Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 53 / Monday, March 19, 2012 / Notices 16001 

received with respect to a request, and 

in the event consultations are requested, 

the statement of the reasons and 

justifications for the determination 

subsequent to the delivery of the 

statement to Korea. 

Request for Comment on the Interim 

Procedures 

Comments must be received no later 

than April 18, 2012 and in the following 

format: 

(1) Comments must be in English. 

(2) Comments must be submitted 

electronically or in hard copy, with 

original signatures. 

(3) Comments submitted 

electronically, via email, must be either 

in PDF or Word format, and sent to the 

following email address: 

OTEXA.KOREA@trade.gov. The email 

version of the comments must include 

an original electronic signature. Further, 

the comments must have a bolded 

heading stating ‘‘Public Version’’, and 

no business confidential information 

may be included. The email version of 

the comments will be posted for public 

review on the KOREA FTA Safeguard 

Web site. 

(4) Comments submitted in hard copy 

must include original signatures and 

must be mailed to the Chairman, 

Committee for the Implementation of 

Textile Agreements, Room 3100, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, 14th Street 

and Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230. All comments 

submitted in hard copy will be made 

available for public inspection at the 

Office of Textiles and Apparel, Room 

3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

14th Street and Constitution Avenue 

NW., Washington, DC, between the 

hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on 

business days. In addition, comments 

submitted in hard copy will also be 

posted for public review on the KOREA 

FTA Safeguard Web site. 

(5) Any business confidential 

information upon which an interested 

person wishes to rely may only be 

included in a hard copy version of the 

comments. Brackets must be placed 

around all business confidential 

information. Comments containing 

business confidential information must 

have a bolded heading stating 

‘‘Confidential Version.’’ Attachments 

considered business confidential 

information must have a heading stating 

‘‘Business Confidential Information’’. 

The Committee will protect from 

disclosure any business confidential 

information that is marked ‘‘Business 

Confidential Information’’ to the full 

extent permitted by law. 

Estimate of Burden to the Public for 

Collection of Information and Request 

for Public Comment 

CITA must collect information in 

order to determine whether a domestic 

textile or apparel industry is being 

adversely impacted by imports of these 

products from Korean, thereby allowing 

CITA to take corrective action to protect 

the viability of the domestic textile or 

apparel industry, subject to section 

332(b) of the Act. This information 

collection is subject to review and 

approval by the Office of Management 

and Budget’s (‘‘OMB’’) OMB under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. 

OMB has approved under Control 

Number 0625–0269 the interim 

procedures requiring the collection of 

information under the emergency 

provisions of the PRA. In accordance 

with the PRA, CITA has estimated the 

‘‘burden’’ (in number of hours) on the 

public to submit information required 

by CITA under its interim procedures. 

CITA hereby provides the public the 

opportunity to provide comment on its 

estimates of the burden on the public to 

submit information to CITA under the 

U.S.-Korea FTA textile and apparel 

safeguard mechanism. 

Estimate of Burden as a Result of 

Information Collection: Based on the 

number of Requests and Comments filed 

per year, and the average amount of 

time required to submit a Request and 

Response, CITA estimates that a total 

annual burden to the public is 56 hours 

per year. A further breakdown of its 

estimates of the number of hours to 

collect and provide information to CITA 

for Requests and Comments is provided 

in detail below. 

Requests: CITA estimates that 4 

Requests will be filed per year under the 

U.S.-Korea FTA textile and apparel 

safeguard mechanism. Based on the 

following activities required to submit a 

request, CITA estimates that the total 

time to collect and present information 

in a Request is 4 hours, for a total of 16 

hours per year. 

Activity 

Time 

required 

(hours) 

Preparing Request ........................ 3 

Preparing Supporting Documentation ............................................ 1 

Total Time per Request ........ 4 

Times 4 Request per Year .... 16 

Comments: CITA estimates that 10 

Comments will be filed per year in 

response to the Request under the U.S.- 

Korea FTA textile and apparel safeguard 

mechanism. Based on the following 

activities required to submit a comment, 

CITA estimates that the total time to 

collect and present information in a 

Comment is 4 hours, for a total of 40 

hours per year. 

Activity 

Time 

required 

(hours) 

Preparing Comments .................... 3 

Preparing Supporting Documentation ............................................ 1 

Total Time per Comment ...... 4 

Times 10 Comments per 

Year ................................... 40 

Combined, these three information 

collections represent an annual burden 

of 56 hours. Copies of the above 

estimate can be obtained by calling or 

writing Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482– 

0336, Department of Commerce, Room 

6616, 14th & Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 or via email at 

JJessup@doc.gov. 

Notwithstanding any other provision 

of the law, no person is required to 

respond to, nor shall any person be 

subject to a penalty for failure to comply 

with, a collection of information subject 

to the requirements of the PRA, unless 

that collection of information displays a 

currently valid OMB Control Number. 

Kimberly Glas, 

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation 

of Textile Agreements. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6715 Filed 3–15–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P 

COMMITTEE FOR THE 

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE 

AGREEMENTS 

Interim Procedures for Considering 

Requests Under the Commercial 

Availability Provision of the United 

States-Korea Free Trade Agreement 

and Estimate of Burden for Collection 

of Information 

AGENCY: Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements 

(CITA). 

ACTION: Notice of interim procedures 

and request for comments; estimate of 

information collection burden. 

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the 

interim procedures the Committee for 

the Implementation of Textile 

Agreements (‘‘CITA’’) will follow in 

implementing certain provisions of the 

United States-Korea Free Trade 

Agreement Implementation Act (the 


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‘‘Act’’). Section 202(o)(3)(F) of the Act 

provides that the President shall 

establish procedures to govern the 

submission of requests to modify the list 

of fibers, yarns, or fabrics not available 

in commercial quantities in a timely 

manner in the United States as set out 

in Annex 4–B–1 of the United StatesKorea Free Trade Agreement (the 

‘‘Agreement’’). The President has 

delegated to CITA the authority to 

determine whether fibers, yarns, or 

fabrics are not available in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner in the 

United States and has directed CITA to 

establish procedures that govern the 

submission of a request and provide the 

opportunity for interested entities to 

submit comments and supporting 

evidence in any such determination 

pursuant to the Act and the Agreement. 

CITA hereby gives notice to interested 

entities of the procedure CITA will 

follow in considering such requests and 

solicits public written comments on 

these interim procedures. 

In accordance with the Paperwork 

Reduction Act, this notice further 

provides an estimate of the burden to 

the public to collect and submit 

information as required by Section 

202(o)(3)(F) of the Act and CITA’s 

interim procedures. CITA hereby gives 

notice of the estimated burden to the 

public. 

DATES: As of March 19, 2012, CITA 

intends to use these interim procedures 

to process requests from the public. 

CITA solicits public written comments 

on the interim procedures. Comments 

must be received no later than April 18, 

2012 in either hard copy or 

electronically. 

ADDRESSES: If submitting comments in 

hard copy, an original, signed document 

must be submitted to the Chairman, 

Committee for the Implementation of 

Textile Agreements, Room 3100, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, 14th Street 

and Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230. If submitting 

comments electronically, an electronic 

copy, via electronic mail (‘‘email’’) must 

be submitted to 

OTEXA.KOREA@trade.gov. All 

submitted comments will be posted for 

public review on the Web site dedicated 

to U.S.-Korea FTA commercial 

availability proceedings. The Web site is 

located on the U.S. Department of 

Commerce’s Office of Textile and 

Apparel Web site 

(www.otexa.ita.doc.gov), under 

‘‘Commercial Availability’’/‘‘Korea 

FTA.’’ Additional instructions regarding 

the submission of comments may be 

found at the end of this notice. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Maria D’Andrea, Office of Textiles and 

Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

(202) 482–1550. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Legal 

Authority: Section 202(o) of the Act; 

Proclamation No. 8783 (77 FR 14265, 

March 9, 2012); and the United StatesKorea Free Trade Agreement. 

Background 

The Agreement provides for a list in 

Appendix 4–B–1 for fibers, yarns, and 

fabrics that the United States has 

determined are not available in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner from suppliers in the United 

States. A textile or apparel good 

imported into the United States 

containing fibers, yarns, or fabrics that 

are included on the list in Appendix 4– 

B–1 of the Agreement will be treated as 

if it is an originating good for purposes 

of the specific rules of origin in Annex 

4–A of the Agreement, regardless of the 

actual origin of those inputs, in 

accordance with the specific rules of 

origin of Annex 4–A. Section 

202(o)(3)(F) of the Act provides that the 

President shall establish procedures 

under sections 202(o)(3)(C) and (E) in 

order to determine whether fibers, 

yarns, or fabrics are not available in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner in the United States, and 

whether a fiber, yarn, or fabric should 

be removed from the list in Appendix 

4–B–1 when it has become available in 

commercial quantities. 

In accordance with Annex 4–B–5 of 

the Agreement, the preferential tariff 

treatment accorded to a good provided 

in Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 

United States (HTSUS) Chapters 51, 52, 

54, 55, 58, or 60 that contains fibers, 

yarns, or fabric that are included in 

Appendix 4–B–1 of the Agreement and 

that satisfies the requirements of Rule 1 

of Section XI of Annex 4–A, is limited 

to 100 million square meter equivalents 

in each of the first five years in which 

the Agreement is in force. 

In accordance with Annex 4–B–6 of 

the Agreement, the preferential tariff 

treatment accorded to a good provided 

in HTSUS Chapters 61 or 62 that 

contains fibers, yarns, or fabric that are 

included in Appendix 4–B–1 of the 

Agreement and that satisfies the 

requirements of Rule 2 or 3 of Section 

XI of Annex 4–A, is limited to 100 

million square meter equivalents in 

each of the first five years in which the 

Agreement is in force. 

To determine the quantity of square 

meter equivalents that is charged against 

the annual quantities described above, 

CITA shall apply the conversion factors 

listed in, or utilize a methodology based 

on, the Correlation: U.S. Textile and 

Apparel Category System with the 

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 

United States of America, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, Office of 

Textiles and Apparel (2007), or a 

successor document. 

Unless the United States and Korea 

otherwise agree, these procedures 

implementing Annex 4–B of the 

Agreement shall cease to apply 

beginning on January 1 of the sixth 

calendar year in which the Agreement is 

in force. 

In Proclamation No. 8783, (77 FR 

14265, March 9, 2012), the President 

delegated to CITA his authority under 

the commercial availability provision to 

establish procedures for modifying the 

list of fibers, yarns, or fabrics not 

available in commercial quantities in a 

timely manner, as set out in Annex 4– 

B of the Agreement. 

Pursuant to that delegation, CITA 

provides below its interim procedures 

governing the submission of requests 

under Section 203(o) in the Act. As of 

March 19, 2012, CITA intends to use 

these procedures to process requests for 

modifying the list of fibers, yarns, or 

fabrics not available in commercial 

quantities. CITA intends to publish its 

final procedures after considering any 

public comments received pursuant to 

its request for comments. 

Interim Procedures 

1. Introduction 

The intent of these procedures is to 

foster the trade in U.S. and Korean 

textile and apparel articles by allowing 

non-originating fibers, yarns, and fabrics 

to be placed on or removed from a list 

of items not available in commercial 

quantities, on a timely basis, and in a 

manner that is consistent with normal 

business practice. To this end, these 

procedures are intended to facilitate the 

transmission, on a timely basis, of 

requests for commercial availability 

determinations and offers to supply the 

products that are the subject of the 

requests; have the market indicate the 

availability of the supply of the subject 

products; make available promptly, to 

interested entities and parties, 

information received regarding the 

requests for products and offers to 

supply; ensure wide participation by 

interested entities and parties; provide 

careful scrutiny of information provided 

to substantiate order requests and 

responses of offers to supply; and 

provide timely public dissemination of 

information used by CITA in making 

commercial availability determinations. 


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2. Definitions 

(a) Commercial Availability Request. 

A Request for a commercial availability 

determination submitted by an 

interested entity requesting that CITA 

place a fiber, yarn, or fabric on the 

Commercial Availability List in 

Appendix 4–B–1 of the Agreement 

because that fiber, yarn, or fabric is not 

available in commercial quantities in a 

timely manner from a U.S. supplier. 

(b) Commercial Availability List. The 

list of products (fibers, yarns, and/or 

fabrics) contained in Appendix 4–B–1 of 

the Agreement that have been 

determined to be not commercially 

available from U.S. suppliers in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner. 

(c) Fiber, Yarn, or Fabric. A single 

product or a range of products, which 

meet the same specifications provided 

in a submission, and which may be only 

part of a Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 

the United States (‘‘HTSUS’’) 

classification. 

(d) Interested Entity. The government 

of Korea, a potential or actual purchaser 

of a textile or apparel good, or a 

potential or actual supplier of a textile 

or apparel good. CITA recognizes that a 

legal or other representative may act on 

behalf of an interested entity. See 

Section 202(o)(3)(B)(i) of the Act. 

(e) Interested Party. A person that 

requests to be included on the email 

notification list for commercial 

availability proceedings. Any person 

may become an interested party by 

contacting CITA either by sending an 

email to Otexa.KOREA@trade.gov, or 

through the Web site dedicated to 

commercial availability proceedings 

under the Agreement (‘‘KOREA FTA 

Commercial Availability Web site’’ or 

‘‘Web site’’). The Web site is located on 

the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 

Office of Textiles and Apparel Web site 

(www.otexa.ita.doc.gov), under 

‘‘Commercial Availability’’/‘‘Korea 

FTA.’’ 

(f) Official Receipt. CITA’s email 

confirmation that it has received both 

the email version and the original 

submission signed by the interested 

entity delivered via express courier. 

(g) Rebuttal Comment. A submission 

from an interested entity providing 

information in response to evidence or 

arguments raised in a Response. A 

Rebuttal must be limited to evidence 

and arguments provided in a Response. 

(h) Request to Remove. A submission 

from an interested entity requesting that 

CITA remove a product from the 

Appendix 4–B–1 list pursuant to 

Section 202(o)(3)(C)(iii) of the Act. 

(i) Requestor. The interested entity 

that files, for CITA’s consideration, a 

Commercial Availability Request or a 

Request to Remove under the 

commercial availability provision of the 

Act. 

(j) Response with an Offer to Supply. 

A submission from an interested entity 

to CITA objecting to the Request and 

asserting its ability to supply the subject 

product by providing an offer to supply 

the subject product described in the 

Request. 

(k) U.S. Business Day. Any calendar 

day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or 

a legal holiday observed by the 

Government of the United States. See 

section 202(o)(3)(B)(ii) of the Act. 

(l) U.S. Supplier. A potential or actual 

manufacturer of a textile or apparel 

good in the United States. 

3. Submissions for Participation in a 

Commercial Availability Proceeding 

(a) Filing a Submission. All 

submissions for a commercial 

availability proceeding pursuant to 

these procedures (e.g., Commercial 

Availability Request, Response, 

Rebuttal, and Request to Remove) must 

be in English. If any attachments are in 

a language other than English, a 

complete translation must be provided. 

Each submission must be submitted to 

the Chairman of CITA, in care of the 

U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office 

of Textiles and Apparel (‘‘OTEXA’’) in 

two forms: email and an original signed 

submission. 

(1) An email version of the 

submission must be either in PDF or 

Word format, must contain an adequate 

public summary of any business 

confidential information and the due 

diligence certification, and should be 

sent to OTEXA.KOREA@trade.gov. The 

email version of the submission will be 

posted for public review on KOREA 

FTA Commercial Availability Web site. 

No business confidential information 

should be submitted in the email 

version of any document. 

(2) The original signed submission 

must be sent via express courier to— 

Chairman, Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements, 

Room 3100, U.S. Department of 

Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution 

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. 

Any business confidential information 

upon which an interested entity wishes 

CITA to rely must be included in the 

original signed submission. Except for 

the inclusion of business confidential 

information and corresponding public 

summary, the two versions of a 

submission should be identical. 

(3) Brackets must be placed around all 

business confidential information 

contained in submissions. Documents 

containing business confidential 

information must have a bolded heading 

stating ‘‘Confidential Version.’’ 

Attachments considered business 

confidential information must have a 

heading stating ‘‘Business Confidential 

Information.’’ Documents, including 

those submitted via email, provided for 

public release must have a bolded 

heading stating ‘‘Public Version’’ and all 

the business confidential information 

must be deleted from public versions, 

and substituted with an adequate public 

summary. 

(4) Generally, details such as 

quantities and lead times for providing 

the subject product can be treated as 

business confidential information. 

However, the names of suppliers who 

were contacted, general information 

about the capability to manufacture the 

subject product, and the responses 

thereto should be included in public 

versions. 

(b) Due Diligence Certification. Each 

submission containing factual 

information for CITA’s consideration 

must be accompanied by the 

appropriate certification regarding the 

accuracy of the factual information. An 

interested entity must file a certification 

of due diligence as described below in 

subsection (b)(1) with each electronic 

and original signed submissions that 

contains factual information. If the 

interested entity has legal counsel or 

other representative, the legal counsel or 

other representative must also file a 

certification of due diligence as 

described in subsection (b)(2) with each 

electronic and original signed 

submissions that contains factual 

information. Accurate representations of 

material facts submitted to CITA for the 

Commercial Availability Proceeding are 

vital to the integrity of this process and 

are necessary for CITA’s effective 

administration of the statutory scheme. 

Each submission containing factual 

information for CITA’s consideration 

must be accompanied by the 

appropriate certification regarding the 

accuracy of the factual information. Any 

submission that lacks the applicable 

certifications will be considered an 

incomplete submission that CITA will 

reject and return to the submitter. CITA 

may verify any factual information 

submitted by interested entities in a 

Commercial Availability Proceeding. 

(1) For the person responsible for 

presentation of the factual information: 

I, (name and title), currently employed 

by (interested entity), certify that (1) I 

have read the attached submission, and 

(2) the information contained in this 

submission is, to the best of my 

knowledge, complete and accurate. 

(2) For the person’s legal counsel or 

other representative: I, (name), of (law 


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or other firm), counsel or representative 

to (interested entity), certify that (1) I 

have read the attached submission, and 

(2) based on the information made 

available to me by (person), I have no 

reason to believe that this submission 

contains any material misrepresentation 

or omission of fact. 

(c) Official Receipt. A submission will 

be considered officially submitted to 

CITA only when both the email version 

and the original signed submission have 

been received by CITA. For Commercial 

Availability Requests, CITA will 

provide email confirmation to the 

requestor that both versions were 

received. CITA’s email confirmation 

shall be considered the ‘‘official receipt’’ 

of the Request, which will begin the 

statutory 30 U.S. business day process 

for CITA’s consideration. CITA will 

confirm official receipt of any Response 

and Rebuttal by posting the submissions 

on the KOREA FTA Commercial 

Availability Web site. 

4. Submitting a Request for 

Consideration in a Commercial 

Availability Proceeding. 

(a) Commercial Availability Request. 

An interested entity may submit a 

Request to CITA alleging that a fiber, 

yarn, or fabric is not available in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner from a U.S. supplier. 

(b) Contents of a Commercial 

Availability Request. 

(1) Detailed Product Information. The 

Commercial Availability Request must 

provide a detailed description of the 

subject product, including, if applicable, 

fiber content, construction, yarn size, 

and finishing processes; and the 

classification of the product under the 

HTSUS. All measurements in the entire 

submission must be stated in metric 

units. If the English count system is 

used in any part, then a conversion to 

metric units must be provided. The 

description must include reasonable 

product specifications, including, if 

applicable, fiber content, construction, 

yarn size, and finishing processes, as 

well as timelines and quantities. 

Reasonable product specifications 

include the use of accepted terminology 

and standards, such as those used by 

American Society for Testing and 

Materials (‘‘ASTM’’) or the American 

Association of Textile Chemists and 

Colorists (‘‘AATCC’’). 

If any aspect of the Commercial 

Availability Request is outside the 

normal course of business (e.g., tight 

deadline, higher standards of 

performance, requirements to match 

existing specifications), requestors must 

provide U.S. suppliers with detailed 

explanations and measurable criteria for 

the specification or term at issue. In the 

course of its review of the Commercial 

Availability Request, CITA will consider 

record evidence to determine whether 

such specifications and terms are 

reasonable. 

The requestor must clearly describe 

the unique characteristics of the subject 

product that distinguish it from other 

similar or potentially substitutable 

products. In addition, the requestor 

must also explain why such 

characteristics are required for the 

purposes of the end-use of the product 

and cannot be substituted by another 

product. However, all characteristics 

and specifications must be supported by 

measurable criteria. 

(2) Quantity. The Commercial 

Availability Request must provide the 

specific quantity of the product needed 

by the requestor, in standard units of 

quantity for production of the subject 

product in the United States. 

(3) Due Diligence. The Commercial 

Availability Request must provide a 

complete description of the due 

diligence undertaken by the requestor to 

determine the subject product’s 

availability in the United States. Due 

diligence for the requestor means it has 

made reasonable efforts to obtain the 

subject product from U.S. suppliers. 

(i) Generally: The requestor must 

provide the names and addresses of 

suppliers contacted, the name and 

position of the individuals specifically 

contacted, the exact request that was 

made, the dates of those contacts, 

whether a sample of the subject product 

was provided for review, and the exact 

response given for the supplier’s 

inability to supply the subject product 

under the same conditions as contained 

in the Commercial Availability Request 

submitted to CITA, in addition to any 

other information the requestor believes 

is relevant. The requestor must submit 

copies or notes of relevant 

correspondence, both inquiries and 

responses, with these suppliers. 

Relevant correspondence includes notes 

of telephone conversations. 

(ii) Identification of U.S. suppliers: 

Requestors must make reasonable efforts 

to identify U.S. suppliers. Requestors 

should identify U.S. suppliers through a 

number of means, including the 

requestor’s knowledge of the industry, 

industry directories, and industry 

association memberships. For instance, 

an email from a requestor with a general 

inquiry to all manufacturers in the 

United States may not constitute due 

diligence. Rather, reasonable efforts 

must be taken to identify U.S. suppliers 

who are generally known to produce the 

class or type of product at issue. 

Requestors must provide an explanation 

in their Request as to why their efforts 

to identify U.S. suppliers were 

reasonable given the product at issue. 

(iii) Use of Third Parties and 

Business-to-Business Contact: Due 

diligence includes substantive and 

direct contact, indicating a legitimate 

intent to do business, between 

requestors and U.S. suppliers. Third 

party communications are no substitute 

for meaningful dialogue between 

appropriate officials. Once interest is 

expressed between a requestor and a 

U.S. supplier, subsequent 

communications should be conducted 

by appropriate officials of the requestor 

and U.S. supplier based on normal 

business practice. A lack of appropriate 

business-to-business contact may be 

deemed to be insufficient due diligence. 

(iv) Description of the Subject 

Product: In undertaking due diligence, 

requestors must provide a detailed 

description of the product to U.S. 

suppliers. The description must include 

reasonable product specifications, 

including, if applicable, fiber content, 

construction, yarn size, and may 

include a finishing process or operation, 

as well as timelines and quantities. 

Reasonable product specifications 

include the use of accepted terminology 

and standards, such as those used by 

ASTM or AATCC. If any aspect of the 

Request is outside the normal course of 

business (e.g., tight deadline, higher 

standards of performance, requirements 

to match existing specifications), 

requestors must provide U.S. suppliers 

with detailed explanations and 

measurable criteria for the specification 

or term at issue that would render such 

aspects as reasonable for the product in 

question. CITA will consider record 

evidence to determine whether such 

specifications and terms are reasonable. 

(v) Provision of Samples: In 

undertaking its due diligence, a 

requestor must clearly communicate to 

U.S. suppliers its standard business 

practice with respect to the provision of 

samples. While requestors may request 

a sample, a U.S. supplier is not required 

to provide a sample under CITA’s 

procedures. However, CITA notes that 

U.S. suppliers must meet certain 

requirements with respect to the 

provision of samples and/or information 

demonstrating their ability to supply the 

subject product in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner. See 

Section 6(b)(3) and Section 6(b)(4). 

(vi) Substitutability of Products: In 

undertaking its due diligence, a 

requestor must clearly communicate 

information regarding the 

substitutability of the product in 

question to U.S. suppliers. In its 

inquiries to U.S. suppliers, the requestor 


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must clearly describe the unique 

characteristics of the subject product 

that distinguishes it from other similar 

or potentially substitutable products. In 

addition, the requestor must provide 

U.S. suppliers with information why 

such characteristics are required for the 

purposes of the end-use of the product 

and cannot be substituted by another 

product. However, all characteristics 

and specifications must be supported by 

measurable criteria. If, in the course of 

due diligence, a U.S. supplier proposes 

a substitutable product, the requestor 

must provide reasonable justifications to 

the U.S. supplier for rejecting 

potentially substitutable products. 

(vii) Treatment of Business 

Confidential Information: Specific 

details of correspondence with 

suppliers, such as quantities and lead 

times for providing the subject product, 

can be treated as business confidential 

information. However, the names of 

U.S. suppliers who were contacted, 

what was asked generally about the 

capability to manufacture the subject 

product, and the responses thereto 

should be available for public review to 

ensure proper public participation in 

the process. ‘‘Lead times’’ refers to 

supplying the subject product within 

normal business time frames for the 

subject product once an order is 

received. Specific delivery dates are not 

necessary. Required delivery dates that 

fall within the time needed to complete 

the commercial availability 

determination process are not 

acceptable. 

(4) Substitutable Products. The 

Commercial Availability Request must 

provide information on whether the 

requestor believes that other products 

supplied by the U.S. supplier are not 

substitutable in commercial quantities 

in a timely manner for the product(s) 

that is (are) the subject of the Request 

for purposes of the intended use. Clearly 

describe the unique characteristics of 

the subject product that distinguishes it 

from other similar or potentially 

substitutable products. Describe why 

such characteristics are required for the 

purposes of the end-use of the product 

and cannot be substituted by another 

product available from a U.S. supplier. 

(5) Additional Information. The 

Commercial Availability Request may 

provide any additional evidence or 

information believed to be relevant for 

CITA to determine whether a fiber, yarn, 

or fabric is not available in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner from a 

supplier in the United States. 

5. Consideration and Acceptance of a 

Commercial Availability Request 

In considering whether to accept a 

Commercial Availability Request, CITA 

will consider and determine whether 

the Request provides all the required 

information specified in Sections 3 and 

4 of these Interim Procedures. CITA will 

determine whether to accept the 

Request for consideration and 

investigation not later than two U.S. 

business days after the official receipt. 

(a) Request Rejected. If CITA 

determines that the Commercial 

Availability Request does not contain 

the required information, the requestor 

will be notified promptly by email that 

the Request has not been accepted and 

the reasons for the rejection. A 

Commercial Availability Request may 

be resubmitted with additional 

information for the subject product and 

CITA will reevaluate it as a new 

Request. 

(1) Requests for Downstream Products 

with Inputs Not Commercially 

Available. If, in its initial review of a 

Commercial Availability Request, CITA 

determines that a subject product would 

be commercially available but for the 

commercial unavailability of a certain 

input of the subject product, CITA will 

reject the Commercial Availability 

Request. The requestor may submit a 

Commercial Availability Request for the 

input in question rather than the 

downstream product. 

(2) Requests for Products with 

Prohibited Inputs, Specifications, and/ 

or Processes. If, in its initial review of 

a Commercial Availability Request, 

CITA determines that the subject 

product requires inputs, specifications, 

and/or processes that are prohibited 

under the laws and regulations of the 

United States, CITA will reject the 

Commercial Availability Request if 

there is a substitute product that does 

not require such prohibited inputs, 

specifications, or processes. 

(b) Request Accepted. If CITA 

determines that the Commercial 

Availability Request contains the 

required information, CITA will notify 

interested parties by email that the 

Commercial Availability Request has 

been accepted and filed and will assign 

a File Number. CITA will post the 

accepted Commercial Availability 

Request on its Web site for public 

notice. The email notification and the 

Web site posting will indicate the 

calendar date deadlines for submitting 

Responses and Rebuttals. 

6. Submitting a Response With an Offer 

To Supply 

Responses must meet the 

requirements outlined in Section 3 of 

these Procedures. General comments in 

support of or opposition to a Request do 

not meet the requirements of a 

Response. A Due Diligence Certification 

must accompany a Response with an 

Offer to Supply. 

(a) Response with an Offer to Supply 

Submission. An interested entity may 

file a response objecting to a 

Commercial Availability Request by 

providing an offer to supply the subject 

product as described in the Commercial 

Availability Request. An interested 

entity will have 10 U.S. business days 

after official receipt of a Request to 

submit a Response with an Offer to 

Supply. If good cause is shown, CITA 

may extend this deadline, but CITA will 

still meet the statutory deadlines. 

(b) Contents of a Response with an 

Offer to Supply. 

(1) File Number. The Response with 

an Offer to Supply must reference the 

CITA File Number assigned to the 

particular Request being addressed. 

(2) Quantity. The Response with an 

Offer to Supply must contain the 

quantity of the subject product that the 

respondent is capable of currently 

supplying, in standard units of quantity. 

All measurements must be in metric 

units. If the English count system is 

used in any part, then a conversion to 

metric units must be provided. 

(3) Production Capability/ 

Demonstration of Ability to Supply. A 

Response with an Offer to Supply must 

contain information, as described 

below, supporting the respondent’s 

claim that it is able to supply the subject 

product, or a substitutable product, in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner. 

(i) The Response with an Offer to 

Supply must report the quantity, in 

metric units, that the U.S. supplier 

produced of the subject product, or a 

substitutable product, in the preceding 

24-month period. 

(ii) For products that have 

experienced cyclical demand or are not 

currently produced, the U.S. supplier 

must indicate the quantity that has been 

supplied or offered commercially in the 

past, with an explanation of the reasons 

it is not currently produced or offered. 

(iii) If the subject product involves a 

style, weight, or other variation that is 

new to the market or new to the U.S. 

supplier, then the supplier must provide 

detailed information on its current 

ability to make the subject product in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner. Such information could 

include current production capacity, 

current loom availability, and standard 

timetables to produce. 

(iv) A U.S. supplier may support its 

claim to be able to produce the subject 


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product through provision of a sample 

meeting exactly the specifications as 

presented in the Commercial 

Availability Request. However, the 

provision of a sample is not required. 

Regardless of whether a sample is 

provided, a respondent must 

demonstrate its ability to produce the 

subject product by providing sufficient 

relevant information regarding its 

production capability. Such information 

could include past production of similar 

products and/or descriptions of 

equipment and identification of 

suppliers necessary to produce the 

subject product. If some operations, 

such as finishing, will be completed by 

other entities, the name of the facility 

and contact information must be 

provided. 

(v) The Response with an Offer to 

Supply must include, as applicable, the 

rationale, supported by measurable 

criteria, for the U.S. supplier’s assertion 

that other products that are supplied by 

the U.S. supplier in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner are 

substitutable for the subject product(s) 

for purposes of the intended use. 

(vi) In its review of a Response with 

an Offer to Supply, CITA will consider 

whether the U.S. supplier was 

responsive to the efforts employed by 

the requestor to obtain the subject 

product in the course of due diligence. 

In the event that a U.S. supplier was not 

responsive, a U.S. supplier must 

provide a reasonable explanation in its 

Response with an Offer to Supply as to 

why it did not respond to earlier 

inquiries by the requestor in the course 

of due diligence. CITA will reject a 

Response with an Offer to Supply if it 

does not include such explanation. 

(4) Due Diligence. The Response with 

an Offer to Supply must provide a 

complete description of the due 

diligence undertaken by the U.S. 

supplier to substantiate the ability to 

supply the subject product. If a U.S. 

supplier has participated in the 

requestor’s undertaking of due 

diligence, the supplier must provide 

certain information in response to the 

requestor’s inquiries. 

(i) If a U.S. supplier has been 

responsive to a requestor in the 

undertaking of due diligence, the U.S. 

supplier must have stated its ability to 

supply or not supply the subject 

product. If the product can be supplied, 

the response to the inquiry must contain 

information supporting the U.S. 

supplier’s claim to supply the subject 

product, or one substitutable, in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner. 

(ii) If a U.S. supplier offers to supply 

the subject product, the supplier may 

support its offer by reporting the 

quantity, in metric units, that it has 

produced of the subject product, or a 

substitutable product, in the preceding 

24-month period. If the U.S. supplier 

does not provide such information, it 

must explain why the information it has 

provided sufficiently supports its offer 

to supply. 

(iii) In response to a requestor’s 

inquiry, for products that have 

experienced cyclical demand or are not 

currently produced, the U.S. supplier 

must provide the requestor the quantity 

that has been supplied or offered 

commercially in the past, with an 

explanation of the reasons it is not 

currently produced or offered. 

(iv) If the subject product involves a 

style, weight, or other variation that is 

new to the market or new to the U.S. 

supplier, then the supplier must provide 

detailed information on its current 

ability to make the subject product in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner. Such information could 

include current production capacity, 

current loom availability, and standard 

timetables to produce the subject 

product. 

(v) A U.S. supplier may support its 

claim to be able to produce the subject 

product through provision of a sample 

meeting the specifications as presented 

in an inquiry. However, the provision of 

a sample is not required. Regardless of 

whether a sample is provided, the U.S. 

supplier must demonstrate its ability to 

produce the subject product by 

providing sufficient relevant 

information regarding their production 

capability. Such information could 

include past production of similar 

products and/or descriptions of 

equipment and identification of 

suppliers necessary to produce the 

subject product. If some operations, 

such as finishing, will be completed by 

other entities, the name of the facility 

and contact information must be 

provided. 

(vi) A response to a requestor’s 

inquiry must provide, as applicable, the 

basis for the U.S. supplier’s rationale 

that other products that are supplied by 

the U.S. supplier in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner are 

substitutable for the subject product for 

purposes of the intended use, supported 

by measurable criteria. 

(vii) Nothing in these procedures shall 

require any U.S. supplier to provide 

business confidential or other 

commercially sensitive information to a 

requestor. However, a U.S. supplier 

must provide the requestor a reasonable 

explanation why such information was 

not provided and why the information 

it has provided sufficiently supports its 

offer to supply. 

(5) Location of the U.S. supplier. The 

Response with an Offer to Supply must 

provide the name, address, phone 

number, and email address of a contact 

person at the facility claimed to be able 

to supply the subject product. 

7. Submitting a Rebuttal Comment 

A Rebuttal Comment must meet the 

requirements outlined in Section 3 of 

these procedures. General comments in 

support of or opposition to a 

Commercial Availability Request or a 

Response do not meet the requirements 

of a Rebuttal Comment. A Due Diligence 

Certification must accompany a Rebuttal 

Comment. 

(a) Rebuttal Comment. Any interested 

entity may submit a Rebuttal Comment. 

An interested entity must submit its 

Rebuttal Comment not later than 4 U.S. 

business days after the deadline for a 

Response. If good cause is shown, CITA 

may extend the time limit, but CITA 

will still meet the statutory deadlines. 

(b) Contents of a Rebuttal. The 

Rebuttal Comment may respond only to 

evidence or arguments raised in a 

Response and must identify the 

Response, and evidence and/or 

arguments to which it is responding. 

The Rebuttal Comment must reference 

the CITA File Number assigned to the 

particular Commercial Availability 

Request being addressed. 

8. Determination Process 

(a) Not later than 30 U.S. business 

days after official receipt of a 

Commercial Availability Request (or not 

later than 60 U.S. business days where 

an extension is provided), CITA will 

notify interested entities by email and 

interested parties and the public by a 

posting on its Web site whether the 

subject product is available in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner in the United States and 

whether an interested entity has 

objected to the Commercial Availability 

Request. 

(b) CITA will notify the public of the 

determination by publication in the 

Federal Register when the 

determination results in a change to the 

Commercial Availability List in 

Appendix 4–B–1 of the Agreement. 

(c) Types of Determinations. 

(1) Approval: An Approval means that 

CITA has determined that the subject 

product is not available in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner in the 

United States. If a Commercial 

Availability Request is approved, a 

notice will be published in the Federal 

Register adding the product to 

Appendix 4–B–1 of the Agreement. 


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(2) Denial: A denial means that CITA 

has determined that the subject product 

is available in commercial quantities in 

a timely manner in the United States. If 

a Commercial Availability Request is 

denied, notice of the denial will be 

posted on the KOREA FTA Commercial 

Availability Web site. 

(i) Denial of Requests for Downstream 

Products with Inputs Not Commercially 

Available: If, during the course of its 

review of a Commercial Availability 

Request, CITA determines that the 

subject product is commercially 

available but for the commercial 

unavailability of a certain input of the 

subject product, CITA will deny the 

Commercial Availability Request. The 

requestor may submit a new 

Commercial Availability Request for the 

input in question rather than the 

downstream product. 

(ii) Denial of Requests for Products 

with Prohibited Inputs, Specifications, 

and/or Processes: If, during the course 

of its review of a Commercial 

Availability Request, CITA determines 

that the subject product requires inputs, 

specifications, and/or processes that are 

prohibited under the laws and 

regulations of the United States, CITA 

will deny the Commercial Availability 

Request if there is a substitute product 

that does not require such prohibited 

inputs, specifications, or processes. 

(3) Insufficient Information to 

Determine: CITA will extend its time 

period for consideration of the 

Commercial Availability Request by an 

additional 30 U.S. business days in the 

event that CITA determines, not later 

than 30 U.S. business days after official 

receipt of a Commercial Availability 

Request, that it has insufficient 

information to make a determination 

regarding the ability of a U.S. entity to 

supply the subject products of the 

Commercial Availability Request based 

on the submitted information. CITA will 

normally determine that it does not 

have sufficient information to make a 

determination on a Commercial 

Availability Request when CITA finds 

there is inconsistency in material 

information contained in the 

Commercial Availability Request, one or 

more Responses, and/or the Rebuttal 

Comment(s). CITA will notify interested 

parties via email that it has extended the 

time period for CITA’s consideration by 

30 U.S. business days. CITA also will 

announce the extension on the Web site. 

(i) Process during Extension Period: 

During the extended time period, CITA 

will request that interested entities 

provide additional evidence to 

substantiate the information provided, 

and may initiate a meeting with 

interested entities. Such evidence may 

include, inter alia, product samples, lab 

tests, detailed descriptions of product 

facilities, and comparisons of product 

performance in the intended end-use of 

the subject product. Any samples, if 

requested, of fibers, yarns, or fabrics, 

that are provided to CITA will be made 

available for public inspection at the 

Office of Textiles and Apparel, Room 

3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

14th Street and Constitution Avenue, 

NW., Washington, DC 20230. All 

written submissions must follow 

instructions described in Section 3 of 

these procedures. Samples should be 

identified with a cover sheet that 

describes the specifications of the 

sample and be identical to the 

specifications of the Commercial 

Availability Request. If CITA conducts a 

meeting, it will comply with 

requirements to conduct proceedings in 

an open manner. 

(ii) CITA also will consider evidence 

in support of claims that U.S. 

supplier(s) can supply a substantially 

similar product to that specified in the 

Commercial Availability Request. 

(iii) CITA will make a determination, 

not later than 60 U.S. business days 

after the official receipt of a Commercial 

Availability Request whether to approve 

or deny the Request and will follow the 

notification process accordingly. 

(4) Deemed Denial: In the event that 

CITA does not make a determination in 

response to a Commercial Availability 

Request to add a product to Appendix 

4–B–1 of the Agreement within the 

statutory deadlines provided, not later 

than 30 U.S. business days after the 

official receipt of the Commercial 

Availability Request or not later than 60 

U.S. business days after the official 

receipt of the Commercial Availability 

Request that was determined to lack 

sufficient information pursuant to 

Section 8 of these procedures, the 

Request will be considered to be denied. 

9. Submitting a Request to Remove 

(a) Request to Remove. An interested 

entity may submit a request to remove 

a product from Appendix 4–B–1. See 

Section 202(o)(3)(E)(i) of the Act. 

(b) Content of a Request to Remove. 

The Request to Remove must provide 

the substantive information set forth in 

Section 6(b) (Contents of a Response 

with an Offer to Supply) of these 

procedures. 

(c) Procedures. 

(1) In considering whether to accept a 

Request to Remove, CITA will follow 

procedures set forth in Section 5 

(Consideration and Acceptance of a 

Request) of these procedures. 

(2) If CITA determines to accept the 

Request to Remove, CITA and any 

responding interested entity shall follow 

applicable procedures and contents set 

forth in subsection 6(a) (Response with 

an Offer to Supply) and Section 7 

(Submitting a Rebuttal Comment) of 

these procedures. 

(3) As set forth in subsections 8(a) and 

(b) (Determination Process) of these 

procedures, CITA will determine 

whether the subject product of the 

Request to Remove is available in 

commercial quantities in a timely 

manner in the United States not later 

than 30 U.S. business days after the 

official receipt of the Request to 

Remove. 

(i) If CITA determines that the 

product is available in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner in the 

United States, then that product will be 

removed from the Commercial 

Availability List in Appendix 4–B–1 of 

the Agreement. Removal of the product 

shall not take effect earlier than six 

months (i.e., 180 calendar days) after 

publication of notice in the Federal 

Register that CITA has determined that 

the product is available in commercial 

quantities in a timely manner in the 

United States. 

(ii) If the Commercial Availability List 

changes as a result of CITA’s 

determination for the Request to 

Remove, CITA will notify interested 

parties by email of its determination and 

will publish a notice of its 

determination for the Request to 

Remove in the Federal Register. 

(d) For removal, the notice of 

determination will state that textile and 

apparel articles containing the subject 

product are not to be treated as 

originating in the United States if the 

subject product is obtained from sources 

outside the United States, effective for 

goods entered into the United States on 

or after six months (i.e., 180 calendar 

days) after the date of publication of the 

notice. See Section 202(o)(3)(E)(iii) of 

the Act. 

Request for Comment on the Interim 

Procedures 

Comments must be received no later 

than April 18, 2012 and in the following 

format: 

(1) Comments must be in English. 

(2) Comments must be submitted 

electronically or in hard copy, with 

original signatures. 

(3) Comments submitted 

electronically, via email, must be either 

in PDF or Word format, and sent to the 

following email address 

OTEXA.KOREA@trade.gov. The email 

version of the comments must include 

an original electronic signature. Further, 

the comments must have a bolded 

heading stating ‘‘Public Version’’, and 


emcdonald on DSK29S0YB1PROD with NOTICES
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no business confidential information 

may be included. The email version of 

the comments will be posted for public 

review on the KOREA FTA Commercial 

Availability Web site. 

(4) Comments submitted in hard copy 

must include original signatures and 

must be mailed to the Chairman, 

Committee for the Implementation of 

Textile Agreements, Room 3100, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, 14th Street 

and Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230. All comments 

submitted in hard copy will be made 

available for public inspection at the 

Office of Textiles and Apparel, Room 

3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, 

14th Street and Constitution Avenue 

NW., Washington, DC, between the 

hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on 

business days. In addition, comments 

submitted in hard copy will also be 

posted for public review on the KOREA 

FTA Commercial Availability Web site. 

(5) Any business confidential 

information upon which an interested 

person wishes to rely may only be 

included in a hard copy version of the 

comments. Brackets must be placed 

around all business confidential 

information. Comments containing 

business confidential information must 

have a bolded heading stating 

‘‘Confidential Version.’’ Attachments 

considered business confidential 

information must have a heading stating 

‘‘Business Confidential Information’’. 

The Committee will protect from 

disclosure any business confidential 

information that is marked ‘‘Business 

Confidential Information’’ to the full 

extent permitted by law. 

Estimate of Burden to the Public for 

Collection of Information and Request 

for Public Comment 

In accordance with Section 203(o) of 

the Act and as reflected in the interim 

procedures for commercial availability 

proceedings, CITA must collect certain 

information about the technical 

specifications of a fiber, yarn, or fabric 

and the production capabilities of U.S. 

textile producers to determine whether 

certain fibers, yarns, or fabrics are 

available in commercial quantities in a 

timely manner in the United States. 

This information collection is subject to 

review and approval by the Office of 

Management and Budget’s (‘‘OMB’’) 

OMB under the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et 

seq. 

OMB has approved under Control 

Number 0625–0270 the interim 

procedures requiring the collection of 

information under the emergency 

provisions of the PRA. In accordance 

with the PRA, CITA has estimated the 

‘‘burden’’ (in number of hours) on the 

public to submit information required 

by CITA under its interim procedures. 

CITA hereby provides the public the 

opportunity to provide comment on its 

estimates of the burden on the public to 

submit information to CITA under the 

U.S.-Korea FTA Commercial 

Availability provision. 

Estimate of Burden as a Result of 

Information Collection: Based on 

estimates on the number of Requests, 

Rebuttals and Responses filed per year, 

and the average amount of time required 

to submit a Request, Rebuttal, and 

Response, CITA estimates that the total 

annual burden to the public is 89 hours 

per year. A further breakdown of its 

estimates for the number of hours to 

collect and provide information to CITA 

for Requests, Responses and Rebuttals is 

provided in detail below. 

Requests: CITA estimates that 10 

Requests will be filed per year under the 

U.S.-Korea FTA Commercial 

Availability provision. Based on the 

following activities required to submit a 

Request, CITA estimates that the total 

time to collect and present information 

in a Request is 8 hours, for a total of 80 

hours per year. 

Activity: Request Time 

required 

Due Diligence ............................. 5 hours. 

Summarizing Due Diligence and 

Preparing Request.

2 hours. 

Preparing Supporting Documentation.1 hour. 

Total Time per Request .............. 8 hours. 

Times 10 Requests per Year ..... 80 hours. 

Responses: CITA estimates that 3 

Responses will be filed per year under 

the U.S.-Korea FTA Commercial 

Availability provision. Based on the 

following activities required to submit a 

Response, CITA estimates that the total 

time to collect and present information 

in a Response is 2 hours, for a total of 

6 hours per year. 

Activity: Response Time 

required 

Preparing Response ................... 1.5 hours. 

Preparing Supporting Documentation..5 hours. 

Total Time per Request .............. 2 hours. 

Times 3 Requests per Year ....... 6 hours. 

Rebuttals: CITA estimates that 3 

Rebuttals will be filed per year. The 

average amount of time required to 

prepare each Rebuttal is estimated at 1 

hour, for a total annual burden for all 

Rebuttals of 3 hours. 

Activity: Rebuttal Time 

required 

Preparing Rebuttal ...................... 1 hour. 

Total Time per Request .............. 1 hour. 

Times 3 Requests per Year ....... 3 hour. 

Combined, these three information 

collections represent an annual burden 

of 89 hours. Copies of the above 

estimate can be obtained by calling or 

writing Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482– 

0336, Department of Commerce, Room 

6616, 14th & Constitution Avenue, NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 or via e-mail at 

JJessup@doc.gov 

Notwithstanding any other provision 

of the law, no person is required to 

respond to, nor shall any person be 

subject to a penalty for failure to comply 

with, a collection of information subject 

to the requirements of the PRA, unless 

that collection of information displays a 

currently valid OMB Control Number. 

Kimberly Glas, 

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation 

of Textile Agreements. 

[FR Doc. 2012–6725 Filed 3–15–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 

Office of the Secretary 

Revised Non-Foreign Overseas Per 

Diem Rates; Correction 

AGENCY: DoD, Per Diem, Travel and 

Transportation Allowance Committee. 

ACTION: Notice of revised non-foreign 

overseas per diem rates; correction. 

SUMMARY: On January 31, 2012 (77 FR 

4788–4798), DoD published a notice 

titled Revised Non-Foreign Overseas Per 

Diem Rates. The table on pages 4789– 

4797, titled ‘‘Maximum Per Diem Rates 

for official travel in Alaska, Hawaii, the 

Commonwealths of Puerto Rico and the 

Northern Islands and Possessions of the 

United States by Federal Government 

civilian employees’’, published with 

incorrect lodging seasonal dates for 

some locations in Alaska. This notice 

corrects these errors. The Per Diem, 

Travel and Transportation Allowance 

Committee is publishing Civilian 

Personnel Per Diem Bulletin Number 

279. This bulletin lists revisions in the 

per diem rates prescribed for U.S. 

Government employees for official 

travel in Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, 

the Northern Mariana Islands and 

Possessions of the United States. AEA 

changes announced in Bulletin Number 

194 remain in effect. Bulletin Number 

279 is being published in the Federal 


emcdonald on DSK29S0YB1PROD with NOTICES