[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4862-4863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-2044]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary of Transportation

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


Agency Requests for Renewal of a Previously Approved Information 
Collection: SBTRC Regional Field Offices Intake Form (DOT F 4500) and 
SBTRC Regional Field Offices Quarterly Report Form (DOT F 4502)

AGENCY: Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), 
Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for extension of currently approved 
information collection.

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SUMMARY: The OSDBU invites public comments about our intention to 
request the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval to renew 
an information collection. The collection involves the following two 
(2) forms that have an expiration date of 01/31/2012, and are presently 
in use. The SBTRC forms have added the term of Regional Field Offices 
Intake Form and Regional Field Offices Quarterly Report Form, 
respectively.
    The Regional Field Offices Intake Form (No. DOT F 4500) is used to 
document the type of assistance provided to each small business that is 
enrolled in the database of the Program.
    The use of the Regional Field Office Quarterly Report Form (No. DOT 
F 4502) highlights activities such as counseling, marketing, meetings/
conferences, and services to businesses as completed during the 
quarter. The Quarterly Report Form provides a more composite and 
comprehensive review of the Field Offices' activities over a longer 
time frame. The information will be used to ascertain whether the 
program is providing services to its constituency, the small business 
community, and is done so 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.
    We are required to publish this notice in the Federal Register by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.

DATES: Please submit comments by March 23, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments [identified by Docket No. DOT-OST-
2008-0182] through one of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Fax: (202) 493-2251.
     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.
     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: 
    OMB Control Number: 2105-0554.
    Title: SBTRC Regional Field Offices Intake Form (DOT F 4500) and 
SBTRC Regional Field Offices Quarterly Report Form (DOT F 4502).
    Form Numbers: DOT F 4500 and DOT F 4502.
    Type of Review: Renewal of an information collection.
    Background: 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 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).
    SBTRC's Regional Field Offices 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 Regional Field Offices. Services and responsibilities of the Field 
Offices include business analysis, general management & technical 
assistance and training, business counseling, outreach services/
conference participation, short-term loan and bond 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 Field Offices Intake Form, (DOT F 4500) is used 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

[[Page 4863]]

those projects that are transportation related. Each area on the 
fillable pdf form must be filled in electronically by the Field Offices 
and submitted every quarter to OSDBU. The Offices will retain a copy of 
each Intake Form for their records. 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. This data can assist the Field Offices 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: SBTRC Regional Field Offices.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Frequency: The information will be collected quarterly.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 100.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 600 hours per year.
    Background: The Regional Field Offices Quarterly Report Form (DOT F 
4502) by each Field Office must be submitted as a quarterly status 
report of business activities conducted during the three month time 
frame. The form is used to capture activities and accomplishments that 
were made by the Regional Field Offices during the course of the 
quarter. 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 which 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 SBTRC Regional 
Field Offices, such as small business workshops, financial assistance 
workshops, matchmaking events, are activities that are reported on a 
quarterly basis.
    Respondents: SBTRC Regional Field Offices.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Frequency: The information will be collected quarterly.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 100.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1200 hours per year.
    Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of 
this information collection, including (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 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. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in 
the request for OMB's clearance of this information collection.

    Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:48.

    Issued in Washington, DC on January 24, 2012.
Brandon Neal,
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged, Business Utilization.
[FR Doc. 2012-2044 Filed 1-30-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P