[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 40 (Friday, February 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 9203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5015]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4200-N-32]


Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment

AGENCY: Office of the Chief Financial Officer, HUD.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The proposed information collection requirement described 
below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department 
is soliciting public comments on the subject proposal.

DATES: Comments due: April 29, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding 
this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB 
Control Number and should be sent to: Erie T. Davis, Jr., CFO 
Management Staff, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 
Seventh Street SW., Room 2102, Washington, DC 20410.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patrick Wallis, Telephone number (202) 708-0313 (this is not a toll-
free number) for copies of the proposed forms and other available 
documents.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department will submit the proposed 
information collection to OMB for review, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended).
    The Notice is soliciting comments from interested persons regarding 
the burden estimated or any other aspect of this collection of 
information, including any of the following subject: (1) The necessity 
and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper 
performance of the agency's functions; (2) the accuracy of the 
estimated burden; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (4) the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology to 
minimize the information collection burden.
    This Notice also lists the following information:
    Title of Proposal: HUD-27053, Request for Grant Payment, HUD-
27053A, Request for Homeless Grant Payment, HUD-27054 LOCCS Voice 
Response Access Authorization.
    OMB Control Number: 2535-0102.
    Description of the need for the information and the proposed use: 
HUD/CFO decided to process requests for payments to its grant 
recipients through a Voice Response System after the Department of 
Treasury closed down its Treasury Financial Communications System--
Letter of Credit (TRCS-LOC) at the end of calendar year 1990. Under 
Voice Response, a caller submits a payment request directly to HUD 
using a touch tone telephone. The caller is greeted by a ``DEC-TALK 
Simulator'' prompting the caller to enter numbers and symbols from the 
touch tone keypad. The above mentioned forms will be used in lieu of 
the SF-270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement or the TFS-5805, 
Request for Funds, or the FMS-5401, Payment Voucher on Letter of Credit 
pursuant to the requirements of Circular A-102, A-110, and TFM 6-2000. 
These forms impose no additional burden on the recipient except for 
filling out the access authorization form. Recipients will fill out 
these forms in order to request payment of grant funds or to designate 
the appropriate officials who can have access to the HUD voice 
activated payment system. The request for payment forms have been 
specially designed to help the recipient when calling in for a request 
of funds. These forms will be used in lieu of the SF-270, Request for 
Advance or Reimbursement or the SF-5805, Request for Funds. In 
addition, these forms will be used as an internal control feature 
instituted to support and safeguard Federal funds, as well as provide a 
service to the recipients. The voice activated payment concept is the 
latest in technology and provides a recipient a fast, reliable method 
to obtain Federal funding. This method should improve the payment 
process because the recipient will know before he/she hangs up the 
phone whether their request will be paid or who to call if there is a 
problem and the request was not processed by the system. All requests 
processed by the system will be paid by ACH within 48 hours. No 
duplication is involved with these forms since HUD will not require the 
SF-270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement. HUD is not using the SF-
270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement because we wanted a custom 
designed form to prompt the caller to enter numbers and symbols from a 
touch tone keypad. The SF-270, Request for Advance or Reimbursement 
would not easily facilitate this type of payment method. The associated 
burden is the minimum needed to request payment of funds. The Voice 
Response System will accept request of funds from a recipient on a 
daily basis. However, a recipient should be using good cash management 
practices and request payment of HUD funds administratively close to 
when they have to pay their bills. Therefore, the frequency a recipient 
requests funds will depend upon the types of activities he or she is 
managing. We [HUD] do not violate the guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.6. We 
consulted only with the Department of Health and Human Services in 
February 1990, concerning their system and the costs associated with 
using it. This payment system will require that the latest security 
features be installed to deter excessive fraudulent payments. Only a 
limited number of authorized officials will have access to the system 
for updating purposes. No sensitive questions are asked. Cost to the 
Federal Government is based on approximately $.03 a copy for the form 
HUD-27054 and $.08 a copy for forms HUD-27053 and HUD-27053A to be 
printed and distributed (including overhead) to recipients; Frequency: 
Annually; Affected Public: Number of Respondents: 2,000; Total Annual 
Responses: 237,200; Total Annual Hours: 41,133.
    Agency form numbers: HUD-27053, HUD-27053A, HUD-27054.
    Members of affected public: State, Local or Tribal Governments, 
not-for-profit institutions.
    An estimation of the total number of hours needed to prepare the 
information collection is 41,133, number of respondents is 2,000, 
frequency of response is annually and the total annual responses is 
237,200.
    Status of the proposed information collection: Extension of a 
currently approved collection.

    Authority: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 
44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended.

    Dated: February 21, 1997.
William H. Eargle, Jr.,
Deputy Chief Financial Officer for Accounting.
[FR Doc. 97-5015 Filed 2-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-01-M