[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 103774-103775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30210]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket #: RBS-24-CO-OP-0018]
60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Rural
Development Cooperative Agreements (RDCA) Program; OMB Control No.:
0570-0074
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
[[Page 103775]]
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the
Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), an agency within
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development
(RD), announces its intention to request a revision to a currently
approved information collection package for Rural Development
Cooperative Agreements (RDCA) Program. The Agency invites comments on
this information collection for which it intends to request approval
from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 18, 2025 to
be assured of consideration.
ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal, regulations.gov. In the ``Search for dockets and
documents on agency actions'' box, enter the docket number ``RBS-24-CO-
OP-0018,'' and click the ``Search'' button. From the search results:
click on or locate the document title: ``60-Day Notice of Proposed
Information Collection: ``Rural Development Cooperative Agreements
(RDCA) Program'' and select the ``Comment'' button. Before inputting
comments, commenters may review the ``Commenter's Checklist''
(optional). To submit a comment: Insert comments under the ``Comment''
title, click ``Browse'' to attach files (if available), input email
address, select box to opt to receive email confirmation of submission
and tracking (optional), select the box ``I'm not a robot,'' and then
select ``Submit Comment.'' Information on using Regulations.gov,
including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments,
and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is
available through the site's ``FAQ'' link.
All comments will be available for public inspection online at the
Federal eRulemaking Portal (https://www.regulations.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: MaryPat Daskal, Rural Development
Innovation Center-Regulations Management Division, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Room 4227, South Building, Washington, DC
20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-7853. Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB regulation (5 CFR part 1320)
implementing provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L.
104-13) requires that interested members of the public and affected
agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice identifies
an information collection that the Agency is submitting to OMB for a
revision.
Title: Rural Development Cooperative Agreements (RDCA) Program.
OMB Control Number: 0570-0074.
Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2025.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 1.65 hours per response.
Respondents: Regional consortia of higher education, academic
health and research institutes, or economic development entities.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 64.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
Estimated Total Number of Responses: 640.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,056 hours.
Abstract: Pursuant to the Federal Agricultural Improvement Act of
1996 (Pub. L. 104-127), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
received authorization from Congress under 7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(4) to
enter into cooperative agreements for the purpose of improving the
coordination and effectiveness of programs that benefit rural areas.
This authority is referred to as the Rural Development Cooperative
Agreement (RDCA) program. There are three agencies within USDA that
administer programs that specifically target rural areas: The Rural
Business-Cooperative Service (RB-CS), the Rural Housing Service (RHS),
and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Each year, USDA receives proposals from the public that are not in
response to a specific program announcement. These proposals are called
unsolicited proposals. If a proposal is related to one or more
programs, it will be routed to the appropriated RD agency for review
and possible consideration for a cooperative agreement using the RDCA
authority. If the proposal is unique or innovative, then RD has
authority to enter into a cooperative agreement without competition
(see 2 CFR 415.1(d)(6)). Alternatively, USDA may issue an invitation to
submit applications for a cooperative agreement using the RDCA
authority. These proposals are called solicited proposals. Solicited
proposals would typically be announced via a Federal Register Notice.
Information will be collected by the field offices from applicants.
The collection of information is considered the minimum necessary to
effectively evaluate the overall scope of the project.
Failure to collect information could have an adverse impact on
effectively carrying out the mission, administration, processing, and
program requirements.
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 will have practical utility.
(b) The accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used.
(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 appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. All responses to this notice
will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All
comments will become a matter of public record.
Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Lisa
Day, Innovation Center--Regulations Management Division, at (971)
313.4750. Email: [email protected].
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of
public record.
Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk,
Chief Innovation Officer, Innovation Center, USDA Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-30210 Filed 12-18-24; 8:45 am]
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