Document ID: EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989-0001
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Contractor Conflicts of Interest
Posted Date: 2011-01-25T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4343-4345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1476]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989; FRL-9256-4; EPA ICR No. 1550.07; OMB Control 
No. 2030-023]

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Contractor Conflicts of Interest

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to 
submit a request to renew an existing approved Information Collection 
Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This ICR is 
scheduled to expire on May 31, 2011. Before submitting the ICR to OMB 
for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on specific aspects 
of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 28, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OARM-2010-0989 by one of the following methods:
     http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: ramrakha.staci@epa.gov.
     Fax: (202) 566-1753.
     Mail: EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989, OEI Docket, Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 
20460. Please include a total of three (3) copies.
     Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center-Attention OEI Docket, EPA 
West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW.,

[[Page 4344]]

Washington, DC 20004. Such deliveries are only accepted during the 
Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be 
made for deliveries of boxed information.
    Instructions: Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-
2010-0989.
    EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the 
public docket without change and may be made available online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided, 
unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential 
Business Information (CBI) or other information whose disclosure is 
restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to 
be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-
mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous 
access'' system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact 
information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you 
send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured 
and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket 
and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic 
comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact 
information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you 
submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties 
and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to 
consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special 
characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or 
viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the 
EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Staci Ramrakha, Policy, Training, and 
Oversight Division, Acquisition Policy and Training Service Center 
(3802R), Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW., Washington DC 20460; telephone number: (202) 564-2017; e-mail 
address: ramrakha.staci@epa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

How can I access the docket and/or submit comments?

    EPA has established a public docket for this ICR under Docket ID 
No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989, which is available for online viewing at 
http://www.regulations.gov, or in person viewing at the OEI Docket in 
the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, 
and the telephone number for the OEI Docket is 202-566-1752.
    Use http://www.regulations.gov to obtain a copy of the draft 
collection of information, submit or view public comments, access the 
index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those 
documents in the public docket that are available electronically. Once 
in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the docket ID number 
identified in this document.

What information is EPA particularly interested in?

    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA specifically 
solicits comments and information to enable it to:
    (i) Evaluate 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;
    (ii) Evaluate 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;
    (iii) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) 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. In particular, EPA is requesting comments from 
very small businesses (those that employ less than 25) on examples of 
specific additional efforts that EPA could make to reduce the paperwork 
burden for very small businesses affected by this collection.

What should I consider when I prepare my comments for EPA?

    You may find the following suggestions helpful for preparing your 
comments:
    1. Explain your views as clearly as possible and provide specific 
examples.
    2. Describe any assumptions that you used.
    3. Provide copies of any technical information and/or data you used 
that support your views.
    4. If you estimate potential burden or costs, explain how you 
arrived at the estimate that you provide.
    5. Offer alternative ways to improve the collection activity.
    6. Make sure to submit your comments by the deadline identified 
under DATES.
    7. To ensure proper receipt by EPA, be sure to identify the docket 
ID number assigned to this action in the subject line on the first page 
of your response. You may also provide the name, date, and Federal 
Register citation.

What information collection activity or ICR does this apply to?

    Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2010-0989.
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
businesses or organizations performing contracts for the EPA.
    Title: Conflict of Interest, Rule  1.
    ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1550.07, OMB Control No. 2030-023.
    ICR status: This ICR is currently scheduled to expire on May 31, 
2011. An Agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 
required to respond to, a collection of information, unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal 
Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed 
either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate 
means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if 
applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA 
regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.
    Abstract: EPA contractors will be required to disclose business 
relationships and corporate affiliations to determine whether EPA's 
interests are jeopardized by such relationships. Because EPA has the 
dual responsibility of cleanup and enforcement and because its 
contractors are often involved in both activities, it is imperative 
that contractors are free from conflicts of interest so as not to 
prejudice response and enforcement actions. Contractors will be 
required to maintain a database of business relationships and report 
information to EPA on either an annual basis or when each work order is 
issued.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1,138 
hours per response. Burden means the total time,

[[Page 4345]]

effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, 
maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a 
Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; 
develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the 
purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, 
processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing 
information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously 
applicable instructions and requirements which have subsequently 
changed; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of 
information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of 
information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.
    The ICR provides a detailed explanation of the Agency's estimate, 
which is only briefly summarized here. The EPA estimates a total of 135 
respondents, 10 new and 125 existing. The estimated total annual burden 
hours are 153,626 for 135 responses for an average burden of 1,821 per 
respondent.
    Estimated total annual costs are $10,978,201.08. This includes an 
estimated contractor burden cost of $9,858,202.20 and an estimated 
Agency burden cost of $1,119,998.88. These amounts were calculated 
using the hours above and the labor rates from the 2009 Bureau of Labor 
National Mean Statistics and the General Schedule. Specific 
calculations are included in the ICR. Because it will not be necessary 
for respondents to acquire any capital goods to provide the requested 
information, EPA has estimated no incurred capital/start-up costs.

Are there changes in the estimates from the last approval?

    There is no change in the hours in the total estimated respondent 
burden compared with that identified in the ICR currently approved by 
OMB.

What is the next step in the process for this ICR?

    EPA will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as 
appropriate. The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for 
review and approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12. At that time, EPA will 
issue another Federal Register notice pursuant to 5 CFR 
1320.5(a)(1)(iv) to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB. If you have any 
questions about this ICR or the approval process, please contact the 
technical person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: January 18, 2011.
John R. Bashista,
Director, Office of Acquisition Management.
[FR Doc. 2011-1476 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
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