Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 20, 2023 / Notices 88127 

concerning a proposed extension of the 

information collection request (ICR) 

titled ‘‘Requirements of a Bona Fide 

Thrift Savings Plan and Requirements of 

a Bona Fide Profit-Sharing Plan or 

Trust.’’ This comment request is part of 

continuing Departmental efforts to 

reduce paperwork and respondent 

burden in accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA). This program helps to ensure 

that requested data can be provided in 

the desired format, reporting burden 

(time and financial resources) is 

minimized, collection instruments are 

clearly understood, and the impact of 

collection requirements on respondents 

can be properly assessed. A copy of the 

proposed information request can be 

obtained by contacting the office listed 

below in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section of this Notice. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted to the office listed in the 

ADDRESSES section below on or before 

February 20, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

identified by Control Number 1235– 

0013, by either one of the following 

methods: Email: WHDPRAComments@

dol.gov; Mail, Hand Delivery, Courier: 

Division of Regulations, Legislation, and 

Interpretation, Wage and Hour, U.S. 

Department of Labor, Room S–3502, 200 

Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 

DC 20210. Instructions: Please submit 

one copy of your comments by only one 

method. All submissions received must 

include the agency name and Control 

Number identified above for this 

information collection. Commenters are 

strongly encouraged to transmit their 

comments electronically via email or to 

submit them by mail early. Comments, 

including any personal information 

provided, become a matter of public 

record. They will also be summarized 

and/or included in the request for Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) 

approval of the information collection 

request. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robert Waterman, Division of 

Regulations, Legislation, and 

Interpretation, Wage and Hour Division, 

U.S. Department of Labor, Room S– 

3502, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, 

Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 

693–0406 (this is not a toll-free 

number). Alternative formats are 

available upon request by calling 1– 

866–487–9243. If you are deaf, hard of 

hearing, or have a speech disability, 

please dial 7–1–1 to access 

telecommunications relay services. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

This extension is for the 

Requirements of a Bona Fide Thrift or 

Savings Plan and Requirements of a 

Bona Fide Profit-Sharing Plan or Trust 

information collection. The information 

collection requirements apply to 

employers claiming the overtime 

exemption available under Fair Labor 

Standards Act section 7(e)(3)(b), 29 

U.S.C. 207(e)(3)(b). Specifically, in 

calculating an employee’s regular rate of 

pay, an employer need not include 

contributions made to a bona fide thrift 

or savings plan or a bona fide profitsharing plan or trust—as defined in 

regulations 29 CFR parts 547 and 549. 

An employer is required to 

communicate, or to make available to its 

employees, the terms of the bona fide 

thrift, savings, or profit-sharing plan or 

trust and to retain certain records. Fair 

Labor Standards Act section 11(c) 

authorizes this information collection. 

See 29 U.S.C. 211(c). 

Interested parties are encouraged to 

send comments to the Department at the 

address shown in the ADDRESSES section 

within 60 days of publication of this 

notice in the Federal Register. To help 

ensure appropriate consideration, 

comments should reference OMB 

Control Number 1235–0013. 

II. Review Focus 

The Department of Labor is 

particularly interested in comments 

which: 

• 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; 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; 

• 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; 

• 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. 

III. Current Actions 

The Department of Labor seeks an 

approval for the extension of this 

information collection to ensure 

effective administration of the FLSA as 

it relates to the Requirements of a Bona 

Fide Thrift Savings Plan and 

Requirements of a Bona Fide ProfitSharing Plan or Trust. 

Type of Review: Extension. 

Agency: Wage and Hour Division. 

Title: Requirements of a Bona Fide 

Thrift Savings Plan and Requirements of 

a Bona Fide Profit-Sharing Plan or 

Trust. 

OMB Control Number: 1235–0013. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit, non-profits. 

Total Respondents: 3,254,524. 

Total Annual Responses: 4,393,607. 

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 2,441. 

Estimated Time per Response: 2 

seconds. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

Total Burden Costs: $134,914. 

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): 

$0. 

Total Burden Cost (operation/ 

maintenance): $0. 

Dated: December 15, 2023. 

Amy Hunter, 

Director, Division of Regulations, Legislation, 

and Interpretation. 

[FR Doc. 2023–27965 Filed 12–19–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–27–P 

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE 

CORPORATION 

[MCC FR 23–09] 

Report on the Selection of Eligible 

Countries for Fiscal Year 2024 

AGENCY: Millennium Challenge 

Corporation. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This report is provided in 

accordance with the Millennium 

Challenge Act of 2003, as amended. The 

report is set forth in full below. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Report on 

the Selection of Eligible Countries for 

Fiscal Year 2024. 

Summary 

This report is provided in accordance 

with section 608(d)(1) of the 

Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, as 

amended (the Act) (22 U.S.C. 

7707(d)(1)). 

The Act authorizes the provision of 

assistance under section 605 of the Act 

(22 U.S.C. 7704) to countries that enter 

into compacts with the United States to 

support policies and programs that 

advance the progress of such countries 

in achieving lasting poverty reduction 

through economic growth and are in 

furtherance of the Act. The Act requires 

the Millennium Challenge Corporation 

(MCC) to determine the countries that 

will be eligible to receive assistance for 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
88128 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 20, 2023 / Notices 

1Available at https://www.mcc.gov/resources/ 

doc/report-selection-criteria-methodology-fy24. 

2Available at https://www.mcc.gov/resources/ 

doc/guide-to-supplemental-information. 

3Available at https://www.mcc.gov/who-weselect/indicator/education-expenditure-indicator 

(Education Expenditures), https://www.mcc.gov/ 

who-we-select/indicator/girls-lower-secondaryeducation-completion-rate-indicator (Girls’ Lower 

Secondary Education Completion Rate) and https:// 

www.mcc.gov/blog/entry/blog-101723-mcc-girlseducation (both indicators). 

the fiscal year, based on their 

demonstrated commitment to just and 

democratic governance, economic 

freedom, and investing in their people, 

as well as on the opportunity to reduce 

poverty through economic growth in the 

country. The Act also requires the 

submission of reports to appropriate 

congressional committees and the 

publication of notices in the Federal 

Register that identify, among other 

things: 

1. The countries that are ‘‘candidate 

countries’’ for assistance for fiscal year 

(FY) 2024 based on their per-capita 

income levels and their eligibility to 

receive assistance under U.S. law, and 

countries that would be candidate 

countries, but for specified legal 

prohibitions on assistance (section 

608(a) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 7707(a))); 

2. The criteria and methodology that 

the Board of Directors of MCC (the 

Board) used to measure and evaluate the 

policy performance of the ‘‘candidate 

countries’’ consistent with the 

requirements of section 607 of the Act 

in order to determine ‘‘eligible 

countries’’ from among the ‘‘candidate 

countries’’ (section 608(b) of the Act (22 

U.S.C. 7707(b))); and 

3. The list of countries determined by 

the Board to be ‘‘eligible countries’’ for 

FY 2024, with justification for eligibility 

determination and selection for compact 

negotiation, including with which of the 

eligible countries the Board will seek to 

enter into compacts (section 608(d) of 

the Act (22 U.S.C. 7707(d))). 

This is the third of the abovedescribed reports by MCC for FY 2024. 

It identifies countries determined by the 

Board to be eligible under section 607 

of the Act (22 U.S.C. 7706) for FY 2024 

with which MCC seeks to enter into 

compacts under section 609 of the Act 

(22 U.S.C. 7708), as well as the 

justification for such decisions. The 

report also identifies countries selected 

by the Board to receive assistance under 

MCC’s threshold program pursuant to 

section 616 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 7715). 

Eligible Countries 

The Board met on December 13, 2023, 

to select those eligible countries with 

which the United States, through MCC, 

will seek to enter into a Millennium 

Challenge Compact pursuant to section 

607 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 7706). The 

Board selected the following eligible 

country for such assistance for FY 2024: 

Cabo Verde. Cabo Verde is invited by 

MCC to develop a compact for the 

purposes of regional economic 

integration. The Board also selected the 

following previously selected countries 

for compact assistance for FY 2024: Coˆte 

d’Ivoire, Senegal, Sierra Leone, The 

Gambia, Togo, and Zambia. 

Criteria 

In accordance with the Act and with 

the ‘‘Report on the Criteria and 

Methodology for Determining the 

Eligibility of Candidate Countries for 

Millennium Challenge Account 

Assistance in Fiscal Year 2024’’ 

formally submitted to Congress on 

September 13, 2023, selection was based 

primarily on a country’s overall 

performance in three broad policy 

categories: Ruling Justly, Encouraging 

Economic Freedom, and Investing in 

People. The Board relied, to the fullest 

extent possible, upon transparent and 

independent indicators to assess 

countries’ policy performance and 

demonstrated commitment in these 

three broad policy areas. The Board 

compared countries’ performance on the 

indicators relative to their income-level 

peers, evaluating them in comparison to 

either the group of countries with a GNI 

per capita equal to or less than $2,145, 

or the group with a GNI per capita 

between $2,146 and $4,465. 

The criteria and methodology used to 

assess countries, including the 

methodology for the annual scorecards, 

are outlined in the ‘‘Report on the 

Criteria and Methodology for 

Determining the Eligibility of Candidate 

Countries for Millennium Challenge 

Account Assistance for Fiscal Year 

2024.’’ 1 Scorecards reflecting each 

country’s performance on the indicators 

are available on MCC’s website at 

https://www.mcc.gov/who-we-select/ 

scorecards. 

The Board also considered whether 

any adjustments should be made for 

data gaps, data lags, or recent events 

since the indicators were published, as 

well as strengths or weaknesses in 

particular indicators. Where 

appropriate, the Board considered 

additional quantitative and qualitative 

information, such as evidence of a 

country’s commitment to fighting 

corruption, investments in human 

development outcomes, or poverty rates. 

MCC published a Guide to 

Supplemental Information 2 to increase 

transparency about the type of 

supplemental information the Board 

uses to assess a country’s policy 

performance. MCC also published web 

pages 3 regarding how MCC assesses 

performance on the new Education 

Expenditures and Girls’ Lower 

Secondary Education Completion Rate 

scorecard indicators. In keeping with 

statutory requirements, the Board also 

considered the opportunity to reduce 

poverty and promote economic growth 

in a country, in light of the overall 

information available, as well as the 

availability of appropriated funds. 

The Board sees the selection decision 

as an annual opportunity to determine 

where MCC funds can be most 

effectively used to support poverty 

reduction through economic growth in 

well-governed countries with 

demonstrated development need. The 

Board carefully considers the 

appropriate nature of each country 

partnership—on a case-by-case basis— 

based on factors related to poverty 

reduction through economic growth, the 

sustainability of MCC’s investments, 

and the country’s ability to attract and 

leverage public and private resources in 

support of development. 

This was the sixth year the Board 

considered the eligibility of countries 

for concurrent compacts, as permitted 

under section 609(k) of the Act. In 

addition to the considerations for 

compact eligibility detailed above, the 

Board considered whether a country 

being considered for a concurrent 

compact is making considerable and 

demonstrable progress in implementing 

the terms of its existing compact. 

This was the fifteenth year the Board 

considered the eligibility of countries 

for subsequent compacts, as permitted 

under section 609(l) of the Act. MCC’s 

engagement with partner countries is 

not open-ended, and the Board is 

deliberate when selecting countries for 

follow-on partnerships, particularly 

regarding the higher bar applicable to 

subsequent compact countries. The 

Board considered—in addition to the 

criteria outlined above—a country’s 

performance implementing its prior 

compact, including the nature of the 

country’s partnership with MCC, the 

degree to which the country has 

demonstrated a commitment and 

capacity to achieve program results, and 

the degree to which the country 

implemented the compact in accordance 

with MCC’s core policies and standards. 

To the greatest extent possible, these 

factors are assessed using pre-existing 

monitoring and evaluation targets and 

regular quarterly reporting. This 

information is supplemented with direct 

surveys and consultation with MCC staff 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 20, 2023 / Notices 88129 

4Available at https://www.mcc.gov/resources/ 

doc/guide-to-program-surveys-fy23. 

5Available at https://www.mcc.gov/who-weselect/suspension-or-termination. 

responsible for compact 

implementation, monitoring, and 

evaluation. MCC published a Guide to 

the Program Surveys 4 regarding the 

information collected and assessed for 

any country with an existing or prior 

compact or threshold program to ensure 

transparency about the type of 

information the Board considers 

regarding a country’s performance on 

MCC programs, as relevant. The Board 

also considered a country’s commitment 

to further sector reform, as well as 

evidence of improved scorecard policy 

performance. 

In addition, this is the eighth year in 

which the Board considered an 

explicitly higher bar for countries close 

to the upper end of the candidate pool. 

The Board looked closely—in such 

cases—at a country’s access to 

development financing, the nature of 

poverty in the country, and its policy 

performance. 

Countries Newly Selected for Compact 

Assistance 

Using the criteria described above, 

one candidate country under section 

606(a) of the Act (22 U.S.C. 7705(a) was 

newly selected as eligible for assistance 

under section 607 of the Act (22 U.S.C. 

7706): Cabo Verde. Cabo Verde is 

invited by MCC to develop a compact 

for the purposes of regional economic 

integration. 

Cabo Verde: Cabo Verde has 

consistently passed the scorecard for 

over a decade and has some of the 

highest Control of Corruption and 

Democratic Rights scores of any MCC 

partner. The government was a 

committed partner during its prior MCC 

programs and has consistently 

expressed deep interest in renewing its 

partnership with MCC. While Cabo 

Verde has made strides in reducing 

poverty, recent progress has been 

hampered by global events and external 

shocks. MCC’s Board selected Cabo 

Verde for a regional compact as a result 

of its strong commitment to democracy, 

its economic development needs and 

lingering poverty, and the potential 

opportunities to strengthen regional 

economic integration and trade in West 

Africa with a committed and engaged 

former MCC partner. 

Countries Selected To Continue 

Compact Development 

Six of the countries selected as 

eligible for compact assistance for FY 

2024 were previously selected for FY 

2023. Coˆte d’Ivoire (regional), Senegal 

(regional), Sierra Leone, The Gambia, 

Togo, and Zambia were selected to 

continue developing compacts. 

Selection of these countries for FY 2024 

was based on an assessment of their 

policy performance since their prior 

selection and their progress in 

developing programs with MCC. 

Countries Selected To Receive 

Threshold Program Assistance 

The Board selected Tanzania and the 

Philippines to receive threshold 

program assistance for FY 2024, 

leveraging MCC’s new authority to 

pursue threshold programs after 

compacts for countries that have 

experienced set-backs, but are now on a 

positive governance trajectory. 

Tanzania: A former MCC compact 

partner, Tanzania offers MCC the 

opportunity to engage with a country 

that faces significant challenges to 

economic growth and that is 

demonstrating a trajectory of reform. 

While Tanzania does not pass the MCC 

scorecard in FY 2024 due to not passing 

the Democratic Rights ‘‘hard hurdle,’’ it 

passes the Control of Corruption ‘‘hard 

hurdle,’’ and passes 15 of 20 indicators 

overall. Since taking office in 2021, 

President Hassan has taken some steps 

to strengthen democratic governance, 

including restoring some media 

freedoms and political rights for 

opposition groups and initiating a 

process to identify other key democratic 

and constitutional reforms. By selecting 

Tanzania for a threshold program, MCC 

will work with the government to 

undertake policy and institutional 

reforms to address the country’s 

development needs while also 

encouraging further democratic progress 

and the advancement of human rights. 

Philippines: A former MCC compact 

partner, the Philippines passes 11 of 20 

indicators on the MCC scorecard in FY 

2024, including both Democratic Rights 

indicators, but does not pass the 

scorecard because it fails the Control of 

Corruption indicator in the 50th 

percentile (countries must score above 

the 50th percentile to pass). President 

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., elected in May 

2022, has committed to advancing 

critical reforms, pledged to increase 

transparency, and strengthened judicial 

independence and the prosecution of 

human rights violations. By selecting 

the Philippines for a threshold program, 

MCC can support the government to 

undertake policy and institutional 

reforms to address the country’s 

development needs while also 

encouraging further progress on 

advancing labor and human rights and 

combatting corruption. 

Country Selected To Continue 

Developing a Threshold Program 

The Board selected Mauritania to 

continue developing a threshold 

program. Selection of Mauritania for FY 

2024 was based on its continued 

commitment to strengthening its policy 

performance since its prior selection, 

particularly in its fight against 

trafficking in persons and hereditary 

slavery, and its progress toward 

developing its threshold program. 

Ongoing Review of Partner Countries’ 

Policy Performance 

The Board emphasized the need for 

all partner countries to maintain or 

improve their policy performance. If it 

is determined during compact 

implementation that a country has 

demonstrated a significant policy 

reversal, MCC can hold it accountable 

by applying MCC’s Suspension and 

Termination Policy.5

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 7707(d)(2)) 

Dated: December 15, 2023. 

Peter E. Jaffe, 

Vice President, General Counsel, and 

Corporate Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28044 Filed 12–18–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9211–03–P 

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS 

ADMINISTRATION 

[NARA–23–0015; NARA–2024–009] 

Records Schedules; Availability and 

Request for Comments 

AGENCY: National Archives and Records 

Administration (NARA). 

ACTION: Notice of availability of 

proposed records schedules; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The National Archives and 

Records Administration (NARA) 

publishes notice of certain Federal 

agency requests for records disposition 

authority (records schedules). We 

publish notice in the Federal Register 

and on regulations.gov for records 

schedules in which agencies propose to 

dispose of records they no longer need 

to conduct agency business. We invite 

public comments on such records 

schedules. 

DATES: We must receive responses on 

the schedules listed in this notice by 

February 5, 2023. 

ADDRESSES: To view a records schedule 

in this notice, or submit a comment on 

one, use the following address: https:// 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1