Notice2024-16732
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 30, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Railroad Administration
Abstract
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified in the ICR.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 146 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61229-61231]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16732]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
[Docket No. FRA-2024-0026]
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment
Request
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its
implementing regulations, FRA seeks approval of the Information
Collection Request (ICR) summarized below. Before submitting this ICR
to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, FRA is
soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities
identified in the ICR.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
September 30, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR
should be submitted on <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> to the docket, Docket No. FRA-
2024-0026. All comments received will be posted without change to the
docket, including any personal information provided. Please refer to
the assigned OMB control number (2130-New) in any correspondence
submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in a subsequent 30-day
notice and include them in its information collection submission to
OMB.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0d6c7f61687979682360787e7e64636a7962634d696279236a627b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d1b0a3bdb4a5a5b4ffbca4a2a2b8bfb6a5bebf91b5bea5ffb6bea7">[email protected]</span></a> or
telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information
Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#771d18161919125904001611111805133713180359101801"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="214b4e404f4f440f52564047474e534561454e550f464e57">[email protected]</span></a> or
telephone: (757) 897-9908.
[[Page 61230]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520, and its
implementing regulations, 5 CFR part 1320, require Federal agencies to
provide 60-days' notice to the public to allow comment on information
collection activities before seeking OMB approval of the activities.
See 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. Specifically,
FRA invites interested parties to comment on the following ICR
regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are
necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether
the activities will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of FRA's
estimates of the burden of the information collection activities,
including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to
determine the estimates; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways
for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on
the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology. See 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5
CFR 1320.8(d)(1).
FRA believes that soliciting public comment may reduce the
administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of
information that Federal regulations mandate. In summary, comments
received will advance three objectives: (1) reduce reporting burdens;
(2) organize information collection requirements in a ``user-friendly''
format to improve the use of such information; and (3) accurately
assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information
requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501.
The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB
clearance as the PRA requires:
Title: Uniform Report of Small Business (SB) Commitments/Awards and
Payments.
OMB Control Number: 2130-New.
Abstract: The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program is
statutorily mandated and intended to assist small businesses owned and
controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals
compete fairly in the Department's transportation funding programs for
certain highway, transit, and aviation programs. The DBE program is
implemented by recipients of DOT financial assistance. The DOT DBE does
not include rail assistance programs and FRA does not have a mandated
DBE program. Rather, FRA issues and manages rail assistance programs in
compliance with the DOT regulations for implementing Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 found at 49 CFR part 21 and the Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements
for Federal Awards found at 2 CFR part 200. Specifically, 2 CFR 200.321
(a) through (b)(6) provides affirmative steps a non-Federal entity must
take to assure that minority businesses, women's business enterprises,
and labor surplus area firms are used when possible.
In 2015, Congress instructed the Secretary of Transportation to
conduct a nationwide disparity and availability study on the
availability and use of small businesses owned and controlled by
socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and veteran-owned
small businesses in publicly funded intercity rail passenger
transportation projects.
The report for the study was provided to Congress in 2022. The
report noted a gap in data available for analysis to determine if there
is any disparity in rail transportation grant awards. To address the
data gap identified in the report, FRA is proposing to add new form,
FRA F 6180.281 titled, Small Business (SB) Commitments/Awards and
Payments. The proposed data collection will address this gap and aid
future considerations of the application of the DBE program.
The purpose of FRA F 6180.281 is to collect data from grant
recipients to determine the amount of dollars from FRA grants and
contracts that flow to small, women-owned and Disadvantaged Business
Enterprises (DBE). This would identify all prime contractors, sub-
contractors, consultants, and vendors that FRA grant recipients worked
with and on which they spent grant funds. Additionally, the proposed
new form, FRA F 6180.281 ``SB Commitments/Awards and Payments'' would
be used by FRA to carry out its oversight responsibilities of non-
Federal entities receiving grant funds.
This collection of information aligns with DOT's Strategic Goal of
Equity as it supports establishing economic equity for small businesses
owned by disadvantaged individuals and promoting development
opportunities.
Type of Request: Approval of a new collection of information.
Affected Public: Generally, includes States and local governments
and railroads.
Form(s): FRA F 6180.281.
Respondent Universe: 140 grant recipients.
Frequency of Submission: Annually.
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\1\ The dollar equivalent cost is derived from the May 2022
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), using the
median hourly wage rate for a Management Analyst 13-1111 of $45.81.
Reporting Burden
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Total cost
Form name Form No. Total annual Average time per Total annual burden Wage rate equivalent in
responses response hours U.S. dollars
(A)................. (B)................. (C = A * B)........ (E) \1\ (D = C * E)
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FRA F 281........... 140................. 357 hours........... 49,980............. $45.81 $2,289,584
Total............................ 140................. 140 responses....... N/A................. 49,980............. N/A 2,289,584
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[[Page 61231]]
Total Estimated Annual Responses: 140.
Total Estimated Annual Burden: 49,980 hours.
Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:
$2,289,584.
FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or
sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection
of information that does not display a currently valid OMB control
number.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.
Christopher S. Van Nostrand,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2024-16732 Filed 7-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P
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