Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 217 / Monday, November 10, 2014 / Notices 66691 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. Comments may be sent to: 

Michele L. Brooks, Director, Program 

Development and Regulatory Analysis, 

Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Stop 1522, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–1522. 

Telephone: (202) 690–1078, Fax: (202) 

720–8435. Email: Michele.Brooks@

wdc.usda.gov. 

Title: 7 CFR 1726, Electric System 

Construction Policies and Procedures. 

OMB Control Number: 0572–0107. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Abstract: In order to facilitate the 

programmatic interest of the Rural 

Electrification Act of 1936, 7 U.S.C. 901 

et seq. (RE Act), and, in order to assure 

that loans made or guaranteed by RUS 

are adequately secured, RUS, as a 

secured lender, has established certain 

standards and specifications for 

materials, equipment, and construction 

of electric systems. The use of standard 

forms, construction contracts, and 

procurement procedures helps assure 

that appropriate standards and 

specification are maintained, that RUS’ 

loan security is not adversely affected, 

and the loan and loan guarantee funds 

are used effectively and for the intended 

purposes. The list of forms and 

corresponding purposes for this 

information collection are as follows: 

1. RUS Form 168b, Contractor’s Bond 

This form is used to provide a surety bond 

for contracts on RUS Forms 200, 257, 786, 

790, & 830. 

2. RUS Form 168c, Contractor’s Bond (less 

than $1 million) 

This form is used to provide a surety bond 

in lieu of RUS Form 168b, when contractor’s 

surety has accepted a small business 

administration guarantee. 

3. RUS Form 187, Certificate of Completion— 

Contract Construction 

This form is used for the closeout of RUS 

Forms 200, 257, 786, and 830. 

4. RUS Form 198, Equipment Contract 

This form is used for equipment purchases. 

5. RUS Form 200, Construction Contract— 

Generating 

This form is used for generating plant 

construction or for the furnishing and 

installation of major items of equipment. 

6. RUS Form 213, Certificate (‘‘Buy 

American’’) 

This form is used to document compliance 

with the ‘‘Buy American’’ requirement. 

7. RUS Form 224, Waiver and Release of Lien 

This form is used by subcontractors to 

provide a release of lien in connection with 

the closeout of RUS Forms 198, 200, 257, 

786, 790, and 830. 

8. RUS Form 231, Certificate of Contractor 

This form is used for the closeout of RUS 

Forms 198, 200, 257, 786, and 830. 

9. RUS Form 238, Construction or Equipment 

Contract Amendment 

This form is used to amend contracts 

except for distribution line construction 

contracts. 

10. RUS Form 254, Construction Inventory 

This form is used to document the final 

construction in connection with the closeout 

of RUS Form 830. 

11. RUS Form 257, Contract to Construct 

Buildings 

This form is used to construct headquarter 

buildings, generating plant buildings and 

other structure construction. 

12. RUS Form 307, Bid Bond 

This form is used to provide a bid bond in 

RUS Forms 200, 257, 786, 790 and 830. 

13. RUS Form 786, Electric System 

Communications and Control Equipment 

Contract 

This form is used for delivery and 

installation of equipment for system 

communications. 

14. RUS Form 790, Electric System 

Construction Contract Non-Site Specific 

Construction (Notice and Instructions to 

Bidders) 

This form is used for limited distribution 

construction accounted for under work order 

procedure. 

15. RUS Form 792b, Certificate of Contractor 

and Indemnity Agreement (Line 

Extensions) 

This form is used in the closeout of RUS 

Form 790. 

16. RUS Form 830, Electric System 

Construction Contract (labor & material) 

This form is used for distribution and/or 

transmission project construction. 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 1.5 minutes per 

response. 

Respondents: Businesses or other for 

profits; Not-for-profit institutions. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

1,210. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 4. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 104 hours. 

Copies of this information collection, 

and related forms and instructions, can 

be obtained from Rebecca Hunt, 

Program Development and Regulatory 

Analysis, at (202) 205–3660. 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. 

Dated: November 3, 2014. 

Jasper Schneider, 

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–26617 Filed 11–7–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Information Collection Activity; 

Comment Request 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S. C. Chapter 35, as amended), the 

Rural Utilities Service, an agency of the 

United States Department of Agriculture 

(USDA), invites comments on this 

information collection for which 

approval from the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) will be requested. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received by January 9, 2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michele Brooks, Director, Program 

Development and Regulatory Analysis, 

USDA—Rural Utilities Service, 1400 

Independence Ave. SW., STOP 1522, 

Room 5818 South Building, 

Washington, DC 20250–1522. 

Telephone: (202) 690–1078. Fax: (202) 

720–3485. Email: Michele.Brooks@

wdc.usda.gov 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office 

of Management and Budget’s (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 will be 

submitted to OMB for approval. 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

this 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 

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 those who 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical or other technological 

collection techniques, or other forms of 

information technology. Comments may 

be sent to Michele Brooks, Director, 

Program Development and Regulatory 

Analysis, USDA—Rural Utilities 

Service, STOP 1522, 1400 Independence 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
66692 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 217 / Monday, November 10, 2014 / Notices 

Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250–1522. 

Fax: (202) 720–3485. 

Title: 7 CFR Part 1724, Electric 

Engineering, Architectural Services and 

Design Policies and Procedures. 

OMB Control Number: 0572–0118. 

Type of Request: Extension of a 

previously approved collection. 

Abstract: The Agency requires 

borrowers to use standard contract 

forms under certain circumstances. The 

use of standard forms helps assure the 

Agency that: 

• Appropriate standards and 

specifications are maintained; 

• The Agency’s loan security is not 

adversely affected; and 

• Loan and loan guarantee funds are 

used effectively and for the intended 

purpose. 

Standardization of forms by the 

Agency results in substantial savings to: 

• Borrowers—If standard forms were 

not used, borrowers would need to 

prepare their own documents at 

significant expense; and 

• Government—If standard forms 

were not used, each document 

submitted by a borrower would require 

extensive and costly review by both the 

Agency and the Office of General 

Counsel. 

The contract forms included in this 

collection of information are RUS Form 

211, ‘‘Engineering Service Contract for 

the Design and Construction of a 

Generating Plant,’’ RUS Form 220, 

‘‘Architectural Services Contract,’’ and 

RUS Form 236, Engineering Service 

Contract, ‘‘Electric System Design and 

Construction.’’ 

Estimate of Burden: Public reporting 

burden for this collection of information 

is estimated to average 1.07 hours per 

response. 

Respondents: Businesses, not-forprofit institutions and others. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

59. 

Estimated Number of Responses per 

Respondent: 1. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden on 

Respondents: 63 hours. 

Copies of this information collection 

can be obtained from Matthew Mullen, 

Program Development and Regulatory 

Analysis, at (202) 720–1255. 

Fax: (202) 720–3485. 

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. 

Dated: November 4, 2014. 

Jasper Schneider, 

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–26615 Filed 11–7–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Project Financing Loans, Grants, and 

Loan Guarantees 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Request for Information and 

Notice of Listening Session. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS) seeks public comments on 

implementing the provisions of Section 

6019 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 

(2014 Farm Bill) relating to water and 

waste disposal direct and guaranteed 

loans. RUS is requesting written 

comments regarding the Section 6019 

provisions and their relation to project 

financing requirements. This public 

input will allow all affected 

stakeholders to contribute to the 

development of agency procedures for 

implementing these provisions that will 

continue to support the agency’s 

mission of facilitating the development 

of affordable, reliable utility 

infrastructure to improve the quality of 

life and promote economic development 

in rural America. 

As part of our implementation of the 

2014 Farm Bill, RUS will be hosting a 

listening session. The listening session 

will provide an opportunity for 

stakeholders and other interested parties 

to offer their comments, concerns or 

requests regarding the implementation 

of these provisions. Instructions 

regarding registering for and attending 

the listening session are in the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION of this 

notice. 

DATES: Written Comments: Interested 

parties must submit written comments 

on or before January 9, 2015. 

Listening Session: The listening 

session will be on Wednesday, 

December 10, 2014, and will begin at 

1:00 p.m. and is scheduled to end by 

3:00 p.m. All Participants must register 

by Monday, December 8, 2014. See the 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for 

additional guidance and information on 

the listening session. 

ADDRESSES: Submit comments in either 

paper or electronic format by the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal at 

http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Please send your comment addressed to 

Michele Brooks, Director, Program 

Development and Regulatory Analysis, 

USDA Rural Development, 1400 

Independence Avenue, STOP 1522, 

Room 5159, Washington, DC 20250– 

1522. 

Listening Session: The listening 

session will be held in Room 5141–S of 

the South Agriculture Building at 14th 

and Independence Avenue SW., Wing 1, 

Washington, DC 20250. We invite you to 

participate in the listening session. The 

listening session is open to all members 

of the public who register. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Pamela Bennett, USDA—Rural Utilities 

Service, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW., Stop 1570, Washington, DC 20250– 

1570, telephone (202) 720–9639 or 

email to WEPFarmBill@wdc.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

RUS provides long term financing to 

rural communities for the development 

of water and waste disposal 

infrastructure under the Water and 

Waste Disposal (WWD) program. The 

WWD program is authorized under 

Section 306 of the Consolidated Farm 

and Rural Development Act 7 U.S.C. 

1926 et seq. (CONACT), to provide 

financing in the form of loans, grants, 

and loan guarantees to eligible 

applicants, including cities, towns, and 

unincorporated areas with no more than 

10,000 inhabitants. This financial 

assistance is intended to reach 

communities in greatest need and to 

provide reasonable user costs for rural 

residents, businesses and other rural 

users. 

Section 6019 of the 2014 Farm Bill 

(Pub. L. 113–79) amended Section 333 

of the CONACT to require RUS to 

encourage, to the maximum extent 

practicable, private or cooperative 

lenders to finance rural water and waste 

disposal facilities. The section directs 

the agency to achieve this requirement 

through the following five provisions: 

(A) Maximizing the use of loan 

guarantees to finance eligible projects in 

rural communities in which the 

population exceeds 5,500; (B) 

maximizing the use of direct loans to 

finance eligible projects if there is a 

material impact on the rate payers when 

compared to a loan guarantee; (C) 

establishing and applying a ‘‘materiality 

standard’’ to determine when to 

maximize direct loans as directed in (B); 

(D) requiring projects that require 

interim financing in excess of $500,000 

to initially seek financing from private 

or cooperative lenders; and (E) 

determining if an existing direct loan 

borrower can refinance with a private or 

cooperative lender prior to RUS 

providing a new direct loan. 

RUS regulations for Water and Waste 

Disposal Programs guaranteed loans, 

direct loans and loan servicing are 

found in 7 CFR Parts 1779, 1780, and 


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