[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 1, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18323-18324]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06705]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 11047]


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 up to June 
1, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Web: 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-2020-0007'' 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 (if applicable), 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 Andrea Battista, Directorate of Defense Trade 
Controls, Department of State, who may be reached at 
[email protected] or 202-663-3136 (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: 125.
     Estimated Number of Responses: 125.
     Average Time Per Response: 2 hours.
     Total Estimated Burden Time: 250 hours.
     Frequency: On occasion.
     Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department.
     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

[[Page 18324]]

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 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.
    Users electronically submit requests for advisory opinions to DDTC 
via The Defense Export Control and Compliance System (DECCS) portal; 
users are 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.

Methodology

    This information will be collected by electronic submission to the 
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.

Neal Kringel,
Director of Management, DDTC.
[FR Doc. 2020-06705 Filed 3-31-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-25-P