58776 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 210 / Thursday, October 30, 1997 / Notices

awards (grants or cooperative

agreements) resides with the USIA

grants officer.

Review Criteria

Technically eligible applications will

be competitively reviewed according to

the criteria stated below. These criteria

are not rank ordered, and all carry equal

weight in the proposal evaluation:

1. Overall Quality: Proposals should

exhibit substance and originality,

consonant with the highest standards of

American teaching and scholarship.

Program should reflect an overall design

whose various elements are coherently

and thoughtfully integrated. Lectures

and panels, taken as a whole, should

offer a balanced presentation of issues,

reflecting both the continuity of the

American experience as well as the

diversity and dynamism inherent in it.

2. Program Planning: Proposals

should demonstrate careful planning.

The organization and structure of the

institute should be clearly delineated

and be fully responsive to all program

objectives. The travel component should

be an integral and substantive part of

the program, reinforcing and

complementing its academic segment.

3. Institutional Capacity: Proposed

personnel, including faculty and

administrative staff as well as outside

presenters, should be fully qualified to

achieve the project’s goals. Library and

media resources should be accessible to

participants; housing, transportation

and other logistical arrangements

should be fully adequate to the needs of

participants and should be conducive to

a collegial atmosphere.

4. Diversity: Proposals should

demonstrate the recipient’s commitment

to promoting the awareness and

understanding of diversity throughout

the program. This can be accomplished

through documentation, such as a

written statement, summarizing past

and/or on-going activities and efforts

that further the principle of diversity

within the organization and its

activities. Program activities that

address this issue should be

highlighted.

5. Experience: The proposal should

demonstrate an institutional record of

successful exchange program activity,

indicating the experience that the

organization and its professional staff

have had in working with foreign

educators.

6. Evaluation and Follow-up: The

proposal should include a plan for

evaluating activities during the Institute

and at its conclusion. Proposals should

comment on provisions made for

follow-up with returned grantees as a

means of establishing longer-term

individual and institutional linkages.

7. Administration and Management:

The proposals should indicate evidence

of continuous on-site administrative and

managerial capacity as well as the

means by which program activities will

be implemented.

8. Cost Effectiveness: The proposals

should maximize cost-sharing through

direct institutional contributions, inkind support, and other private sector

support. Overhead and administrative

components of the proposal, including

salaries and honoraria, should be kept

as low as possible.

Notice

The terms and conditions published

in this RFP are binding and may not be

modified by any USIA representative.

Explanatory information provided by

the Agency that contradicts published

language will not be binding. Issuance

of the RFP does not constitute an award

commitment on the part of the

Government. The Agency reserves the

right to reduce, revise, or increase

proposal budgets in accordance with the

needs of the program and the

availability of funds. Awards made will

be subject to periodic reporting and

evaluation requirements.

Notification

Final awards cannot be made until

funds have been appropriated by

Congress, and allocated and committed

through internal USIA procedures.

Dated: October 24, 1997.

Robert L. Earle,

Deputy Associate Director for Educational

and Cultural Affairs.

[FR Doc. 97–28721 Filed 10–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8230–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0582]

Proposed Information Collection

Activity: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Reinstatement

AGENCY: Office Financial Management,

Office of Management, Department of

Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Office of Financial

Management (OFM), Office of

Management, Department of Veterans

Affairs (VA), is announcing an

opportunity for public comment on the

proposed collection of certain

information by the agency. Under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of

1995, Federal agencies are required to

publish notice in the Federal Register

concerning each proposed collection of

information, including each proposed

reinstatement, without change, of a

previously approved collection for

which approval has expired, and allow

60 days for public comment in response

to the notice. This notice solicits

comments on requirements relating to

Federal agencies collecting Internal

Revenue Service (IRS) 1099 tax

reporting and Federal 1057 socioeconomic information on Federal

I.M.P.A.C. (International Merchant

Purchase Authorization Card) credit

card transactions.

DATES: Written comments and

recommendations on the proposed

collection of information should be

received on or before December 29,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

on the collection of information to

Martha Orr, Office of Financial

Management (047F), Office of

Management, Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420. Please refer to

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0582’’ in any

correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Martha Orr at (202) 273–9447.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

PRA of 1995 (Public Law 104–13; 44

U.S.C. 3501–3520), Federal agencies

must obtain approval from the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for each

collection of information they conduct

or sponsor. This request for comment is

being made pursuant to Section

3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.

With respect to the following

collection of information, comments are

invited on: (1) Whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of functions,

including whether the information will

have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of

the burden estimate of the proposed

collection of information; (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 through the use

of automated collection techniques or

the use of other forms of information

technology.

Title Form Numbers: Request for IRS

1099-MISC Tax Collection and Federal

1057 Socio-Economic Status, VA Form

Letter 4–555.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0582.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: Federal agencies are

required to collect Internal Revenue
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 210 / Thursday, October 30, 1997 / Notices 58777

Service (IRS) 1099 tax reporting and

Federal 1057 socio-economic

information on Federal I.M.P.A.C.

(International Merchant Purchase

Authorization Card) credit card

transactions. The VA, with the

assistance of an outside entity, sends

VA Form Letter 4–555 to collect the

necessary information from merchants

the Federal government has done

business with using the I.M.P.A.C.

credit card. The form letter supports the

validity and urgency for the collection

of information and provides a

standardized format for reporting. The

General Services Administration (GSA)

could not issue this type of collection of

information at this time, due to the

current re-procurement status for the

purchase credit card.

It is essential to the VA’s reporting

requirements that this type of

information be collected for our

I.M.P.A.C. card transactions. By law, VA

as well as all Federal agencies, must

report 1099 status and also have

requirements to report the socioeconomic status of the merchants with

whom we do business.

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit.

Estimated Annual Burden: 62,500

hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 5 minutes.

Frequency of Response: Annually.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

750,000.

Dated: October 7, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

Barbara Epps,

Management Analyst, Information

Management Service.

[FR Doc. 97–28717 Filed 10–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0012]

Proposed Information Collection

Activity: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request; Extension

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits

Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Veterans Benefits

Administration (VBA), Department of

Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an

opportunity for public comment on the

proposed collection of certain

information by the agency. Under the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of

1995, Federal agencies are required to

publish notice in the Federal Register

concerning each proposed collection of

information, including each proposed

extension of a currently approved

collection, and allow 60 days for public

comment in response to the notice. This

notice solicits comments on the

application for cash surrender or policy

loan on Government Life Insurance.

DATES: Written comments and

recommendations on the proposed

collection of information should be

received on or before December 29,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments

on the collection of information to

Nancy J. Kessinger, Veterans Benefits

Administration (20S52), Department of

Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue,

NW, Washington, DC 20420. Please refer

to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0012’’ in

any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nancy J. Kessinger at (202) 273–8310 or

FAX (202) 273–5981.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

PRA of 1995 (Public Law 104–13; 44

U.S.C., 3501–3520), Federal agencies

must obtain approval from the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) for each

collection of information they conduct

or sponsor. This request for comment is

being made pursuant to Section

3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.

With respect to the following

collection of information, VBA invites

comments on: (1) Whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of VBA’s

functions, including whether the

information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of VBA’s estimate of the

burden of the proposed collection of

information; (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 through the use

of automated collection techniques or

the use of other forms of information

technology.

Title and Form Numbers: Application

for Cash Surrender or Policy Loan, VA

Form 29–1546.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0012.

Type of Review: Reinstatement,

without change, of a previously

approved collection for which approval

has expired.

Abstract: The form is used by the

insured to apply for cash surrender

value or policy loan on his/her

Government Life Insurance. The

information is used by the VBA to

process the insured’s request for a loan

or cash surrender.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households.

Estimated Annual Burden: 4,939

hours.

Estimated Average Burden Per

Respondent: 10 minutes.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

29,636.

Dated: October 7, 1997.

By direction of the Secretary.

Barbara Epps,

Management Analyst, Information

Management Service.

[FR Doc. 97–28718 Filed 10–29–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS

AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900–0377]

Agency Information Collection

Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits

Administration, Department of Veterans

Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In compliance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995

(44 U.S.C., 3501 et seq.), this notice

announces that the Veterans Benefits

Administration (VBA), Department of

Veterans Affairs, has submitted the

collection of information abstracted

below to the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) for review and comment.

The PRA submission describes the

nature of the information collection and

its expected cost and burden; it includes

the actual data collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on

or before December 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR A COPY OF

THE SUBMISSION CONTACT: Ron Taylor,

Information Management Service

(045A4), Department of Veterans

Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20420, (202) 273–8015

or FAX (202) 273–5981. Please refer to

‘‘OMB Control No. 2900–0377.’’

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Claim for Repurchase of Loan,

VA Form 26–8084.

OMB Control Number: 2900–0377.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Abstract: Under 38 CFR 36.4600(d),

the holder of a delinquent vendee

account is legally entitled to repurchase

of the loan by VA when the loan has

been continuously in default for 3

months and the amount of the

delinquency equals or exceeds the sum

of 2 monthly installments. When