[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 107 (Friday, June 4, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31744-31745]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-13452]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection; Contract Operations and Administration
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and
organizations on a new information collection, Contract Operations and
Administration.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before August 3, 2010
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will
be considered to the extent practicable.
ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to
Lathrop Smith, Natural Resources Research Center, 2150 Centre Avenue,
Building A, Suite 341, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8121. Comments also may
be submitted via e-mail to: [email protected].
The public may inspect comments received at the Office of the
Director, Forest Management Staff, Forest Service, USDA, Room 3 NW.,
Yates Building, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC, during
normal business hours. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 202-
205-1496 to facilitate entry to the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lathrop Smith, Forest Management, 970-
295-5961. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339,
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard time, Monday through
Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Contract Operations and
Administration.
OMB Number: 0596-NEW.
Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from OMB approval date.
Type of Request: New.
Abstract: Forest Service contracts for the sale of timber and other
forest products are bilateral contracts in which both contracting
parties are bound to fulfill obligations reciprocally. By their nature
bilateral contracts require both parties to routinely share information
and enter into agreements pertaining to operations and performance.
Some information collected under Forest Service contracts is required
by laws, regulations, and/or timber sale policies. Each contract
specifies the information the contractor will be required to provide,
including the timing and frequency of the information collection. The
inability to collect information required under the terms of a contract
could result in delays, disputes, claims, litigation, and/or defaults.
The type and amount of information collected varies depending on
the size, complexity, and length of each contract, and external factors
such as weather and market conditions. The information collected
includes plans, requests, agreements and notices necessary for
operations under the terms of the contracts. Forest Service officers
collect the information from contractors who may be individuals,
private sector businesses, or other government entities. The
information is submitted in a variety of formats including Forest
Service forms; Government Standard Forms; forms developed by individual
contractors, charts, maps, e-mail messages; and letters. Also, to
assist small contractors and lessen their burden, individual
contracting officers may provide optional forms for some of the
information collected. Depending on the purpose of the specific
information collection, the information may be submitted by electronic
mail, facsimile, conventional mail, or hand delivery.
The information is needed by the Agency for a variety of uses
associated with operations and administration of contracts for the sale
of timber and other forest products including: (1) Planning and
scheduling contract administration workloads, (2) planning and
scheduling the delivery of government furnished materials needed by
contractors, (3) assuring safety of public in vicinity of contract
work, (4) identifying contractor resources that may be used in
emergency fire fighting situations, (5) determining contractor
eligibility for additional contract time, (6) determining contractor
eligibility for redetermining contract rates, (7) monitoring compliance
with domestic processing requirements, (8) monitoring compliance with
Small Business Administration requirements, (9) processing agreements
and modifications, and (10) inspecting and accepting work.
Without accurate information showing when and how a contractor
intends to operate, the Forest Service would be hindered in fulfilling
its contractual obligations to cooperate with and not hinder
performance of the contractors. The inability to obtain accurate and
timely information from contractors could lead to serious problems
including disruption of operations, disputes, claims, and possible
default. In some cases, the Forest Service may be unable to determine
if a contractor is eligible for additional contract time or other
relief measures authorized under the contract.
The Forest Service desires to combine all information collections
associated with operations and administration of contracts for the sale
of timber and other forest products into one OMB approval. This new
collection includes and combines four related collections currently
approved by OMB as follows: 0596-0017 Timber Purchaser's Costs and
Sales Data; 0596-0086 Operation Plans; 0596-0167 Urgent Removal of
Timber; and 0596-0212 Extension of Timber Sales.
Type of Respondents: Timber sale and forest products contractors.
Estimated Annual Number of Contracts: 3,400.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1,370.
Estimated Annual Responses: 128,100.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 93.5.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 40,700 hours.
Estimate of Average Burden per Response: 0.32 hours.
Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this collection of information
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the
[[Page 31745]]
collection of information on respondents, including the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
All comments received in response to this notice, including names
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record.
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of
Management and Budget approval.
Dated: May 27, 2010.
Gloria Manning,
Associate Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2010-13452 Filed 6-3-10; 8:45 am]
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