[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 3, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31919-31920]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-12776]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Office of the Secretary


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Foreign 
National Visitor and Guest Access Program

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, Office of Security, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (DOC), 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 August 4, 2014.

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 Patty Grasso, Assistant Director of Plans and Programs, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Security, Room 1067, 1401 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via email to 
[email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This information collection is in association with the Department 
of Commerce's (DOC) Departmental Administrative Order 207-12 (Order), 
Foreign National Visitor and Guest Access Program, and is applicable to 
all DOC operating units, bureaus, and Departmental offices and to all 
Foreign Nationals who visit or are assigned to DOC facilities or 
activities. DOC organizations must provide information to the Office of 
Security (OSY) concerning Foreign National Visitors and Guests. Foreign 
Nationals are any persons who are not citizens or nationals of the 
United States and are categorized based on the length of their visit. 
Those who are accessing Departmental facilities for three or fewer days 
or attending a conference of five or fewer days are considered 
Visitors. Those who are accessing Departmental facilities for more than 
three days are considered Guests. Guests are subject to a security 
check at the discretion of the Director for Security. Guests remaining 
beyond two years must undergo a security check conducted by the 
servicing security office.
    The Department offers Foreign National Visitors and Guests access 
to its facilities, staff and information while engaged in a broad range 
of collaborative activities. This access, however, must be balanced 
with the need to protect classified, Sensitive But Unclassified (SBU), 
or otherwise controlled, proprietary, or not-for-public release data, 
information, or technology. The Departmental Sponsor (DS) is 
responsible for taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the conduct 
of, and activities for, their Foreign National Visitor or Guest are 
appropriate for the Federal workplace and comply with this Order. Prior 
to the arrival of a Foreign National Guest, the DS shall coordinate 
with the servicing security office to obtain a counterintelligence 
briefing that includes the contents of the Espionage Indicator Guide 
for employees of the sponsoring bureau within the work area encompassed 
by the foreign visit. Because of the frequency of foreign visits, these 
employees need only be briefed on an annual basis rather than each time 
a foreign visit occurs. The DS must read and sign a ``Certification of 
Conditions and Responsibilities for the Departmental Sponsor of Foreign 
National Guests'' and forward the certification to the chief 
administrative official or other appropriate senior bureau official 
responsible for administrative matter in the sponsoring bureau for 
review and endorsement.
The DS must also:
    a. Comply with all requirements for access approval and conduct, 
including providing timely, complete, and accurate information 
regarding the visit to the servicing security office. The servicing 
security office will deny access to a Foreign National if the DS fails 
to provide complete and accurate information in advance of a visit.
    b. Take all reasonable steps to ensure his/her Foreign National 
Visitor or Guest is given access only to information necessary for the 
successful completion of their visit.
    c. Prevent physical, visual, and virtual access to classified, SBU, 
or otherwise controlled, proprietary, or not-for-public release data, 
information, or technology.
    d. Take all reasonable steps to ensure that a Foreign National 
Visitor or Guest does not use personal communication, photographic, 
recording, or other electronic devices in areas of Departmental 
facilities where classified, SBU, or otherwise controlled, proprietary, 
or not-for-public release data, information, or technology is present 
without explicit authorization.
    e. Immediately report suspicious activities or anomalies involving 
Foreign National Visitors or Guests to the servicing security office.
    f. Promptly notify the servicing security office if there is a 
change to the arrival or departure date of any Foreign National.
    g. Ensure that all Foreign National Guests meet with the servicing 
security office to complete the Certification of Conditions and 
Responsibilities for the Foreign National Guest Program within three 
days of arrival if the servicing security office is collocated. If the 
servicing security office is not collocated, the DS will brief the 
Foreign National Guest on the contents of the document, and ensure the 
certification is signed, dated, and forwarded to the servicing security 
office within three days of arrival.
    h. The appropriate senior administrative official in the sponsoring 
bureau or office will review the request from the DS and will ensure 
that the value of collaborative efforts gained with access to 
Departmental facilities, staff and information is balanced with the 
need to protect classified, SBU, or otherwise controlled, proprietary, 
or not-for-public release data, information, or technology. The senior 
administrative official's endorsement and Departmental Sponsor's 
certificate will be forwarded to the servicing security Office.
    Information Required by a Foreign National includes the following: 
Full name, Gender, Date of birth, Place of birth, Passport Number and 
Issuing Country, Citizenship and Country(ies) of Dual Citizenship (if 
applicable), Country of Current Residence, Sponsoring

[[Page 31920]]

Bureau, Purpose of Visit, Facility number and location.
    Approvals. Based upon the information required concerning each 
Foreign National, OSY Headquarters will conduct applicable agency 
checks and forward the results to the servicing security office. The 
servicing security office will make a risk assessment determination and 
notify the DS of approval or denial of access. In the event of denial 
of access, a senior executive of the affected bureau, operating unit, 
or office may appeal to the Director for Security who will consider 
whether the benefits of a proposed visit justify the risks.
    Export Licenses. Approval of a visit by a Foreign National Visitor 
or Guest under this Order does not substitute for a license issued by 
the Bureau of Industry and Security pursuant to the Export 
Administration Regulations or any other U.S. Government agency with 
appropriate jurisdiction.
    Debriefing. During the course of a visit by, or upon the departure 
of, select Visitors and Guests, particularly those from countries 
designated as State Sponsors of Terrorism and Countries of 
Proliferation Concern, the servicing security office or OSY 
Headquarters will conduct a debriefing of the DS and other employees of 
the Department who have had contact with the Foreign National.

II. Method of Collection

    Required information may be submitted via fax or secure file 
transfer. OSY Headquarters and the servicing security office will 
maintain a database containing identifying data for all Foreign 
National Visitors and Guests to which this applies.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0605-XXXX.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (new information collection).
    Affected Public: Foreign Nationals (any persons who are not 
citizens or nationals of the United States).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 10,500.
    Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,750.
    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: May 29, 2014.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-12776 Filed 6-2-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-03-P