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Notices Federal Register

46558 

Vol. 74, No. 174 

Thursday, September 10, 2009 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Office of the Chief Information Officer; 

Notice of Request for Extension of a 

Currently Approved Information 

Collection 

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information 

Officer (OCIO), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice 

announces the intention of the Office of 

the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) to 

request approval for the continuation of 

information collection necessary to 

allow USDA customers to securely and 

confidently share data and receive 

services electronically. Authority for 

obtaining information from customers is 

included in the Freedom to E–File Act, 

the Electronic Signatures in Global and 

National Commerce Act (E–SIGN), and 

the E–Government Act of 2002. 

Customer information is collected 

through the USDA eAuthentication 

Service (eAuth), located at http:// 

www.eauth.egov.usda.gov. The USDA 

eAuth provides the public and 

government businesses with a single 

sign-on capability for USDA 

applications, management of user 

credentials, and verification of identity, 

authorization, and electronic signatures. 

USDA’s eAuth obtains customer 

information through an electronic self 

registration process provided through 

the eAuth Web site. This voluntary 

online self registration process enables 

USDA customers, as well as employees, 

to obtain accounts as authorized users 

that will provide single sign-on 

capability to access USDA Web 

applications and services via the 

Internet. The USDA eAuthentication 

system stems from the Web-based 

Centralized Authentication and 

Authorization Facility (WebCAAF), the 

former USDA authentication system. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by November 9, 2009 to be 

assured of consideration. 

Additional Information or Comments: 

Shari Erickson, Program Manager, Office 

of the Chief Information Officer, United 

States Department of Agriculture, 301 S. 

Howes St., Suite 309, Fort Collins, CO 

80521 or via e-mail at 

shari.erickson@ocio.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Office of the Chief Information 

Officer eAuthentication Service. 

OMB Number: 0503–0014. 

Expiration Date of Approval: February 

28, 2010. 

Type of Request: Extension and 

revision of a currently approved 

information collection. 

Abstract: The USDA OCIO has 

developed eAuth as a management and 

technical process that addresses user 

authentication and authorization 

prerequisites for providing services 

electronically. The process requires a 

one-time electronic self registration to 

obtain an eAuth account for each USDA 

customer desiring access to online 

services or applications that require user 

authentication. USDA customers can 

self register for a Level 1 or Level 2 

Access account. A Level 1 Access 

account provides users with limited 

access to USDA Web site portals and 

applications that have minimal security 

requirements. A Level 2 Access account 

enables users to conduct official 

electronic business transactions via the 

Internet, enter into a contract with the 

USDA, and submit forms electronically 

via the Internet to USDA agencies. Due 

to the increased customer access 

associated with a Level 2 Access 

account, customers must be 

authenticated in person at a USDA 

Service Center by a local registration 

authority, in addition to an electronic 

self registration. Once an account is 

activated, customers may use the 

associated user ID and password that 

they created to access USDA resources 

that are protected by eAuth. It is 

estimated to take 8 minutes to complete 

the self registration process for a Level 

1 Access account. A Level 2 Access 

account registration is estimated to be 

completed in 1 hour 40 minutes due to 

the travel time to the USDA Service 

Center. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 8 minutes per 

Level 1 account and 1 hour and 40 

minutes per Level 2 account. 

Respondents: Individual USDA 

Customers. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

44,088 Level 1 and 18,096 Level 2. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 35,952 hours. 

Comments are invited on (1) 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) the accuracy of the 

agencies’ estimate of burden of the 

proposed 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 the 

information on those who respond, 

including the use of appropriate 

automated, electronic, mechanical, or 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. Comments should be sent to 

the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office 

of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 

Office of Management and Budget, 

OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov or Fax 

(202) 395–5806, and to Shari Erickson, 

Program Manager, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer, United States 

Department of Agriculture, 301 S. 

Howes St., Suite 309, Fort Collins, CO 

80521, e-mail 

shari.erickson@ocio.usda.gov. All 

comments received will be available for 

public inspection during regular 

business hours at the same address. 

Copies of the information collection 

may be obtained from Ms. Erickson at 

the address above. All responses to this 

notice will be summarized and included 

in the request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. 

Christopher L. Smith, 

Chief Information Officer, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. E9–21799 Filed 9–9–09; 8:45 am] 

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