[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 180 (Friday, September 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63840-63841]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-22354]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 9720]


60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Request for 
Advisory Opinion

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. 
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are 
requesting comments on this collection from all interested individuals 
and organizations. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for 
public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: The Department will accept comments from the public until 
November 15, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Internet: Persons with access to the Internet may comment 
on this notice by going to www.Regulations.gov. You can search for the 
document by entering ``Docket Number: DOS-2016-0062'' in the Search 
field. Then click the ``Comment Now'' button and complete the comment 
form.
     Email: [email protected], ATTN: Advisory 
Opinion Form.
     Regular Mail: Send written comments to: Directorate of 
Defense Trade Controls, Department of State; 2401 E St. NW., Suite 
H1205, Washington, DC 20522. You must include the DS form number, 
information collection title, and the OMB control number in any 
correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Direct requests for additional 
information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including 
requests for copies of the proposed collection instrument and 
supporting documents, to Steve Derscheid, Directorate of Defense Trade 
Controls, Department of State, who may be reached at 
[email protected] (please include subject line ``ATTN: Advisory 
Opinion Form'').

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
     Title of Information Collection: Request for Advisory 
Opinion.
     OMB Control Number: 1405-0174.
     Type of Request: Revision of a Currently Approved 
Collection.
     Originating Office: T/PM/DDTC.
     Form Number: DS-7786.
     Respondents: Individuals and companies engaged in the 
business of exporting or temporarily importing defense articles or 
defense services.
     Estimated Number of Respondents: 250.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 250.
     Average Time Per Response: 2 hours.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 500 hours.
     Frequency: On occasion.
     Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
     Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost 
burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used.
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected.
     Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Please note that comments submitted in response to this Notice are 
public record. Before including any detailed personal information, you 
should be aware that your comments as submitted, including your 
personal information, will be available for public review.
    Abstract of proposed collection: The Directorate of Defense Trade 
Controls (DDTC), located in the Political-Military Affairs Bureau of 
the Department of State, has the principal mission of licensing the 
export and temporary import of defense articles or defense services as 
enumerated in the United States Munitions List (USML), and to ensure 
that the sale, transfer, or brokering of such items are in the interest 
of United States national security and foreign policy.
    Sections 126.9 and 129.9 of the International Traffic in Arms 
Regulations (ITAR, 22 CFR 120-130) may be used by entities and 
individuals involved in the brokering, manufacture, export, and 
temporary import of defense articles and defense services to request an 
advisory opinion as to whether DDTC would be likely to grant a license 
or other approval for the export of a particular defense article or 
defense service to a particular country; for

[[Page 63841]]

general or regulatory guidance; or whether certain activity constitutes 
brokering under the meaning of the ITAR. Except for determinations made 
with reference to ITAR Sec.  129.9(b), advisory opinions are not 
binding on the Department of State and may not be used in future 
matters before the Department.
    DDTC has recently acquired an electronic case management system to 
update its business processes and how it receives and handles 
information from industry. This system, once deployed, will allow users 
to electronically submit requests for advisory opinions to DDTC; users 
will be able to retrieve responses using the same system. DDTC staff 
members have defined the data fields which are most relevant and 
necessary for requests for advisory opinions and developed the means to 
accept this information from the industry in a secure system. The 
revision of this information collection is meant to conform the current 
OMB-approved data collection to DDTC's new case management system. DDTC 
is therefore requesting industry comments on the new advisory opinion 
form, which will be mirrored in the case management system once 
deployed. A copy of the draft form may be requested from DDTC using the 
contact information in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 
above, and a copy of the draft form will also be placed for viewing on 
the DDTC Web site at pmddtc.state.gov.
    Methodology: This information will be collected by electronic 
submission to the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

    Dated: August 22, 2016.
Lisa Aguirre,
Managing Director, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2016-22354 Filed 9-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-25-P