### 54244 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 169 / Wednesday, August 31, 2011 / Notices

exceeding $1 billion are required to participate in the STTR Program.

Federal agencies who participate in the SBIR and STTR programs must collect information from the public to: (1) Meet their reporting requirements under 15 U.S.C. 638 (b)(7), (g)(8), (i), (j)(1)(E), (j)(3)(C), (l), (o)(10), and (v); (2) Meet the requirement to maintain both a publicly accessible database of SBIR/ STTR award information and a government database of SBIR/STTR award information for SBIR and STTR program evaluation under 15 U.S.C. 638 g(10), (k), (o)(9), and (o)(15); and (3) Meet requirements for public outreach under 15 U.S.C. 638 (j)(2)(F), (o)(14), and (s).

DHS is not asking for anything outside of what is already required in the FAR. Should anything outside the FAR arise, DHS will submit a request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. The prior information collect request for OMB No. 1600–005 was approved through October 31, 2011 by OMB in a Notice of OMB Action.

The information being collected is used by the Government’s contracting officers and other acquisition personnel, including technical and legal staffs to determine adequacy of technical and management approach, experience, responsibility, responsiveness, expertise of the firms submitting offers, identification of members of the public (i.e., small businesses) who qualify for, and are interested in participating in, the DHS SBIR Program, facilitate SBIR outreach to the public, and provide the DHS SBIR Program Office necessary and sufficient information to determine that proposals submitted by the public to the DHS SBIR Program meet criteria for consideration under the program.

Failure to collect this information would adversely affect the quality of products and services DHS receives from contractors. Potentially, contracts would be awarded to firms without sufficient experience and expertise, thereby placing the Department’s operations in jeopardy. Defective and inadequate contractor deliverables would adversely affect DHS’s fulfillment of the mission requirements in all areas. Additionally, the Department would be unsuccessful in identifying small businesses with research and development (R&D) capabilities, which would adversely affect the mission requirements in this

area.

Many sources of the requested information use automated word processing systems, databases, emails, and, in some cases, web portals to facilitate preparation of material to be submitted and to post and collect information. It is commonplace within many of DHS’s Components for submissions to be electronic as a result of implementation of e-Government
initiatives.

DHS S&T uses information technology ( i.e., electronic web portals) in the collection of information to reduce the data gathering and records management burden. DHS S&T uses a secure Web site which the public can propose SBIR research topics and submit proposals in response to SBIR solicitations. In addition, DHS uses a web portal to review RFIs and register to submit a white paper or proposal in response to a specific BAA. The data collection forms standardize the collection of information that is necessary and sufficient for the DHS SBIR Program Office to meet its requirements under 15
U.S.C. 638.

According to Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) and Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps), the number of competitive solicitations and award actions has increased each over the past three years, thereby increasing the universe of possible respondents to DHS and its Components’ solicitations. However, an increase in the information collection burden associated with the gathering of additional information to support the evaluation of solicitation responses has been offset, by the use of electronic web portals, such as CCR, FAPIIS, those used to submit SBIR research topics and submit response to DHS SBIR solicitations. Additionally, electronic web portals are used to collect unclassified white papers and proposals to reduce the data gathering and records management burden for BAAs.

In addition to issuance of solicitations over the Internet or electronic systems; increased use of oral presentations in lieu of written proposals, permitted under FAR 15.102; and increased use of combined contract action notices/ requests for proposals, as encouraged by FAR 12.603, are contributing to the relative stability of DHS’s information collection burden to the public. There is no change in the information being collected.

The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in comments which:

1. 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;

2. 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;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

4. 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 submissions of responses.

Analysis: Agency: Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, DHS.

Title: Solicitation of Proposal Information for Award of Public
Contracts.

OMB Number: 1600–0005. Frequency: On occasion. Affected Public: Private sector. Number of Respondents: 17,180. Estimated Time per Respondent: 13 hours.

Total Burden Hours: 721,560.
Dated: August 22, 2011. Richard Spires, Chief Information Officer.

[FR Doc. 2011–22237 Filed 8–30–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 9110–9B–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY** 

**[Docket No. DHS–2011–0043]**

**Telecommunications Service Priority System** 

**AGENCY :**  National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS.

**ACTION :**  30-Day Notice and request for comments; Extension, without change, of a currently approved collection.

**SUMMARY :**  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD), Office of Cybersecurity and Communications (CS&C), National Communications System (NCS) will submit the following information collection request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–13, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). DHS is soliciting comments concerning Extension, without change, of a currently approved collection: 1670–0005, Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) System. DHS previously published this information collection request (ICR) in the Federal Register , 76 FR 2011–13953 (June 7, 2011), for a 60- day public comment period. No


### 54245 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 169 / Wednesday, August 31, 2011 / Notices

comments were received by DHS. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments.

**DATES :**  Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until September 30, 2011. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

**ADDRESSES :**  Written comments and questions about this ICR should be forwarded to DHS/NPPD/CS&C/NCS, 245 Murray Lane, Mail Stop 0615, Arlington, VA 20598–0615. E-mailed requests should go to Deborah Bea, deborah.bea@dhs.gov. Comments must be identified by DHS–2011–0043 and may also be submitted by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov.

• E-mail:
oira

_submission@omb.eop.gov. Include the docket number in the subject line of the message.

• Fax: (202) 395–5806.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the words ‘‘Department of Homeland Security’’ and the docket number for this action. Comments received will be posted without alteration at http://www.regulations.gov

, including any personal information provided.

OMB is particularly interested in comments that:

1. 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;

2. 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;

3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

4. 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 submissions of responses.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The purpose of the TSP System is to provide a legal basis for telecommunications vendors to provide priority provisioning and restoration of telecommunications services supporting national security and emergency preparedness functions. The information gathered via the TSP System forms is the minimum necessary for the DHS/NCS to effectively manage the TSP System. Analysis
Agency: Department of Homeland Security, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Office of Cybersecurity and Communications, National Communications System.

Title: Telecommunications Service Priority System.

OMB Number: 1670–0005. Frequency: Information is required on particular occasions when an organization decides it wants TSP on its critical circuits. It is occasional/ situational—the program office is not able to determine when this will occur.

Affected Public: Business and state, local, or tribal governments.

Number of Respondents: 28,161 respondents.

Estimated Time per Respondent: 3 hours, 17 minutes.

Total Burden Hours: 7,727.42 annual burden hours. Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $251,141.15.

Total Burden Cost (operating/ maintaining): $0.00.

Dated: August 24, 2011. David Epperson, Chief Information Officer, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland Security.

[FR Doc. 2011–22238 Filed 8–30–11; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 9110–9P–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY** 

**Federal Emergency Management Agency** 

**[Docket ID: FEMA–2011–0013; OMB No. 1660–0106]** 

**Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB**  **Review; Comment Request, Integrated Public Alert and Warning Systems**  **(IPAWS) Inventory**

**AGENCY :**  Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

**ACTION :**  Notice.

**SUMMARY :**  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will submit the information collection abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The submission will describe the nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, the estimated burden (i.e., the time, effort and resources used by respondents to respond) and cost, and the actual data collection instruments FEMA will use. **DATES :**  Comments must be submitted on or before September 30, 2011.

**ADDRESSES :**  Submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the Desk Officer for the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and sent via electronic mail to oira.submission@omb.eop.gov or faxed to (202) 395–5806.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection should be made to Director, Records Management Division, 1800 South Bell Street, Arlington, VA 20598–3005, facsimile number (202) 646–3347, or e-mail address FEMA-InformationCollections-Management@dhs.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Presidential Executive Order 13407 establishes the policy for an effective, reliable, integrated, flexible, and comprehensive system to alert and warn the American people in situations of war, terrorist attack, natural disaster, orother hazards to public safety and wellbeing. The Executive Order requires that DHS establish an inventory of public alert and warning resources, capabilities, and the degree of integration at the Federal, State, territorial, Tribal, and local levels of government. The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) implements the requirements of the Executive Order. The information collected has, and will continue to consist of the public alert and warning systems, as well as the communication systems being used for collaboration and situational awareness at the Local Emergency Operations Center (EOC) level and higher. This information will help FEMA identify the technologies currently in use or desired for inclusion
into IPAWS.

Collection of Information

Title: Integrated Public Alert and Warning Systems (IPAWS) Inventory.

Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved information collection.

OMB Number: 1660–0106. Form Titles and Numbers: FEMA Form 142–1–1, IPAWS Inventory.

Abstract: FEMA will be conducting an inventory, evaluation and assessment of the capabilities of Federal, State, territorial, Tribal, and local government alert and warning systems. The IPAWS Inventory and Evaluation Survey collects data that will facilitate the