[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10913-10914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04585]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Prohibited Transaction Class Exemptions for 
Multiple Employer Plans and Multiple Employer Apprenticeship Plans--PTE 
1976-1, PTE 1977-10, PTE 1978-6

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On February 29, 2016, the Department of Labor (DOL) will 
submit the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) sponsored 
information collection request (ICR) titled, ``Prohibited Transaction 
Class Exemptions for Multiple Employer Plans and Multiple Employer 
Apprenticeship Plans--PTE 1976-1, PTE 1977-10, PTE 1978-6,'' to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval for 
continued use, without change, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. Public comments on 
the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before April 1, 2016.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201512-1210-001 or by contacting Michel Smyth by 
telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free 
numbers) or by email at [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
EBSA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance 
Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for 
the information collection requirements contained in the Prohibited 
Transaction Class Exemptions (PTE) for Multiple Employer Plans and 
Multiple Employer Apprenticeship Plans: PTE 1976-1, PTE 1977-10, and 
PTE 1978-6. PTE 1976-1 permits a multi-employer employee benefit plan, 
under specific conditions, to negotiate with a contributing employer to 
accept a delinquent contribution and to settle a delinquency; to make a 
construction loan to a contributing employer; and to lease property and 
purchase services and goods from a party in interest, including a 
contributing employer and an employee association. PTE 1977-10 expands 
the scope of relief provided under PTE 1976-1 part C for leasing 
property and purchasing goods and services. PTE 1978-6 provides an 
exemption to a multi-employer apprenticeship plan for purchasing 
personal property or leasing real property from a contributing 
employer. All three exemptions impose recordkeeping requirements on 
plans as a condition to availability of the relief. Employee Retirement 
Income Security Act of 1974 sections 407 and 408(a) authorize this 
information collection. See 29 U.S.C. 1107 and 1108(a).
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1210-0058.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal, and the DOL seeks to extend PRA authorization 
for this information collection for three (3) more years, without any 
change to existing requirements. The DOL notes that existing 
information collection requirements submitted to the OMB receive a 
month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For additional 
substantive information about this ICR, see the related notice 
published in the Federal Register on November 23, 2015 (80 FR 72990).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1210-0058. 
The OMB is particularly interested in comments that:
     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;
     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;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     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.
    Agency: DOL-EBSA.
    Title of Collection: Prohibited Transaction Class Exemptions for 
Multiple Employer Plans and Multiple Employer Apprenticeship Plans--PTE 
1976-1, PTE 1977-10, PTE 1978-6.
    OMB Control Number: 1210-0058.

[[Page 10914]]

    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits 
and not-for-profit institutions.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,625.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 3,625.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 906 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $0.

     Dated: February 26, 2016.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-04585 Filed 3-1-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-P