[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4343-4345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1476]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989; FRL-9256-4; EPA ICR No. 1550.07; OMB Control
No. 2030-023]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection;
Comment Request; Contractor Conflicts of Interest
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is
scheduled to expire on May 31, 2011. Before submitting the ICR to OMB
for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects
of the proposed information collection as described below.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 28, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OARM-2010-0989 by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: [email protected].
Fax: (202) 566-1753.
Mail: EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989, OEI Docket, Environmental
Protection Agency, 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC
20460. Please include a total of three (3) copies.
Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center-Attention OEI Docket, EPA
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW.,
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Washington, DC 20004. Such deliveries are only accepted during the
Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be
made for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-
2010-0989.
EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the
public docket without change and may be made available online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided,
unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to
be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-
mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous
access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact
information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you
submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to
consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special
characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or
viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the
EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Staci Ramrakha, Policy, Training, and
Oversight Division, Acquisition Policy and Training Service Center
(3802R), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW., Washington DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2017; e-mail
address: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?
EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID
No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989, which is available for online viewing at
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the OEI Docket in
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744,
and the telephone number for the OEI Docket is 202-566-1752.
Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number
identified in this document.
What information is EPA particularly interested in?
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically
solicits comments and information to enable it to:
(i) Evaluate 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;
(ii) Evaluate 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;
(iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
to be collected; and
(iv) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.
What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?
You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your
comments:
1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific
examples.
2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used
that support your views.
4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified
under DATES.
7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal
Register citation.
What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?
Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989.
Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are
businesses or organizations performing contracts for the EPA.
Title: Conflict of Interest, Rule 1.
ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1550.07, OMB Control No. 2030-023.
ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31,
2011. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's
regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal
Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed
either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate
means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if
applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
Abstract: EPA contractors will be required to disclose business
relationships and corporate affiliations to determine whether EPA's
interests are jeopardized by such relationships. Because EPA has the
dual responsibility of cleanup and enforcement and because its
contractors are often involved in both activities, it is imperative
that contractors are free from conflicts of interest so as not to
prejudice response and enforcement actions. Contractors will be
required to maintain a database of business relationships and report
information to EPA on either an annual basis or when each work order is
issued.
Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1,138
hours per response. Burden means the total time,
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effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate,
maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a
Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions;
develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the
purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information,
processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing
information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously
applicable instructions and requirements which have subsequently
changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of
information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of
information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate,
which is only briefly summarized here. The EPA estimates a total of 135
respondents, 10 new and 125 existing. The estimated total annual burden
hours are 153,626 for 135 responses for an average burden of 1,821 per
respondent.
Estimated total annual costs are $10,978,201.08. This includes an
estimated contractor burden cost of $9,858,202.20 and an estimated
Agency burden cost of $1,119,998.88. These amounts were calculated
using the hours above and the labor rates from the 2009 Bureau of Labor
National Mean Statistics and the General Schedule. Specific
calculations are included in the ICR. Because it will not be necessary
for respondents to acquire any capital goods to provide the requested
information, EPA has estimated no incurred capital/start-up costs.
Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?
There is no change in the hours in the total estimated respondent
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by
OMB.
What is the next step in the process for this ICR?
EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Dated: January 18, 2011.
John R. Bashista,
Director, Office of Acquisition Management.
[FR Doc. 2011-1476 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
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