[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 149 (Friday, August 1, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45092-45093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17671]


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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 the public to comment 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, (DOT F 4500) 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, (DOT F 
4502) will highlight activities, such as counseling, marketing, 
meetings/conferences, and services to businesses as completed during 
the month. The information will 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, (DOT F 4640.1) has been eliminated 
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. On June 26, 2008, OSDBU published 
a 60-day notice in the Federal Register (73 FR 36368) Docket 
OST-2008-0182, informing the public of OSDBU's intention to 
extend an approved information collection.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by: September 2, 2008 and 
submitted to the attention of the DOT/OST Desk Officer, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Docket library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503 
or oira--submission @omb.eop.gov (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arthur D. Jackson, 202-366-5344 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 (OSDBU)
    OMB Control No: 2105-0554; Form No.: DOT F 4500, Regional Center 
Intake Form and Form No.: DOT F 4502, Regional Resource Center Monthly 
Report Form.

[[Page 45093]]

    Affected Public: Representatives of DOT Regional Small Business 
Transportation Resource Centers and the Small Businesses community on a 
national basis.
    Type of Review: Clearance and Renewal.
    Abstract: 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 business 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 & 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. A limited amount of privacy information is 
requested on this form. We have informed the public that the Privacy 
Act is stated on the form. Under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552) any 
person can request to see or get copies of any personal information 
that DOT has in his or her file, when that file is retrievable by 
individual identifiers, such as name or social security numbers. 
Request for information about another party may be denied unless DOT 
has the written permission of the individual to release the information 
to the requestor or unless the information is subject to disclosure 
under the Freedom of Information Act. 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 back up 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.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Department, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Departments 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.

    Issued in Washington, DC on July 25, 2008.
Patricia Lawton,
DOT Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E8-17671 Filed 7-31-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P