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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 103774-103775]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30210]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket #: RBS-24-CO-OP-0018]

60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Rural 
Development Cooperative Agreements (RDCA) Program; OMB Control No.: 
0570-0074

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

[[Page 103775]]

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 the 
Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS or Agency), an agency within 
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development 
(RD), announces its intention to request a revision to a currently 
approved information collection package for Rural Development 
Cooperative Agreements (RDCA) Program. The Agency invites comments on 
this information collection for which it intends to request approval 
from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 18, 2025 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted electronically through the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal, regulations.gov. In the ``Search for dockets and 
documents on agency actions'' box, enter the docket number ``RBS-24-CO-
OP-0018,'' and click the ``Search'' button. From the search results: 
click on or locate the document title: ``60-Day Notice of Proposed 
Information Collection: ``Rural Development Cooperative Agreements 
(RDCA) Program'' and select the ``Comment'' button. Before inputting 
comments, commenters may review the ``Commenter's Checklist'' 
(optional). To submit a comment: Insert comments under the ``Comment'' 
title, click ``Browse'' to attach files (if available), input email 
address, select box to opt to receive email confirmation of submission 
and tracking (optional), select the box ``I'm not a robot,'' and then 
select ``Submit Comment.'' Information on using Regulations.gov, 
including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, 
and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is 
available through the site's ``FAQ'' link.
    All comments will be available for public inspection online at the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal (https://www.regulations.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: MaryPat Daskal, Rural Development 
Innovation Center-Regulations Management Division, USDA, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW, Room 4227, South Building, Washington, DC 
20250-1522. Telephone: (202) 720-7853. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The OMB regulation (5 CFR part 1320) 
implementing provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 
104-13) requires that interested members of the public and affected 
agencies have an opportunity to comment on information collection and 
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice identifies 
an information collection that the Agency is submitting to OMB for a 
revision.
    Title: Rural Development Cooperative Agreements (RDCA) Program.
    OMB Control Number: 0570-0074.
    Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2025.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1.65 hours per response.
    Respondents: Regional consortia of higher education, academic 
health and research institutes, or economic development entities.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 64.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Number of Responses: 640.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,056 hours.
    Abstract: Pursuant to the Federal Agricultural Improvement Act of 
1996 (Pub. L. 104-127), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 
received authorization from Congress under 7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(4) to 
enter into cooperative agreements for the purpose of improving the 
coordination and effectiveness of programs that benefit rural areas. 
This authority is referred to as the Rural Development Cooperative 
Agreement (RDCA) program. There are three agencies within USDA that 
administer programs that specifically target rural areas: The Rural 
Business-Cooperative Service (RB-CS), the Rural Housing Service (RHS), 
and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
    Each year, USDA receives proposals from the public that are not in 
response to a specific program announcement. These proposals are called 
unsolicited proposals. If a proposal is related to one or more 
programs, it will be routed to the appropriated RD agency for review 
and possible consideration for a cooperative agreement using the RDCA 
authority. If the proposal is unique or innovative, then RD has 
authority to enter into a cooperative agreement without competition 
(see 2 CFR 415.1(d)(6)). Alternatively, USDA may issue an invitation to 
submit applications for a cooperative agreement using the RDCA 
authority. These proposals are called solicited proposals. Solicited 
proposals would typically be announced via a Federal Register Notice.
    Information will be collected by the field offices from applicants. 
The collection of information is considered the minimum necessary to 
effectively evaluate the overall scope of the project.
    Failure to collect information could have an adverse impact on 
effectively carrying out the mission, administration, processing, and 
program requirements.
    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 will have practical utility.
    (b) 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.
    (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 appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. All responses to this notice 
will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All 
comments will become a matter of public record.
    Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Lisa 
Day, Innovation Center--Regulations Management Division, at (971) 
313.4750. Email: [email protected].
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of 
public record.

Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk,
Chief Innovation Officer, Innovation Center, USDA Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-30210 Filed 12-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
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