[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4808-4809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01651]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration

[FTA Docket No. FTA-2014-0004]


Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Transit Administration invites public comment 
about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget's 
(OMB) approval to renew the following information collections:

Pre-Award, Post-Delivery Audit Requirements Under Buy America 
Metropolitan and Statewide and Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning

    The information collected is necessary to determine eligibility of 
applicants and ensure the proper and timely expenditure of federal 
funds within the scope of each program. The Federal Register notice 
with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments for the Pre-Award, 
Post-Delivery Audit Requirements Under Buy America was published on 
November 8, 2013 (Citation 78 FR 217). No comments were received from 
that notice. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments for the Metropolitan and Statewide and

[[Page 4809]]

Nonmetropolitan Transportation Planning was published on November 22, 
2013 (Citation 78 FR 226). No comments were received from that notice.

DATES: Comments must be submitted before February 28, 2014. A comment 
to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of 
publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tia Swain, Office of Administration, 
Office of Management Planning, (202) 366-0354.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Pre-Award, Post-Delivery Audit Requirements Under Buy 
America (OMB Number: 2132-0544.)
    Abstract: Federal Transit Laws, 49 U.S.C. 5323(j) and (m), require 
that recipients of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding comply 
with certain requirements, including Buy America, certify compliance of 
these requirements at the pre-award and post-delivery stages of the 
procurement process when using FTA funds and maintain on file 
certifications. Bidders or offerors must submit certificates to assure 
compliance with Buy America, the purchaser's contract specifications 
(for rolling stock only), and Federal motor vehicle safety requirements 
(for rolling stock only). The information collected on the 
certification forms is necessary for FTA recipients to meet the 
requirements of 49 U.S.C. Section 5323(j) and (m). In addition, FTA 
recipients are required to certify, as part of their annual 
Certifications and Assurances, that they will comply with pre-award and 
post-delivery audit requirements for rolling stock under 49 CFR Part 
661.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,786 hours.
    Title: Metropolitan and Statewide and Nonmetropolitan 
Transportation Planning (OMB Number: 2132-0529.)
    Abstract: The FTA and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) jointly 
carry out the federal mandate to improve urban and rural 
transportation. 49 U.S.C. 5303 and 5304 and 23 U.S.C. 134 and 135 
authorize the use of federal funds to assist Metropolitan Planning 
Organizations (MPOs), States, and local public bodies in developing 
transportation plans and programs to serve the transportation needs of 
urbanized areas over 50,000 in population and other areas of States 
outside of urbanized areas. The information collection activities 
involved in developing the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), the 
Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the Long-Range Statewide 
Transportation Plan, the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and 
the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) are necessary 
to identify and evaluate the transportation issues and needs in each 
urbanized area and throughout every State. These products of the 
transportation planning process are essential elements in the 
reasonable planning and programming of federally funded transportation 
investments.
    In addition to serving as a management tool for MPOs, the UPWP is 
used by both FTA and FHWA to monitor the transportation planning 
activities of MPOs. It also is needed to establish national out year 
budgets and regional program plans, develop policy on using funds, 
monitor State and local compliance with technical emphasis areas, 
respond to Congressional inquiries, prepare Congressional testimony, 
and ensure efficiency in the use and expenditure of Federal funds by 
determining that planning proposals are both reasonable and cost-
effective. 49 U.S.C. 5303 and 23 U.S.C.134(j) require the development 
of TIPs for urbanized areas; STIPs are mandated by 49 U.S.C. 5304 and 
23 U.S.C. 135(g) for an entire State. After approval by the Governor 
and MPO, metropolitan TIPs in attainment areas are to be incorporated 
directly into the STIP. For nonattainment areas, FTA/FHWA must make a 
conformity finding on the TIPs before including them in the STIP. The 
complete STIP is then jointly reviewed and approved or disapproved by 
FTA and FHWA. These conformity findings and approval actions constitute 
the determination that States are complying with the requirements of 23 
U.S.C. 134 and 135 and 49 U.S.C. 5303 and 5304 as a condition of 
eligibility for federal-aid funding. Without these documents, approvals 
and findings, FTA and FHWA cannot provide capital and/or operating 
assistance.
    The FTA and FHWA updated their method for estimating the annual 
burden hours of the transportation planning programs on respondents. 
The FTA and FHWA surveyed a sample of MPO annual work programs to 
identify annual planning compliance burdens associated with the 
preparation of TIPS, STIPs and plans. The FTA and FHWA are using the 
information from this sample as the basis to estimate the annual 
compliance burden for both this request for revision of the currently 
approved information collection, as well as for a forthcoming Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking that FTA and FHWA will issue to implement changes 
to the metropolitan and statewide and nonmetropolitan transportation 
planning programs as a result of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 
21st Century Act, Public Law 112-141 (2012).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 3,783,814 hours.

ADDRESSES: All written comments must refer to the docket number that 
appears at the top of this document and be submitted to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
725--17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FTA Desk 
Officer.
    Comments Are Invited on: 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; the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.

Matthew M. Crouch,
Associate Administrator for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-01651 Filed 1-28-14; 8:45 am]
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