers (SBTRCs); Agency Information 
Collection Activities; Request for Comments, Renewal and Approval of 
Information Collection(s): Regional Center Intake Form (DOT F 4500) and 
Regional Resource Center Monthly Report Form (DOT F 4502)

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 
(OSDBU) invites public comments about our intention to request the 
Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew information 
collection forms, associated with OSDBU. The collection involves the 
use of the Regional Center Intake Form which documents the type of 
assistance provided to each small business that is enrolled in the 
program.
    The use of the Regional Resource Center Monthly Report Form will 
highlight activities, such as counseling, marketing, meetings/
conferences, and services to businesses as completed during the month. 
The information will

[[Page 36369]]

be used to ascertain whether the program is providing services to its 
constituency, the small business community, in a fair and equitable 
manner. The information collected is necessary to determine whether 
small businesses are participating in DOT funded and DOT assisted 
opportunities with the DOT.
    The Counseling Information Form has been terminated and the 
information contained in that form is now consolidated into the 
Regional Resource Center Monthly Report Form (formerly titled Monthly 
Report of Operations Form). To eliminate duplication and to streamline 
the data collection process, OSDBU revised the Monthly Report of 
Operations Form into the Regional Resource Center Monthly Report Form.
    We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Please submit comments by August 25, 2008.

ADDRESSES: For submitting comments:
     Federal Rulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail or Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of Transportation, 
Dockets Management Facility, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West 
Building, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Fax Comments: 202-493-2251.
     Agency Web Site: http://www.regulations.gov.
     For Further Information Contact: Arthur D. Jackson, 202-
366-1930 ext 65344, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 
Utilization, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Room W56 462, Washington, 
DC 20590. Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Small and 
Disadvantaged Business Utilization.
    OMB Control No: 2105-0554.
    Affected Public: Representatives of DOT Regional Small Business 
Transportation Resource Centers and the Small Business community on a 
national basis.
    In accordance with Public Law 95-507, an amendment to the Small 
Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1953, OSDBU is 
responsible for the implementation and execution of the Department of 
Transportation (DOT) activities on behalf of small businesses, in 
accordance with Section 8, 15 and 31 of the Small Business Act (SBA), 
as amended. The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization 
also administers the provisions of Title 49, of the United States Code, 
Section 332, the Minority Resource Center (MRC) which includes the 
duties of advocacy, outreach and financial services on behalf of small 
and disadvantaged businesses and those certified under CFR 49 parts 23 
and/or 26 as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE).
    The Small Business Transportation Resource Regional Centers will 
collect information on small businesses, which includes Disadvantaged 
Business Enterprise (DBE), Women-Owned Small Business (WOB), Small 
Disadvantaged Business (SDB), 8(a), Service Disabled Veteran Owned 
Business (SDVOB), Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), HubZone, and 
types of services they seek from the SBTRCs. Services and 
responsibilities of the SBTRCs include business analysis, general 
management and technical assistance and training, business counseling, 
outreach services/conference participation, short-term loan assistance. 
The cumulative data collected will be analyzed by the OSDBU to 
determine the effectiveness of services provided, including counseling, 
outreach, and financial services. Such data will also be analyzed by 
the OSDBU to determine agency effectiveness in assisting small 
businesses to enhance their opportunities to participate in government 
contracts and subcontracts.
    The Regional Center Intake Form, (DOT F 4500) is used by the 
Regional SBTRC staff to enroll small business clients into the program 
in order to create a viable database of firms that can participate in 
government contracts and subcontracts, especially those projects that 
are transportation related. In addition, each enrolled small business 
will be assigned a client number that can track the firm's involvement 
in the services offered by the SBTRCs. Each area on the form must be 
filled in electronically by the SBTRCs and retained in secured files of 
the client. The completion of the form is used as a tool for making 
decisions about the needs of the business, such as referral to 
technical assistance agencies for help, identifying the type of 
profession or trade of the business, the type of certification that the 
business holds, length of time in business, and location of the firm.
    The SBTRCs must complete an Intake Form and retain copies in 
secured files in their offices. This can assist the SBTRCs in 
developing a business plan or adjusting their business plan to increase 
its ability to market its goods and services to buyers and potential 
users of their services.
    Respondents: Small Business Transportation Resource Centers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Frequency: The information will be collected monthly.
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 600 hours.
    The Regional Resource Center Monthly Report Form (DOT F 4502) for 
each SBTRC must submit a monthly status report of business activities 
conducted during the 30-day time frame. The form is used to capture 
activities and accomplishments that were made by the Regional SBTRCs 
during the course of the month. In addition, the form includes a data 
collection section where numbers and hours are reported and a section 
that is assigned for a written narrative that provides backup that 
supports the data. Activities to be reported are (1) Counseling 
Activity which identifies the counseling hours provided to businesses, 
number of new appointments, and follow-up on counseled clients. (2) 
Activity for Businesses Served identifies the type of small business 
that is helped, such as a DBE, 8(a), WOB, HubZone, SDB, SDVOB, or VOSB. 
(3) Marketing Activity includes the name of an event attended by the 
SBTRC and the role played when participating in a conference, workshop 
or any other venue that relates to small businesses. (4) Meetings that 
are held with government representatives in the region, or at the state 
level, are an activity that is reported. (5) Events hosted by the 
SBTRCs, such as small business workshops, financial assistance 
workshops, matchmaking events, are activities that are reported on a 
monthly basis.
    Respondents: Small Business Transportation Resource Centers.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Frequency: The information will be collected monthly.
    Estimated Total Burden on Respondents: 1200 hours.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    DOT/OSDBU invites public comments about our intention to request 
the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval for a renewal for 
an information collection. We are required to publish this notice in 
the Federal Register by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance

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of the functions of the Department, including whether the information 
will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Department's 
estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; (c) ways 
to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information 
collection; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, by the use of electronic means, including 
the use of automated 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 also become a matter of 
public record.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.Regulations.gov at any time or 
visit the U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., 
Washington, DC, Room W12 140 on the ground level of the West Building 
(Ground Floor), between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arthur D. Jackson, Office of Small and 
Disadvantaged Business Utilization, U.S. Department of Transportation, 
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Room W56 462, Washington, DC 20590, 202-366-
1930 x 65344.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 19, 2008.
Leonardo San Roman,
Deputy Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 
Utilization.
 [FR Doc. E8-14488 Filed 6-25-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P