64888 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 241 / Friday, December 14, 2001 / Notices

communication between the BLS and

respondents containing confidential

data can now occur if the following

conditions are met: (1) It is necessary, as

a last resort, to obtain a usable response,

and the transmission contains the

fewest data elements necessary. (2)

Purely logistical information, although

it could tend to disclose an individual

respondent’s identification, may be

exchanged with individual respondents

(or potential respondents) using regular

Internet e-mail if doing so promotes the

efficiency of survey collection and is

acceptable to the respondent. (3) E-mail

must only be used as a data collection

mechanism if it is necessary to obtain

cooperation from the respondent. (4) No

group names are to be used when

addressing an e-mail message

containing confidential data. Whenever

confidential communications occur, the

BLS e-mail must include the ‘‘BLS

Statement to Respondent in the Use of

Electronic Data transmission,’’ which

states the inherent risks to information

confidentiality.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Title: Producer Price Index Survey.

OMB Number: 1220–0008.

Affected Public: Business and other

for-profit.

Form Total respondents Frequency Total responses

Average

time per

response

(minutes)

Estimated

total burden

(hours)

BLS 1810A, A1, B, C, C1, and E .................................................................... 1,585 Once ........ 6,340 120 12,680

BLS 473P ......................................................................................................... 26,250 Monthly .... 1,260,000 18 378,000

Totals ........................................................................................................ 27,835 .................. 1,266,340 ................ 390,680

Estimated Total Burden Hours:

390,680 hours.

Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):

$0.

Total Burden Cost (operating/

maintenance): $0.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for Office of

Management and Budget approval of the

information collection request; they also

will become a matter of public record.

Signed at Washington, DC, this 7th day of

December, 2001.

Jesu ́ s Salinas,

Acting Chief, Division of Management

Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

[FR Doc. 01–30892 Filed 12–13–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–24–P

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration

Proposed Extension of Information

Collection Request Submitted for

Public Comment; Application for

EFAST Electronic Signature and Codes

for EFAST Transmitters and Software

Developers

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (the

Department), as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, conducts a

preclearance consultation program to

provide the general public and other

federal agencies with an opportunity to

comment on proposed and continuing

collections of information in accordance

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of

1995 (PRA 95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

This program helps to ensure that

requested data is provided in the

desired format, reporting burden (time

and financial resources) is minimized,

collection instruments are clearly

understood, and the impact of collection

requirements on respondents can be

properly assessed.

By this notice, the Department is

soliciting comments concerning the

Application for EFAST Electronic

Signature and Codes for EFAST

Transmitters and Software Developers

(Form EFAST–1). A copy of the

proposed information collection request

(ICR) can be obtained by contacting the

office listed below in the addresses

section of this notice. The proposed

Form EFAST–1 is also available for

viewing and downloading through the

Department of Labor’s Internet site

(http://www.efast.dol.gov).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted to the office listed in the

addresses section below on or before

February 12, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are

invited to submit written comments

regarding the collection of information.

Send comments to Gerald B. Lindrew,

Office of Policy and Research, U.S.

Department of Labor, Pension and

Welfare Benefits Administration, 200

Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N–

5647, Washington, DC 20210.

Telephone: (202) 693–8414; Fax: (202)

219–4745. These are not toll-free

numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

Under part 1 of Title I of the

Employee Retirement Income Security

Act of 1974 (ERISA), Title IV of ERISA,

and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,

as amended, administrators of pension

and welfare benefit plans (collectively,

employee benefit plans) subject to those

provisions and employers sponsoring

certain fringe benefit plans and other

plans of deferred compensation are

required to file returns/reports annually

concerning the financial condition and

operations of the plans. These reporting

requirements are satisfied generally by

filing the Form 5500 Series in

accordance with its instructions and the

related regulations.

Beginning with the 1999 plan year,

the Agency announced the availability

of computer scannable forms and the

development of electronic filing

technologies. The computer scannable

formats were developed to facilitate the

implementation of a computerized

system designed to process the Form

5500 and the IRS Form 5500–EZ—the

ERISA Filing and Acceptance System,

or EFAST. The Form 5500 and Form

5500–EZ may also be filed electronically

via modem, magnetic tape, floppy

diskette, or CD–ROM.

In order to participate in the

electronic filing program, applicants are

required to submit an Application for

EFAST Electronic Signature and Codes

for EFAST Transmitters and Software

Developers (Form EFAST–1), the subject

of this ICR. Applicants who may file the

Form EFAST–1 include: (1) Individuals

applying for an electronic signature to

sign a Form 5500 or 5500–EZ as, or on

behalf of, plan administrators,

employers/plan sponsors, or Direct

Filing Entities (DFEs) using modem,

magnetic tape, floppy diskette, or CD–

ROM to file electronically; (2)

transmitters (a company, trade,

business, or other person) applying for

codes to transmit Forms 5500 and/or

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 241 / Friday, December 14, 2001 / Notices 64889

Forms 5500–EZ for electronic filing

using modem, magnetic tape, floppy

diskette, or CD–ROM; and, (3) software

developers (a company, trade, business,

or other person that creates, programs,

or otherwise modifies computer

software) applying for codes required to

develop EFAST-compliant computer

software for electronically preparing

and filing the Form 5500 and/or Form

5500–EZ. Applicants provide some or

all of the following information

depending on applicant type: name and

title of applicant, mailing address,

Employer Identification Number (EIN),

telephone number, facsimile number

and e-mail address (optional), contact

person if different than applicant, and a

signed agreement concerning the terms

and conditions of the electronic filing

program. Applicants receive, depending

on applicant type, some or all of the

following codes: electronic signature;

filer identification number; personal

identification number; encryption key;

electronic filing identification number;

password; and software developer ID.

Applicants use these codes, as

applicable, in connection with

electronic filing, electronic

transmission, or the development of

EFAST software for the Form 5500 and

5500–EZ.

The information provided by the

applicants on EFAST–1, combined with

the codes supplied to the applicants by

the program, allow EFAST to verify a

filer, transmitter, or software

developer’s standing as a qualified

participant in the EFAST electronic

filing program for the Form 5500 and

5500–EZ. EFAST–1 information also

establishes a means of contact between

the EFAST program and filers,

transmitters, and software developers

for information exchange.

Type of Review: Extension of a

currently approved collection.

Agency: Department of Labor, Pension

and Welfare Benefits Administration.

Title: Application for EFAST

Electronic Signature and Codes for

EFAST Transmitters and Software

Developers.

Agency Form: EFAST–1.

OMB Number: 1210–0117.

Frequency: On occasion.

Affected Public: Individuals or

households; business or other for-profit;

Not-for-profit institutions.

Total Respondents: 10,800.

Total Responses: 10,800.

Estimated Total Burden Hours: 3,600.

Estimated Total Burden Cost: $4,100.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

The Department is particularly

interested in comments that:

• Evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agencies, including

whether the information will have

practical utility;

• Evaluate the accuracy of the

agencies’ estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;

• Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected;

• Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, including through the

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology,

e.g., permitting electronic submission of

responses.

III. Current Actions

The Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration is requesting an

extension of the currently approved ICR

pertaining to the Application for EFAST

Electronic Signature and Codes for

EFAST Transmitters and Software

Developers (Form EFAST–1). The

Department is not proposing or

implementing changes to the existing

ICR at this time.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval of the ICR; they will also

become a matter of public record.

Dated: December 11, 2001.

Gerald B. Lindrew,

Deputy Director, Office of Policy and

Research, Pension and Welfare Benefits

Administration.

[FR Doc. 01–30891 Filed 12–13–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510–29–P

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The National Science

Foundation (NSF) is announcing plans

to request clearance of this collection. In

accordance with the requirement of

section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995, we are providing

opportunity for public comment on this

action. After obtaining and considering

public comment, NSF will prepare the

submission requesting OMB clearance

of this collection for no longer than 3

years.

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 of

the proposed collection of information;

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,

and clarity of the information on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

other forms of information technology;

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.

DATES: Written comments should be

received by February 12, 2002, to be

assured of consideration. Comments

received after that date would be

considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Written comments

regarding the information collection and

requests for copies of the proposed

information collection request should be

addressed to Suzanne Plimpton, Reports

Clearance Officer, National Science

Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Rm.

295, Arlington, VA 22230, or by E-mail

to splimpto@nsf.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Suzanne Plimpton on (703) 292–7556 or

send E-mail to splimpto@nsf.gov.

Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the Federal Information

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time,

Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: The Evaluation of

NSF’s Louis Stokes Alliance for

Minority Participation (LSAMP)

Program.

OMB Control No.: 3145–NEW.

Expiration Date of Approval: Not

applicable.

1. Abstract

This document has been prepared to

support the clearance of data collection

instruments to be used in the evaluation

of the Louis Stokes Alliance of Minority

Participation (LSAMP) Program. The

goal of this program is to increase the

number of interested, academically

qualified minority students receiving

baccalaureate degrees in science,

technology, engineering and math

(STEM), continuing to graduate school

to attain a STEM graduate degree, and

entering the STEM workforce. The

program makes awards to alliances,

which are composed of institutional