[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 41 (Monday, March 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 11783]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04616]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2014-0058 FRL 9907-43-OARM]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Contractor Conflicts of Interest

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR), Contractor Conflicts of Interest; 
EPA ICR No. 1550.10, OMB Control No. 2030-0023 to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). Before doing so, 
EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed 
information collection as described below. This is a ``proposed 
extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through August 31, 
2014. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 2, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OARM-2014-0058, online using www.regulations.gov (our preferred 
method), by email to [email protected] or by mail to: EPA Docket 
Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 
Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20460. EPA's policy is that all 
comments received will be included in the public docket without change 
including any personal information provided, unless the comment 
includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential 
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Daniel Humphries, Policy, Training, 
and Oversight Division, Acquisition Policy and Training Service Center 
(3802R), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 
Washington DC 20460; telephone number: 202-564-4377; fax number 202-
565-2553; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of 
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register notice 
to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the opportunity to 
submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: EPA contractors will be required to disclose business 
relationships and corporate affiliations to determine whether EPA's 
interests are jeopardized by such relationships. Because EPA has the 
dual responsibility of cleanup and enforcement and because its 
contractors are often involved in both activities, it is imperative 
that contractors are free from conflicts of interest so as not to 
prejudice response and enforcement actions. Contractors will be 
required to maintain a database of business relationships and report 
information to EPA on either an annual basis or when each work order is 
issued.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1550.10, OMB Control No. 2030-0023.
    Respondents/affected entities: Entities potentially affected by 
this action are businesses or organizations performing contracts for 
the EPA.
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Mandatory to continue 
performance on the respective contract, in accordance with respective 
contract clause terms.
    Estimated number of respondents: 135 (total).
    Frequency: 1,138 hours per response
    Total estimated burden: 153,626 hours (per year). Burden is defined 
at 5 CFR 1320.03(b)
    Total estimated cost: Estimated total annual costs are 
$10,978,201.08. This includes an estimated contractor burden cost of 
$9,858,202.20 and an estimated agency burden cost of $1,119,998.88. 
These amounts were calculated using the hours above and the labor rates 
from the 2009 Bureau of Labor National Mean Statistics and the General 
Schedule.
    Changes in Estimates: The Agency does not anticipate a change in 
the hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with that 
identified in the ICR currently approved by OMB. Further, for the 
current ICR renewal, EPA estimates no incurred capital/start-up costs 
as it is not necessary for respondents to acquire any capital goods to 
provide the requested information.

    Dated: February 25, 2014.
John R. Bashista,
Director, Office of Acquisition Management.
[FR Doc. 2014-04616 Filed 2-28-14; 8:45 am]
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