[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 3, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 20010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7973]



[[Page 20010]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Online Customer 
Relationship Management (CRM)/Performance Databases, the Online Phoenix 
Database, and the Online Opportunity Database

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 4, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Cynthia Rios, Program Management Unit Supervisor, MBDA 
Office of Business Development, (202) 482-1940, or via electronic mail 
at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    As part of its national service delivery system, MBDA awards 
cooperative agreements each year to fund the provision of business 
development services to eligible minority business enterprises (MBEs). 
The recipient of each cooperative agreement is competitively selected 
to operate one of the following business center programs: (1) An MBDA 
Business Center or (2) a Native American Business Enterprise Center 
(NABEC). In accordance with the Government Performance Results Act 
(GPRA), MBDA requires all center operators to report basic client 
information, service activities and progress on attainment of program 
goals via the Online CRM/Performance Databases. The data collected 
through the Online CRM/Performance Databases is used to regularly 
monitor and evaluate the progress of MBDA's funded centers, to provide 
the Department and OMB with a summary of the quantitative information 
that it requires about government supported programs, and to implement 
the GPRA. This information is also summarized and included in the MBDA 
Annual Performance Report, which is made available to the public.
    Additionally, NABEC program award recipients are required to list 
MBEs to conduct business in the United States in the Online Phoenix 
Database. This listing is used to match those registered MBEs with 
opportunities entered in the Online Opportunity Database by public and 
private sector entities. The MBEs may also self-register via the Online 
Phoenix Database for notification of potential business opportunities.
    Revision: In Fiscal Year 2011 MBDA developed and implemented a new 
Customer Relationship Management/Performance Database to reflect the 
requirements of the redesigned MBDA Business Center program. The 
streamlining of certain administrative and reporting requirements for 
the new program are reflected in the system, and resulted in a decrease 
in the overall estimate of burden hours for users under the new program 
structure. The NABEC program will continue to utilize the original 
Performance, Phoenix and Opportunity databases until the program is 
redesigned, which is planned for completion during Fiscal Year 2012.

II. Method of Collection

    Information will be collected electronically.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0640-0002.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (revision and extension of a 
currently approved information collection).
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations; not-
for-profit institutions; individuals or households; Federal, State, 
Local or Tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,633.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1 minute to 210 minutes, depending on 
the function.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,516.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 29, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-7973 Filed 4-2-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P