[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 202 (Friday, October 18, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55941-55942]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22779]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Technical Information Service


Renewal of Currently Approved Information Collection; Comment 
Request; Limited Access Death Master File Systems Safeguards 
Attestation Forms

AGENCY: National Technical Information Service, 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 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

[[Page 55942]]


DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 17, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to John W. Hounsell, Program 
Manager, Office of Program Management, National Technical Information 
Service, Department of Commerce, 5301 Shawnee Road, Alexandria, VA 
22312 (or at [email protected]). All comments received are part of 
the public record. Comments will generally be posted without change. 
All Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) 
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to John W. Hounsell, at email: [email protected] or 
telephone: 703-605-6184.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    This notice informs the public that the National Technical 
Information Service (NTIS) is requesting the renewal of an information 
collection described in Section II for use in connection with the final 
rule entitled ``Certification Program for Access to the Death Master 
File.'' The final rule was published on June 1, 2016 and became 
effective on November 28, 2016. The information collection described in 
Section II, was approved and became effective on December 23, 2016.

II. Method of Collection

    Title of Information Collection: ``Limited Access Death Master File 
Accredited Conformity Assessment Body Application for Firewalled 
Status'' (Firewalled Status Application Form).
    Description of the need for the information and the proposed use: 
NTIS issued a final rule establishing a program through which persons 
may become eligible to obtain access to Death Master File (DMF) 
information about an individual within three years of that individual's 
death (81 FR 34882, June 1, 2016). The final rule was promulgated under 
Section 203 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, Public Law 113-67 
(Act). The Act prohibits the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) from 
disclosing DMF information during the three-year period following an 
individual's death (Limited Access DMF), unless the person requesting 
the information has been certified to access the Limited Access DMF 
pursuant to certain criteria in a program that the Secretary 
establishes. The Secretary delegated the authority to carry out Section 
203 to the Director of NTIS.
    The final rule requires that, in order to become certified, a 
Person must submit a written attestation from an ``Accredited 
Conformity Assessment Body'' (ACAB), as defined in the final rule, that 
such Person has information security systems, facilities and procedures 
in place to protect the security of the Limited Access DMF, as required 
under Section 1110.102(a)(2) of the final rule. A Certified Person also 
must provide a new written attestation periodically for renewal of its 
certification as specified in the final rule. The ACAB must be 
independent of the Person or Certified Person seeking certification, 
unless it is a conformity assessment body which qualifies for 
``firewalled status'' pursuant to Section 1110.502 of the final rule.
    The Firewalled Status Application Form collects information that 
NTIS will use to evaluate whether the respondent qualifies for 
``firewalled status'' under the rule, and, therefore, can provide a 
written attestation in lieu of an independent ACAB's attestation. This 
information includes specific requirements of Section 1110.502(b) of 
the final rule, which the respondent ACAB must certify are satisfied, 
and the provision of specific information by the respondent ACAB, such 
as the identity of the Person or Certified Person that would be the 
subject of the attestation and the basis upon which the certifications 
were made.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0692-0015.
    Form Number(s): NTIS FM101.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies seeking 
firewalled status under 15 CFR 1110.502 because they are ``owned, 
managed or controlled'' by the Person or Certified Person for whom they 
are providing assessment(s) and or audit(s) under the final rule for 
the ``Certification Program for Access to the Death Master File.''
    Estimated Number of Respondents: NTIS expects to receive 
approximately 250 applications and renewals for certification every 
year, of which it expects that approximately 20% of the required 
assessments will be provided by Accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies 
that will seek firewalled status in a given year. Accordingly, NTIS 
estimates that it will receive approximately 50 Firewalled Status 
Application Forms per year.
    Estimated Time per Response: 60 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50 (50 x 1 hour = 50 hours).
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: NTIS expects to receive 
approximately 50 applications annually at a fee of $268 per 
application, for a total cost to the public of $13,400. The total 
annual cost reflects the cost to the Federal Government, which consists 
of the expenses associated with NTIS personnel reviewing and processing 
the Firewalled Status Application Forms. In addition, NTIS estimates 
that it will take a senior auditor within the organization one hour to 
complete the form at a rate of $135 per hour, for a total additional 
cost to the public of $6,750 (50 burden hours x $135/hour = $6,750). 
NTIS estimates the total annual cost to the public to be $13,400 in 
fees + $6,750 in staff time = $20,150.

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 the potential 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.

Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, 
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2019-22779 Filed 10-17-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-04-P