[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88001-88002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25714]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Bid for Advertised Timber

AGENCY: Forest Service, Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on the extension with no revision of a currently approved 
information collection, Bid for Advertised Timber.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before January 6, 
2025 to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date 
will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to 
Director, Forest Management, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 
1103, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 96090, Washington, DC 20090-6090.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to 202-205-1045 or by 
email to: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7407195a12075a20273510191d1a321b06190734010710155a131b02"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a0d3cd8ec6d38ef4f3e1c4cdc9cee6cfd2cdd3e0d5d3c4c18ec7cfd6">[email protected]</span></a>.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice may be made available 
to the public through relevant websites and upon request. For this 
reason, please do not include in your comments information of a 
confidential nature, such as sensitive personal information or 
proprietary information. If you send an email comment, your email 
address will be automatically captured and included as part of the 
comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the 
internet. Please note that responses to this public comment request 
containing any routine notice about the confidentiality of the 
communication will be treated as public comments that may be made 
available to the public notwithstanding the inclusion of the routine 
notice.
    The public may inspect the draft supporting statement and/or 
comments received at the following website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/forestmanagement/products/contracts.shtml. The public may request an 
electronic copy of the draft supporting statement and/or any comments 
received be sent via return email. Requests should be emailed to 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fc8f91d29a8fd2a8afbd98919592ba938e918fbc898f989dd29b938a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="186b75367e6b364c4b597c7571765e776a756b586d6b7c79367f776e">[email protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kraig Kidwell, Washington Office 
Natural Resources Forest Management staff, by phone at 541-961-2614 and 
by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#325940535b551c595b5645575e5e72474156531c555d44"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="137861727a743d787a7764767f7f53666077723d747c65">[email protected]</span></a>. Individuals who use 
telecommunications devices for the hearing impaired may call 711 to 
reach the Telecommunications Relay Service, 24 hours a day, every day 
of the year, including holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Bid for Advertised Timber.
    OMB Number: 0596-0066.
    Expiration Date of Approval: December 31, 2024.
    Type of Request: Extension with no Revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: Pursuant to statutory requirements at 16 U.S.C. 472a, 
unless extraordinary conditions exist as defined by regulation, the 
Secretary of Agriculture must (1) advertise sales of all National 
Forest System timber or forest products exceeding $10,000 in appraised 
value, (2) select bidding methods that ensure open and fair 
competition, (3) select bidding methods that ensure that the Federal 
Government receives not less than appraised value of the timber or 
forest product; and (4) monitor bidding patterns for evidence of 
unlawful bidding practices.

[[Page 88002]]

    Pursuant to the Forest Service Small Business Timber Sale Set-Aside 
Program, developed in cooperation with the Small Business 
Administration, Forest Service regulations at 36 CFR 223.84 require the 
Forest Service bid form used by potential timber sale bidders include 
provisions for small business concerns. The data collected will be used 
by the agency to ensure that National Forest System timber will be sold 
at not less than appraised value, that bidders will meet specific 
criteria when submitting a bid, and that anti-trust violations will not 
occur during the bidding process.
    The tax identification number of each bidder is entered into an 
automated bid monitoring system, which is used to determine if 
speculative bidding or unlawful bidding practices are occurring and is 
required to process electronic payments to the purchaser.
    Respondents will be bidders on National Forest System timber sales. 
Forest Service Sale Officers will provide bid forms to potential 
bidders, and bidders will return the completed forms, dated and signed, 
to the Forest Service Sale Officer.
    The data gathered in this information collection are not available 
from other sources.

Forms Associated With This Information Collection

    FS-2400-42a--National Forest Timber and Forest Products for Sale 
(Advertisement and Short-Form Bid): This form will be used for 
soliciting and receiving bids on short-notice timber sales advertised 
for less than 30 days for less than $10,000 in advertised value. 
Respondents are bidders on National Forest System timber sales.
    FS-2400-14--Bid for Advertised Timber (3 form versions: FS-2400-
14UR--Unit Rate Bidding; FS-2400-14WA--Weighted Average Bidding; FS-
2400-14TV--Total Value Bidding): These forms implement the same 
statutes, policies, and regulations and collect similar information 
from the same applicants. Respondents are bidders on National Forest 
System timber and forest product sales.
    FS-2400-14BV--Bid for Integrated Resource Timber Contract (2 form 
versions: FS-2400-14BV--Best Value, Total Value Bidding; FS-2400-
14BVU--Best Value, Unit Rate Bidding): These forms will be used for 
soliciting and receiving bids on contracts advertised for 30 days or 
longer and on contracts greater than $10,000 in advertised value.
    FS-2400-14sb--Substitute Blocks of FS-2400-14UR, FS-2400-14WA, and 
FS-2400-14TV when sale contains specified roads to a higher standard 
than is needed to remove timber and the specified road construction 
cost is $50,000 or greater, or when sale contains specified roads to a 
higher standard than is needed to remove timber and the specified road 
construction cost is less than $50,000. Substitution language specific 
for Region 10 for small business set aside sales is also included in 
FS-2400-14sb.
    Affected Public: Private sector.
    Estimate of Burden per Response: 31 hours per response.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 1,824.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.6.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 118,017 hours.
    Comment is Invited:
    Comment is invited on: (1) whether this collection of information 
is necessary for the stated purposes and the proper performance of the 
functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have 
practical or scientific utility; (2) the accuracy of the Agency's 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request for 
Office of Management and Budget approval.

JoLynn D. Anderson,
Agency Federal Register Officer, Policy Office.
[FR Doc. 2024-25714 Filed 11-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411-15-P


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