Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 82 /Wednesday, April 29, 1998 / Notices 23479

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Donald A. Cool,

Director, Division of Industrial and Medical

Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material

Safety and Safeguards.

[FR Doc. 98–11341 Filed 4–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request for Reclearance of

a Revised Information Collection: Form

RI 20–1

AGENCY: Office of Personnel

Management.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub.

L. 104–13, May 22, 1995), this notice

announces that the Office of Personnel

Management (OPM) intends to submit to

the Office of Management and Budget a

request for reclearance of a revised

information collection. RI 20–1,

Application for Minimum Annuity, is

completed by annuitants to determine if

they qualify for minimum annuity

under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 8345(f).

Comments are particularly invited on:

whether this information is necessary

for the proper performance of functions

of the Office of Personnel Management,

and whether it will have practical

utility; whether our estimate of the

public burden of this collection of

information is accurate, and based on

valid assumptions and methodology;

and ways in which we can minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, through

the use of appropriate technological

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

Approximately 50 RI 20–1 forms will

be completed annually. We estimate it

takes approximately 15 minutes to

complete the form. The annual burden

is 13 hours.

For copies of this proposal, contact

Jim Farron on (202) 418–3208, or E-mail

to jmfarron@opm.gov

DATES: Comments on this proposal

should be received on or before June 29,

1998.

ADDRESSES: Send or deliver comments

to Lorraine E. Dettman, Chief,

Operations Support Division,

Retirement and Insurance Service, U.S.

Office of Personnel Management, 1900 E

Street, NW, Room 3349, Washington,

DC 20415.

FOR INFORMATION REGARDING

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATION CONTACT:

Mary Beth Smith-Toomey, Budget &

Administrative Services Division, (202)

606–0623.

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Janice R. Lachance,

Director.

[FR Doc. 98–11405 Filed 4–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–M

OFFICE OF PERSONNEL

MANAGEMENT

Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory

Committee; Open Committee Meetings

According to the provisions of section

10 of the Federal Advisory Committee

Act (Pub. L. 92–463), notice is hereby

given that a meeting of the Federal

Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee

will be held on Thursday, May 7, 1998. The meeting will start at 10:00 a.m.

and will be held in Room 5A06A, Office

of Personnel Management Building,

1900 E Street, NW., Washington, DC. The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory

Committee is composed of a Chair, five

representatives from labor unions

holding exclusive bargaining rights for

Federal blue-collar employees, and five

representatives from Federal agencies.

Entitlement to membership on the

Committee is provided for in 5 U.S.C.

5347.

The Committee’s primary

responsibility is to review the Prevailing

Rate System and other matters pertinent

to establishing prevailing rates under

subchapter IV, chapter 53, 5 U.S.C., as

amended, and from time to time advise

the Office of Personnel Management. This scheduled meeting will start in

open session with both labor and

management representatives attending.

During the meeting either the labor

members or the management members

may caucus separately with the Chair to

devise strategy and formulate positions.

Premature disclosure of the matters

discussed in these caucuses would

unacceptably impair the ability of the

Committee to reach a consensus on the

matters being considered and would

disrupt substantially the disposition of

its business. Therefore, these caucuses

will be closed to the public because of

a determination made by the Director of

the Office of Personnel Management

under the provisions of section 10(d) of

the Federal Advisory Committee Act

(Pub. L. 92–463) and 5 U.S.C.

552b(c)(9)(B). These caucuses may,

depending on the issues involved,

constitute a substantial portion of a

meeting. Annually, the Chair compiles a report

of pay issues discussed and concluded

recommendations. These reports are

available to the public, upon written

request to the Committee’s Secretary.

The public is invited to submit

material in writing to the Chair on

Federal Wage System pay matters felt to

be deserving of the Committee’s

attention. Additional information on

this meeting may be obtained by

contacting the Committee’s Secretary,

Office of Personnel Management,

Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory

Committee, Room 5559, 1900 E Street,

NW., Washington, DC 20415 (202) 606–

1500.

Dated: April 20, 1998.

Phyllis G. Heuerman,

Acting Chair, Federal Prevailing Rate

Advisory Committee.

[FR Doc. 98–11356 Filed 4–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6325–01–P

POSTAL SERVICE

Revised Form 8125, Plant-Verified

Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification/

Clearance and New Facsimile

Consolidated Form 8125, Plant-Verified

Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification/

Clearance; Consolidated

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice presents pending

revisions to Form 8125, Plant-Verified

Drop Shipment (PVDS) Verification/

Clearance, and Form 8125–C, a new

Plant-Verified Drop Shipment (PVDS)

Verification/Clearance—Consolidated

form intended for use as a computergenerated facsimile. The Mailer’s

Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC)

8125 Redesign Work Group developed

the revised forms. The Postal Service

expects the revised hard copy Form

8125 to be available this summer. Once

the final format is approved, Forms

8125 and 8125–C will be available on

the USPS Web (www.usps.gov/busctr/

welcome.htm under business forms).

In addition, Form 2866–IP, In-Plant

Verification for Second- and FourthClass Matter, will be eliminated upon

implementation of the revised forms

8125 and 8125–C. Form 2866–IP is used

by some Periodicals mailers who pay

postage through the Centralized Postage

Payment (CPP) program.

To ensure that the revised Forms 8125

and facsimile 8125–C meet the needs of

customers, the Postal Service is seeking

comments from PVDS mailers regarding

the revisions described in this notice.

Copies of the revised draft Forms 8125

and 8125–C are available for review on

the USPS Web page in the business

section under Rates & Classification
23480 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 82 /Wednesday, April 29, 1998 / Notices

initiatives. You may also request copies

using the address indicated below.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before May 29, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written

comments to the Manager, Business

Mail Acceptance, USPS Headquarters,

475 L’Enfant Plaza SW Rm 6801,

Washington, DC 20260–6808. Copies of

all written comments will be available

at the above address for inspection and

photocopying between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Cheryl Beller, (202) 268–5166.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

provisions of Domestic Mail Manual

(DMM) P750.2.9, mailers must submit a

completed Form 8125 to the origin

(verifying) post office for each PVDS

mailing destined for a destination entry

post office. The completed form serves

as a receipt indicating that the postage

for a shipment being presented to a

destination entry postal facility for

acceptance as mail has been paid at the

appropriate rates.

Many mailers are using early versions

of Form 8125 rather than the most

recent version (October 1996). Other

mailers are using computer-generated

facsimile Form 8125 with formats and

data elements that vary from the current

Form 8125. A large number of mailers

are using a facsimile consolidated Form

8125 (replaced by Form 8125–C) to

represent multiple mailings for a single

destination entry office that originate

from the same mailing plant. Because

the information on many of these forms

appears in varied locations or formats,

or is missing altogether on some older

Forms 8125 and on facsimile forms, it

often is difficult for destination entry

facilities to readily identify key

information on the forms to attempt to

compare the information with the

physical mail being presented for

acceptance.

The MTAC 8125 Redesign Work

Group was formed to develop a usable

Form 8125 for single mailings to an

entry postal facility, as well as to

develop a standard format for

consolidated facsimile Form 8125, for

use by all PVDS mailers. Use of the new

forms 8125 and 8125–C is intended to

allow entry postal facilities to readily

identify key information on the forms

for comparison with the physical mail.

The attendees of the work group agreed

to limit the focus of their efforts to the

design and use of Form 8125 rather than

to any broader issues related to PVDS in

general that do not directly relate to the

current clearance document. The Postal

Service proposes phasing out older

versions of Form 8125 and facsimiles

that do not meet the new format

standards over a 6-month period to

begin 30 days from the publication of

the final notice in the Federal Register

announcing availability of the revised

forms.

The MTAC work group agreed that

Form 8125 does not necessarily need to

be a hard copy document and that

future developments, such as Direct

Link, may offer an electronic alternative

for some mailers. However, the focus of

the group was on the general needs of

the Postal Service and mailing industry

in our current hard copy environment.

Form 8125

The following key features are

incorporated into the revised Form 8125

for single mailings:

• Form 8125 contains only essential

elements presented in an easy-to-read

format.

• Form 8125 will continue to be a

three-part form.

• Facsimile forms used by mailers

must closely mirror the layout and

content of Form 8125.

• Detailed instructions for completion

of the form will be printed on the

reverse of each page of the Form 8125.

These instructions will not be required

to be printed on facsimile forms.

Removing the instructions from the

front of the form will make the form less

cluttered and ensure that key

information about mailing(s) will appear

more prominently. Facsimile forms also

will be easier to print. The instructions

to appear on the reverse have been

expanded to include more information

about PVDS requirements because these

postal forms are more likely to be used

by mailers less familiar with PVDS than

mailers who use computer-generated

facsimile forms.

• The information on the front of

Form 8125 more clearly describes the

mail verified for both mailers and postal

employees responsible for verifying and

accepting PVDS mailings.

• The revised form includes

information for contacting the origin

postal facility and mailer when

problems are identified at destination

entry offices.

• Because it is the key to closing out

an appointment in the Drop Ship

Appointment System (DSAS), the

confirmation (appointment) number is

moved to the top of Form 8125 to make

it clearly identifiable.

• No data elements of the revised

Form 8125 appear in shaded areas

(currently the entry post office block is

shaded) because shaded areas do not

photocopy well.

• Information about the units

comprising the mailing are described

more clearly to differentiate between

mail properly presorted and cleared for

acceptance at origin as palletized mail

and mail that was not cleared at origin

as palletized mail (e.g., trays presorted

on pallets will be identified as such

while trays that are not verified and

cleared as properly palletized trays will

be identified as nonpalletized mail).

• A mailer comment section is

included in Part 1. This may be used for

information relevant to the load or the

shipper, such as the name (and possibly

the telephone number) of the

consolidator, if one is used, if known at

the time the form is being completed.

• Information has been added to

accommodate drop-shipped

international mail (e.g., ISAL).

• Information about load condition

for completion by entry postal facilities

is included on Form 8125 in a manner

(as a list of items to check) that will

facilitate entering the information into

DSAS.

Proposed Format for Form 8125–C

Some mailers have been approved to

present facsimile consolidated Forms

8125. The new Form 8125–C will allow

mailers to identify multiple mailings for

the same destination entry office that

are prepared by a single mailer and

verified and cleared for dispatch on a

single day. The mailings must be

transported on the same vehicle to the

destination entry office. The

consolidated form contains line item

information about each mailing and

total information about the unit loads

being presented to the destination

facility. It simplifies the process by

which the destination entry office

compares total mail units presented

with the totals shown on the

consolidated form (e.g., total pallets).

The new Form 8125–C was established

by the MTAC work group members to

replace the variety of formats currently

being used by mailers. Because these

forms are most likely to be computer

generated, there is no justification for

the Postal Service to print Form 8125–

C.

The proposed format of Form 8125–C

omits several separate data blocks that

appear in Part 1—Mailer and Part 2—

Post Office of Origin sections on Form

8125 because the information is shown

in the line item entries describing each

individual mailing reported on the

facsimile consolidated Form 8125–C in

Part 1. For example, the following items

that appear in separate sections in Parts

1 and 2 on the revised Form 8125 are

included in the line entry (in columns)

for each mailing reported on the

consolidated Form 8125–C:

• Class of mail
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 82 /Wednesday, April 29, 1998 / Notices 23481

• Product name/ID

• Type and number of containers

• Piece weight

• Weight of mailing

• Postage payment method.

Other information to be included for

each mailing reported as a line item

entry includes:

• Permit holder

• Postage statement sequence number

• Number of pieces in the mailing.

Elimination of Form 2866–IP

Some mailers who pay postage

through the CPP program still use Form

2866–IP, In-Plant Verification for

Second- and Fourth-Class Matter, for

Periodicals mailings that are verified at

a central location and deposited at

destination entry offices. Because the

information on Form 2866–IP is

duplicated on Form 8125, there is no

longer any need for a separate Form

2866–IP. CPP customers have already

been notified that Form 2866–IP will be

eliminated when the revised Forms

8125 and 8125–C are available.

Stanley F. Mires,

Chief Counsel, Legislative.

[FR Doc. 98–11045 Filed 4–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7710–12–P

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE

COMMISSION

[Rel. No. IC–23126; 812–10892]

The Americas Growth Fund, Inc., et al.;

Notice of Application

April 23, 1998.

AGENCY: Securities and Exchange

Commission (‘‘SEC’’).

ACTION: Notice of application for

exemption under section 57(c) of the

Investment Company Act of 1940 (the

‘‘Act’’) from section 57(a) of the Act.

SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: The order

would permit The Americas Growth

Fund, Inc. (‘‘AGRO’’), a business

development company (‘‘BDC’’), to

complete a merger with an affiliated

person.

APPLICANTS: AGRO and JW Charles

Financial Services, Inc. (‘‘JWCFS’’).

FILING DATE: The application was filed

on December 9, 1997. Applicants have

agreed to file an amendment, the

substance of which is incorporated in

this notice, during the notice period.

HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An

order granting the application will be

issued unless the SEC orders a hearing.

Interested persons may request a

hearing by writing to the SEC’s

Secretary and serving applicants with a

copy of the request, personally or by

mail. Hearing requests should be

received by the SEC by 5:30 p.m. on

May 19, 1998, and should be

accompanied by proof of service on

applicants in the form of an affidavit or,

for lawyers, a certificate of service.

Hearing requests should state the nature

of the writer’s interest, the reason for the

request, and the issues contested.

Persons who wish to be notified of a

hearing may request notification by

writing to the SEC’s Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Secretary, SEC, 450 5th

Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549.

Applicants: AGRO, 701 Brickell

Avenue, Suite 2000, Miami, Florida

33131 and JWCFS, 980 North Federal

Highway, Suite 310, Boca Raton, Florida

33432.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Elaine M. Boggs, Senior Counsel, at

(202) 942–0572 (Office of Investment

Company Regulation, Division of

Investment Management).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

following is a summary of the

application. The complete application

may be obtained for a fee at the SEC’s

Public Reference Branch, 450 5th Street,

N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549

(telephone (202) 942–8090).

Applicants’ Representations

1. AGRO is a Maryland corporation

that is a closed-end non-diversified

management investment company and

that has elected to be regulated as a BDC

under the Act. AGRO’s common stock

was listed on Nasdaq until delisted on

March 17, 1998. JWCFS is a Florida

corporation and a financial services

holding company. JWCFS, through

wholly-owned subsidiaries, engages

primarily in securities brokerage,

investment banking, and clearing and

execution of securities transactions.

JWCFS’s common stock trades on the

American Stock Exchange (‘‘AMEX’’).

2. On August 13, 1997, JWCFS

commenced an exchange offer (the

‘‘Exchange Offer’’) to AGRO’s

shareholders to acquire each share of

AGRO common stock for .431 shares of

JWCFS common stock (the ‘‘Exchange

Ratio’’). The Exchange Ratio was

calculated based upon the net asset

value (‘‘NAV’’) per share of AGRO

common stock on March 31, 1997 and

the average of the last reported sales

prices of JWCFS common stock on

AMEX for the ten trading days

immediately preceding the public

announcement of the Exchange Offer on

June 9, 1997. In connection with its

consideration of the Exchange Offer, the

board of directors of AGRO (‘‘Board’’)

engaged an independent appraiser to

provide an opinion concerning the

fairness of the transaction from a

financial point of view to the

shareholders of AGRO. Based upon the

value of the offer using the traded

market price of the common stock of

both AGRO and JWCFS and applying

the Exchange Ratio and its comparison

to: (a) the traded market price of

AGRO’s common stock; (b) the NAV per

share of AGRO’s common stock; and (c)

the liquidation value per share of

AGRO’s common stock, the appraiser

delivered an opinion to the Board on

August 22, 1997 concluding that the

JWCFS common stock to be received as

consideration for the sale of AGRO

common stock to JWCFS, if the JWCFS

common stock had a value of $3.40 per

share or higher, was fair from a financial

point of view to the shareholders of

AGRO. The price of JWCFS common

stock on August 14, 1997 (the date the

Exchange Offer began) and September

22, 1997 (the date of the Exchange Offer

ended) was $3.66 and $3.50,

respectively. The JWCFS common stock

to be received per share of AGRO

common stock represented a premium

to AGRO shareholders of 23.2% and

12.5% in August 14 and September 22,

1997, respectively. A prospectus and

related letter of transmittal relating to

the Exchange Offer were mailed to

AGRO’s shareholders on August 14,

1997. The prospectus stated that the

Exchange Offer would be followed by a

consolidating merger. As a result of the

Exchange Offer, JWCFS now owns

approximately 91 percent of the issued

and outstanding common stock of

AGRO.

3. Applicants propose to merge AGRO

into JWCFS at the earliest practicable

date following receipt of the requested

order (the ‘‘Merger’’). Because JWCFS

now owns more than 90 percent of the

outstanding AGRO common stock,

JWCFS may carry out the Merger as a

‘‘short-form’’ merger under the relevant

provisions of Florida and Maryland

corporate law. The short-form merger

would permit the Merger to be

accomplished without a vote of the

shareholders of either corporation.

4. Under the proposed terms of the

Merger, each share of AGRO common

stock not owned by JWCFS would be

canceled and those AGRO shareholders

would be entitled to receive .431 share

of JWCFS common stock for each share

of AGRO common stock owned by them

(which is the same as the Exchange

Ratio used for the Exchange Offer). In

the Merger, JWCFS would become the

owner of all of the issued and

outstanding common stock of AGRO

and, as the sole shareholder of AGRO,

intends to approve the withdrawal of

AGRO’s status as a BDC under the Act.