[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 107 (Friday, June 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31744-31745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13452]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Contract Operations and Administration

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on a new information collection, Contract Operations and 
Administration.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before August 3, 2010 
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will 
be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
Lathrop Smith, Natural Resources Research Center, 2150 Centre Avenue, 
Building A, Suite 341, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8121. Comments also may 
be submitted via e-mail to: [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at the Office of the 
Director, Forest Management Staff, Forest Service, USDA, Room 3 NW., 
Yates Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC, during 
normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 202-
205-1496 to facilitate entry to the building.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lathrop Smith, Forest Management, 970-
295-5961. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339, 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Contract Operations and 
Administration.
    OMB Number: 0596-NEW.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from OMB approval date.
    Type of Request: New.
    Abstract: Forest Service contracts for the sale of timber and other 
forest products are bilateral contracts in which both contracting 
parties are bound to fulfill obligations reciprocally. By their nature 
bilateral contracts require both parties to routinely share information 
and enter into agreements pertaining to operations and performance. 
Some information collected under Forest Service contracts is required 
by laws, regulations, and/or timber sale policies. Each contract 
specifies the information the contractor will be required to provide, 
including the timing and frequency of the information collection. The 
inability to collect information required under the terms of a contract 
could result in delays, disputes, claims, litigation, and/or defaults.
    The type and amount of information collected varies depending on 
the size, complexity, and length of each contract, and external factors 
such as weather and market conditions. The information collected 
includes plans, requests, agreements and notices necessary for 
operations under the terms of the contracts. Forest Service officers 
collect the information from contractors who may be individuals, 
private sector businesses, or other government entities. The 
information is submitted in a variety of formats including Forest 
Service forms; Government Standard Forms; forms developed by individual 
contractors, charts, maps, e-mail messages; and letters. Also, to 
assist small contractors and lessen their burden, individual 
contracting officers may provide optional forms for some of the 
information collected. Depending on the purpose of the specific 
information collection, the information may be submitted by electronic 
mail, facsimile, conventional mail, or hand delivery.
    The information is needed by the Agency for a variety of uses 
associated with operations and administration of contracts for the sale 
of timber and other forest products including: (1) Planning and 
scheduling contract administration workloads, (2) planning and 
scheduling the delivery of government furnished materials needed by 
contractors, (3) assuring safety of public in vicinity of contract 
work, (4) identifying contractor resources that may be used in 
emergency fire fighting situations, (5) determining contractor 
eligibility for additional contract time, (6) determining contractor 
eligibility for redetermining contract rates, (7) monitoring compliance 
with domestic processing requirements, (8) monitoring compliance with 
Small Business Administration requirements, (9) processing agreements 
and modifications, and (10) inspecting and accepting work.
    Without accurate information showing when and how a contractor 
intends to operate, the Forest Service would be hindered in fulfilling 
its contractual obligations to cooperate with and not hinder 
performance of the contractors. The inability to obtain accurate and 
timely information from contractors could lead to serious problems 
including disruption of operations, disputes, claims, and possible 
default. In some cases, the Forest Service may be unable to determine 
if a contractor is eligible for additional contract time or other 
relief measures authorized under the contract.
    The Forest Service desires to combine all information collections 
associated with operations and administration of contracts for the sale 
of timber and other forest products into one OMB approval. This new 
collection includes and combines four related collections currently 
approved by OMB as follows: 0596-0017 Timber Purchaser's Costs and 
Sales Data; 0596-0086 Operation Plans; 0596-0167 Urgent Removal of 
Timber; and 0596-0212 Extension of Timber Sales.
    Type of Respondents: Timber sale and forest products contractors.
    Estimated Annual Number of Contracts: 3,400.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1,370.
    Estimated Annual Responses: 128,100.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 93.5.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 40,700 hours.
    Estimate of Average Burden per Response: 0.32 hours.
    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the 
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have 
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's 
estimate of the burden of the 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

[[Page 31745]]

collection of information on respondents, including the use of 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

     Dated: May 27, 2010.
Gloria Manning,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2010-13452 Filed 6-3-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P