Notice2025-05413
Information Collection; Timber Sale Contract Operations and Administration
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
March 28, 2025
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentForest Service
Abstract
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and organizations on the extension with revision of the currently approved information collection, 0596-0225, Timber Sale Contract Operations and Administration.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 59 (Friday, March 28, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 59 (Friday, March 28, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14066-14068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-05413]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Information Collection; Timber Sale Contract Operations and
Administration
AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (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 the extension with revision of the currently approved
information collection, 0596-0225, Timber Sale Contract Operations and
Administration.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before May 27, 2025
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
Director, Forest Management, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop
1103, Washington, DC 20250-0003. Comments also may be submitted via
facsimile to 202-205-1045 or by email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#33405e1d55401d676072575e5a5d755c415e4073464057521d545c45"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4f3c2261293c611b1c0e2b22262109203d223c0f3a3c2b2e61282039">[email protected]</span></a>.
Comments submitted in response to this notice may be made available
to the public through relevant websites and upon request. For this
reason, please do not include in your comments information of a
confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information or
proprietary information. If you send an email comment, your email
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. Please note that responses to this public comment request
containing any routine notice about the confidentiality of the
communication will be treated as public comments that may be made
available to the public notwithstanding the inclusion of the routine
notice.
The public may inspect the draft supporting statement and/or
comments received on the World Wide Web/internet site at: <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/forestmanagement/products/contracts.shtml">https://www.fs.usda.gov/forestmanagement/products/contracts.shtml</a>. The public
may request an electronic copy of the draft supporting statement and/or
any
[[Page 14067]]
comments received be sent via return email. Requests should be emailed
to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a2937743c29740e091b3e3733341c352837291a2f293e3b743d352c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="196a74377f6a374d4a587d7470775f766b746a596c6a7d78377e766f">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kraig Kidwell, Washington Office,
Forest Management staff, at 541-961-2614. Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf and hard of hearing (TDD) may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 711, 24 hours a
day, every day of the year, including holidays.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Timber Sale Contract Operations and Administration.
OMB Number: 0596-0225.
Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2025.
Type of Request: Extension with Revision.
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 information the contractor will be required to provide,
including the timing and frequency of the information collection.
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 and/or Common Forms, forms developed
by individual contractors, charts, maps, email messages, facsimiles,
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, document signing software or hand delivery. The
information is needed by the Agency for a variety of uses associated
with the operations and administration of contracts for the sale of
timber and other forest products, in order to: (1) Plan and schedule
contract administration workloads, (2) plan and schedule the delivery
of government furnished materials needed by contractors, (3) assure the
safety of the public in the vicinity of contract work, (4) identify
contractor resources that may be used in emergency fire-fighting
situations, (5) determine contractor eligibility for additional
contract time, (6) determine contractor eligibility for re-determining
contract rates, (7) monitor compliance with domestic processing
requirements, (8) process agreements and modifications, (9) properly
process payment bonds, (10) obtaining purchaser or contractor's consent
to conduct business electronically.
Forms Associated With This Information Collection
<bullet> FS-2400-0076 Pre-Award Waiver, Release, and Limitation of
Liability Agreement. This form was developed for limited use when the
apparent high bidder of a sale that is the subject of litigation
requests to have the sale awarded prior to the litigation being
resolved.
The following forms are available for optional use by timber sale
purchasers and contractors:
<bullet> FS-2400-0077 General Plan of Operation. This form may be
used to meet the requirements for a general Plan of Operations which
outlines the Purchaser's planned periods of operation and methods for
meeting contractual requirements by the contract termination date.
<bullet> FS-2400-0078 Annual Operating Schedule. This form may be
used to meet the requirement to provide a written annual Operating
Schedule outlining anticipated major activities before commencing
operations.
<bullet> FS-2400-0079 Specified Road Schedule of Proposed Progress.
May be used for sales that have specified road construction or
reconstruction to fulfill the requirements to annually prepare a
supplement to the Plan of Operations for road construction activities.
The following forms are for mandatory use when purchaser requests
changes to the terms of the contract:
<bullet> FS-2400-0009 Agreement to Modify Timber Sale or Integrated
Resource Timber Contract. This form is required to be used when a
contract is modified under the terms of the contract.
<bullet> FS-2400-0010 Agreement to Extend and Modify Timber Sale or
Integrated Resource Timber Contract. This form is required to be used
when a contract is extended or modified under the terms of the
contract.
<bullet> FS-2400-0012 Third Party Agreement: Required for use when
a Purchaser requests that another party take over operational
responsibility for timber sale contract.
<bullet> FS-2400-0016 Cooperative Agreement: Required for use when
a Purchaser requests Forest Service to assume the Purchaser's
obligation to perform work under the contract.
The following forms are for mandatory use when purchaser requests
the use of a Payment Bond or Blanket Payment Bond on the contract:
<bullet> FS-6500-12 Payment Bond (for Timber Sales and Integrated
Resource Timber Contracts). This form is used to guarantee payment by
way of an acceptable surety bond for an individual timber sale or
Integrated Resource Timber contract.
<bullet> FS-6500-12a Blanket Payment Bond. This form is used to
guarantee payment by way of an acceptable surety bond for more than one
timber sale.
The following form is new and being added to this collection:
<bullet> FS-2400-0017 Consent to Conduct Timber Sale or Integrated
Resource Timber Contract Business Electronically: It may be used when
the purchaser or contractor would like to conduct business
electronically. Consent to conduct business electronically is required
by the Electronic Signatures in Global and National (ESIGN) Commerce
Act of 2000 which authorized the Federal Government to conduct business
electronically.
The following forms are not being renewed and will no longer be
used:
<bullet> FS-2400-0011 Waiver of Time Limit: This form was use when
additional time is needed for a Purchaser to complete non-timber
removal work after the contract terminates. It has been determined that
there are other avenues under the contract that are more appropriate to
meet the same need.
<bullet> R1-FS-2430-6a Timber Sale Inspection Report: Obsolete
Region 1 inspection report that is no longer in use.
<bullet> R5-2400-147 Timber Sale Inspection Report: Obsolete Region
5 inspection report that is no longer in use.
<bullet> R8-2400-74 Timber Sale Inspection Report: Obsolete Region
8 inspection report that is no longer in use.
<bullet> SF-25 Performance Bond Form: This is a government wide
form and is administered under OMB 9000-0001.
Affected Public: Private Sector.
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Estimate of Burden per Response (Average): 13.6.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 4,109.
Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 363.50.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 26,722 Hours.
Comment is Invited:
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 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 submission request for
Office of Management and Budget approval.
Gregory C. Smith,
Acting Deputy Chief, National Forest System.
[FR Doc. 2025-05413 Filed 3-27-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P
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