[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 30 (Wednesday, February 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3757-3758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02132]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Form ED-840P, 
Petition by a Firm for Certification of Eligibility To Apply for Trade 
Adjustment Assistance, and Adjustment Proposals; Trade Adjustment 
Assistance for Firms Program

AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, 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 the 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before April 15, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments and recommendations for the 
proposed information collection to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 1401 
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 Irette Patterson, Program Analyst, Trade Adjustment 
Assistance Division, Room 71030, Economic Development Administration, 
1401 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20230 at [email protected] or 202-
482-2743.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    EDA administers the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) 
Program, which is authorized under chapters 3 and 5 of title II of the 
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2341-2356) (Trade Act), 
through a national network of non-profit and university-affiliated 
Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAACs), each of which serves a 
different geographic region. EDA certifies firms as eligible to 
participate in the TAAF Program and provides funding to allow eligible 
client-firms to receive adjustment assistance through the TAACs. The 
information collected on Form ED-840P and relevant supporting 
documentation is used to determine whether a firm is eligible to 
participate in the TAAF Program. In accordance with the Trade Act and 
EDA's regulations as set out at 13 CFR part 315, EDA must verify that 
the following have occurred: (1) A significant reduction in the number 
or proportion of the workers in the firm, a reduction in the workers' 
wage or work hours, or an imminent threat of such reductions; (2) sales 
or production of the firm have decreased absolutely, or sales or 
production, or both, of any article or service accounting for at least 
25 percent of the firm's sales or production has decreased absolutely; 
and (3) an increase in imports of articles or services like or directly 
competitive with those produced or provided by the petitioning firm, 
which has contributed importantly to the decline in employment and 
sales or production of that firm. Additionally, to document the 
connection of increased imports to declining employment and sales or 
production, the firm must demonstrate that its customers have reduced 
purchases from the firm in favor of buying items or services from 
foreign suppliers. The use of Form ED-840P standardizes and limits the 
information collected as part of the certification process and eases 
the burden on applicants and reviewers alike.
    In addition, after being certified as eligible for TAAF Program 
assistance following submission of Form ED-840P, firms must create an 
EDA-approved adjustment proposal in order to receive financial 
assistance under the TAAF Program. The adjustment proposal is each 
firm's business plan to remain viable in the current global economy. 
Each adjustment proposal must meet certain requirements as set out in 
the Trade Act and EDA's regulation at 13 CFR 315.16. This notice also 
includes an estimate of the amount of time a firm spends to research 
and compile information for adjustment proposals.

II. Method of Collection

    Form ED-840P may be obtained in Portable Document Format (PDF) from 
EDA or the TAACs upon request.

[[Page 3758]]

TAACs are responsible for preparing the petition for certification on 
the firm's behalf. Although there is no form associated with adjustment 
proposals, they must meet the requirements for adjustment proposals set 
out in EDA's regulation at 13 CFR 315.16. Both petitions for 
certification on Form ED-840P and adjustment proposals may be submitted 
via email to [email protected] or in hard copy to EDA at Trade Adjustment 
Assistance for Firms, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 71030, 
Washington DC 20230.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0610-0091.
    Form Number(s): ED-840P.
    Type of Review: Revision/Extension of a current information 
collection.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 300 (150 petitions for 
certification and 150 adjustment proposals).
    Estimated Time per Response: 128.2 hours (8.2 for petitions for 
certification and 120 for adjustment proposals).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 19,230 (1,230 for petitions 
for certification and 18,000 for adjustment proposals).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $ 1,346,100 ($86,100 for 
petitions for certification and $1,260,000 for adjustment proposals).

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. All comments submitted in response to this notice are a 
part of the public record and will be made available to the public, 
which may include posting them on the Regulations.gov website. Comments 
will generally be posted without change. Please do not include 
information of a confidential nature, such as sensitive personal 
information or proprietary information. All Personally Identifiable 
Information (for example, name and address) voluntarily submitted may 
be publicly accessible. If you send an email comment, your email 
address will be automatically captured and included as part of the 
comment that is placed in the public docket. Please note that comments 
that include a message stating the confidentiality of the communication 
will be treated as public comments and will be made available to the 
public.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2019-02132 Filed 2-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-WH-P