[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 141 (Friday, July 22, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47746-47747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16817]


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 Notices
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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 141 / Friday, July 22, 2016 / 
Notices  

[[Page 47746]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Information Collection Request; Registration Form To Request 
Electronic Access Code Information

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3506), this notice announces and requests comments on the 
intention of the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to 
request approval for the continuation of and changes to the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Registration Form to Request 
Electronic Access Code information collection to allow USDA customers 
to securely and confidently share data and receive services 
electronically. Authority for obtaining information from customers is 
included in the Freedom to E-File Act, the Electronic Signatures in 
Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN, the E-Government Act of 2002. 
Customer information is collected through the USDA eAuthentication 
Service (eAuth), located at https://www.eauth.usda.gov. The USDA eAuth 
service provides both public citizens as well as federal government 
employees with a secure single sign-on capability for USDA 
applications, management of user credentials, and verification of 
identity, authorization, and electronic signatures. USDA's eAuth 
Application service obtains customer information through an electronic 
self-registration process provided through the eAuth Web site. This 
voluntary online self-registration process and online identity proofing 
service (either in person at a USDA Service Center or online with 
national credit bureaus) enables USDA customers, as well as employees, 
to obtain accounts as authorized users that will provide single sign-on 
capability, self-registration, and account management to access USDA 
Web applications and services via the Internet.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before September 
20, 2016 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: 
    [ssquf] Federal eRulemaking Portal: This Web site provides the 
ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on this 
Web page or attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for 
submitting comments.
    [ssquf] Interested persons are invited to submit comments 
concerning this information collection to Adam Zeimet, 2150 Centre 
Avenue, Building A-Suite 350, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526. Fax 
comments should be sent to the attention of Adam Zeimet at fax number 
(970) 295-5528.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam Zeimet by telephone at (970) 295-
5678, or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the intention 
of USDA-OCIO-Client Technology Services-Identity Access Branch 
(Identity, Credential, and Access Management Program) to request 
approval for an existing collection.
    Title: USDA Registration Form to Request Electronic Access Code.
    OMB Number: 0503-0014.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 12/31/2016.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The USDA OCIO has developed eAuthentication Application 
Services as a management and technical process that addresses user 
authentication and authorization prerequisites for providing services 
electronically. The process requires a one-time electronic self-
registration to obtain an eAuth account for each USDA customer desiring 
access to on-line services or applications that require user 
authentication. USDA customers can self-register for an account at a 
Level of Assurance (LOA) 1 or 2 (and in the future LOA 3) as defined by 
OMB Memorandum M-04-04 and National Institute of Standards and 
Technology Special Publication 800-63-2 (or superseding publications). 
Level of Assurance refers to a level of confidence in the user's 
claimed identity. An account at LOA 1 provides users with limited 
access to USDA Web site portals and applications that have minimal 
security requirements. An account at LOA 2 enables users to conduct 
official electronic business transactions via the Internet, enter into 
a contract with the USDA, and submit forms electronically via the 
Internet to USDA agencies. Due to the increased risk associated with 
these types of transactions, the identity of customers must be verified 
through a process called ``identity proofing'', in addition to 
completing an electronic self-registration. Identity proofing can be 
accomplished for customers in two ways: (1) By visiting a local 
registrant authority at a USDA Service Center; or (2) Through an online 
identity proofing service implemented with an integration with a 
National Credit Bureau. The new on-line identity proofing service will 
provide registrants with a more efficient mechanism to have their 
identity proofed. The on-line identity proofing requires responses to 
at least four randomly selected identity questions that are verified by 
a national credit bureau identity proofing service in an automated 
interface. The USDA OCIO is also developing a solution to provide 
accounts for public citizens at LOA 3, which leverages the same self-
registration and identity proofing, but also incorporates strong multi-
factor authentication credentials for access to secure, high risk, or 
sensitive systems, if authorized. Once an account is activated, 
customers may use the associated credential to access USDA resources 
that are protected by eAuth.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to take eight (8) minutes to complete the 
self-registration process for a LOA 1 account. LOA 2 (and in the 
future, LOA 3) account registration is estimated to be completed in one 
hour 40 minutes when travelling to a USDA Service Center to visit a 
local registration authority (expected to be approximately 30% of the 
registrants), or ten (10) minutes when using the on-line identity 
proofing service (expected to be approximately 70% of the registrants).
    Respondents: Individual USDA Customers.

[[Page 47747]]

    Estimated Number of Respondents per Level:

 LOA 1 Account: 114,256.
 LOA 2 Account: 17,848.
    [cir] In Person ID Proofing (subset of LOA 2): 5,354.
    [cir] Online\Remote ID Proofing (subset of LOA 2): 12,494.

    Estimated Total Number of Respondents: 132,104.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 26,239.8 hours.
    Comments are invited on (1) 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; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of the information on those 
who respond, through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, technological or other forms of information technology 
collection methods. Copies of the information collection may be 
obtained from Mr. Zeimet by calling or emailing your request to the 
contact information above in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section. All 
responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request 
for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: July 11, 2016.
Jonathan Alboum,
Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-16817 Filed 7-21-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-KR-P