26772 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 93 /Thursday, May 14, 1998 / Notices

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology. Comments submitted in

response to this notice will be

summarized and/or included in the

request for OMB approval of this

information collection; they will also

become a matter of public record.

Dated: May 7, 1998.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office

of Management and Organization.

[FR Doc. 98–12890 Filed 5–13–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–EC–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Office of the Secretary

Department of Commerce Partners in

Quality Contracts (PQC) Program

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment

request.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Commerce, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before July 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental

Clearance Officer, Department of

Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection

instrument(s) and instructions should

be directed to Ms. Deborah O’Neill,

Department of Commerce, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 6422,

Washington, DC, 20230. Her telephone

number is (202) 482–0202.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The National Performance Review

(NPR) conducted by Vice President Gore

outlined several objectives, including

improving the Federal acquisition

process. Along with the NPR objectives

are associated Administration

initiatives, such as greater emphasis on

contractor’s past performance;

expanding the use of alternative

disputes’ resolution procedures; and

improving communications overall

between industry and government. The

Department of Commerce (DOC) has

developed a program that is

philosophically consistent with NPR,

known as the Partners in Quality

Contracting (PQC) Program. PQC is a

creative nonmonetary recognition

program that showcases the importance

of quality in the government acquisition

process. It is intended as an effective yet

inexpensive means of recognizing

quality performance from both DOC

contractors and acquisition personnel.

The information collected is used to

determine qualifications of applicants

by DOC for purposes of recognizing

DOC contractors and acquisition

personnel who have promoted

excellence in contracting through

quality performance. The DOC PQC

Evaluation Committee will be an

independent committee, comprised of

DOC employees from key functional

areas. The universe of applicants

includes all DOC contractors that have

performed a DOC contract valued

during the previous fiscal year at or

above $100,000, if a large business,

$50,000 or above, if a small one. A small

business is defined as ‘‘a business,

including an affiliate, that is

independently owned and operated, is

not dominant in producing or

performing the supplies or services

being purchased, and has no more than

500 employees.’’ Eligible contractors

would ‘‘self nominate’’ through the

submission of a company profile than

an application that would be

independently evaluated against preestablished criteria. Finalists would be

site visited, as appropriate, by a

government team before the final

selections are made. Award recipients

will be selected by consensus of the

Committee. Award recipients will be

invited to send representatives to attend

an award reception.

II. Method of Collection

Written submission.

III. Data

OMB Number: 0690–0012.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Regular submission

for extension of a currently approved

collection.

Affected Public: Businesses or other

for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

50.

Estimated Time per Response: 38.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 1,900.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $0 (no

capital expenditures are required).

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether

the proposed collection of information

is necessary for the proper performance

of the functions of the agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden

(including hours and cost) of the

proposed collection of information; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on respondents, including through the

use of automated collection techniques

or other forms of information

technology. Comments submitted in

response to this notice will be

summarized and/or included in the

request for OMB approval of this

information collection; they will also

become a matter of public record.

Dated: May 7, 1998.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office

of Management and Organization.

[FR Doc. 98–12891 Filed 5–13–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–EC–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Office of the Secretary

Women-Owned Small Business

Sources

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment

request.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Commerce, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce a paperwork and

respondent burden, invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

take this opportunity to comment on

proposed and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C. 3506

(c)(2) (A)).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before July 13, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental

Clearance Officer, Department of

Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection

instrument(s) and instructions should

be directed to Ms. Deborah O’Neill,

Department of Commerce, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 6422,