[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 164 (Friday, August 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 48131]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18534]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2021-SCC-0127]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Third 
Party Authorization Form

AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA), Department of Education (ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is 
proposing a new collection.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 26, 2021.

ADDRESSES: To access and review all the documents related to the 
information collection listed in this notice, please use http://www.regulations.gov by searching the Docket ID number ED-2021-SCC-0127. 
Comments submitted in response to this notice should be submitted 
electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via postal 
mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. If the regulations.gov 
site is not available to the public for any reason, ED will temporarily 
accept comments at [email protected]. Please include the docket ID 
number and the title of the information collection request when 
requesting documents or submitting comments. Please note that comments 
submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the comment period 
will not be accepted. Written requests for information or comments 
submitted by postal mail or delivery should be addressed to the PRA 
Coordinator of the Strategic Collections and Clearance Governance and 
Strategy Division, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave SW, 
LBJ, Room 6W208D, Washington, DC 20202-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Beth Grebeldinger, 202-377-4018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Education (ED), in 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with 
an opportunity to comment on proposed, revised, and continuing 
collections of information. This helps the Department assess the impact 
of its information collection requirements and minimize the public's 
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand the Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. ED is soliciting comments on the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) that is described below. The 
Department of Education is especially interested in public comment 
addressing the following issues: (1) Is this collection necessary to 
the proper functions of the Department; (2) will this information be 
processed and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden 
accurate; (4) how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information to be collected; and (5) how might the 
Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, 
including through the use of information technology. Please note that 
written comments received in response to this notice will be considered 
public records.
    Title of Collection: Third Party Authorization Form.
    OMB Control Number: 1845-NEW.
    Type of Review: A new collection.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 25,000.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 100,000.
    Abstract: This is a request for a new information collection for a 
third-party authorization form to be used by federal student loan 
borrowers to designate or revoke a designation of an individual or 
organization to represent the borrower in matters related to their 
federally held student loans. The Department has revised the initially 
proposed form. This revised form will continue to standardize the way 
that borrowers provide privacy act releases and authorization for a 
third party to take action on borrowers' federal student loan accounts 
held by various servicers. This will standardize processes and help 
borrowers and their third-party representatives when loans transfer 
between servicers. This information collection stems from the Privacy 
Act of 1974 and the common law legal principles of agency, which is not 
reflected in the Department's statute or regulations, but with which 
the Department must comply or which the Department supports.

    Dated: August 24, 2021.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2021-18534 Filed 8-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P