[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23515-23518]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9413]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request
Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC
20549-0213.
Extension:
Rule 12d1-1; SEC File No. 270-526; OMB Control No. 3235-0584.
Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the ``Commission'') has submitted to the Office of
Management and Budget a request for extension of the previously
approved collection of information discussed below.
An investment company (``fund'') is generally limited in the amount
of securities the fund (``acquiring fund'') can acquire from another
fund (``acquired fund''). Section 12(d) of the Investment Company Act
of 1940 (the ``Investment Company Act'' or ``Act'') \1\ provides that a
registered fund (and companies it controls) cannot:
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\1\ See 15 U.S.C. 80a.
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Acquire more than three percent of another fund's
securities;
Invest more than five percent of its own assets in another
fund; or
invest more than ten percent of its own assets in other
funds in the aggregate.\2\
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\2\ See 15 U.S.C. 80a-12(d)(1)(A). If an acquiring fund is not
registered, these limitations apply only with respect to the
acquiring fund's acquisition of registered funds.
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In addition, a registered open-end fund, its principal underwriter,
and any registered broker or dealer cannot sell that fund's shares to
another fund if, as a result:
The acquiring fund (and any companies it controls) owns
more than three percent of the acquired fund's stock; or
All acquiring funds (and companies they control) in the
aggregate own more than ten percent of the acquired fund's stock.\3\
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\3\ See 15 U.S.C. 80a-12(d)(1)(B).
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Rule 12d1-1 under the Act provides an exemption from these
limitations for ``cash sweep'' arrangements in which a fund invests all
or a portion of its available cash in a money market fund rather than
directly in short-term instruments.\4\ An acquiring fund relying on the
exemption may not pay a sales load, distribution fee, or service fee on
acquired fund shares, or if it does, the acquiring fund's investment
adviser must waive a sufficient amount of its advisory fee to offset
the cost of the loads or distribution fees.\5\ The acquired fund may be
a fund in the same fund complex or in a different fund complex. In
addition to providing an exemption from section 12(d)(1) of the Act,
the rule provides exemptions from section 17(a) of the Act and rule
17d-1 thereunder, which restrict a fund's ability to enter into
transactions and joint arrangements with affiliated persons.\6\ These
provisions would otherwise prohibit an acquiring fund from investing in
a money market fund in the same fund complex,\7\ and prohibit a fund
that acquires five percent or more of the securities of a money market
fund in another fund complex from making any additional investments in
the money market fund.\8\
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\4\ See 17 CFR 270.12d1-1.
\5\ See Rule 12d1-1(b)(1).
\6\ See 15 U.S.C. 80a-17(a), 15 U.S.C. 80a-17(d); 17 CFR
270.17d-1.
\7\ An affiliated person of a fund includes any person directly
or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control
with such other person. See 15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(3) (definition of
``affiliated person''). Most funds today are organized by an
investment adviser that advises or provides administrative services
to other funds in the same complex. Funds in a fund complex are
generally under common control of an investment adviser or other
person exercising a controlling influence over the management or
policies of the funds. See 15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(9) (definition of
``control''). Not all advisers control funds they advise. The
determination of whether a fund is under the control of its adviser,
officers, or directors depends on all the relevant facts and
circumstances. See Investment Company Mergers, Investment Company
Act Release No. 25259 (Nov. 8, 2001) [66 FR 57602 (Nov. 15, 2001)],
at n.11. To the extent that an acquiring fund in a fund complex is
under common control with a money market fund in the same complex,
the funds would rely on the rule's exemptions from section 17(a) and
rule 17d-1.
\8\ See 15 U.S.C. 80a-2(a)(3)(A), (B).
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The rule also permits a registered fund to rely on the exemption to
invest in an unregistered money market fund that limits its investments
to those in which a registered money market fund may invest under rule
2a-7 under the Act, and undertakes to comply with all the other
provisions of rule 2a-7.\9\ In addition, the acquiring fund must
reasonably believe that the unregistered money market fund (i) operates
in compliance with rule 2a-7, (ii) complies with sections 17(a), (d),
(e), 18, and 22(e) of the Act \10\ as if it were a registered open-end
fund, (iii) has adopted procedures designed to ensure that it complies
with these statutory provisions, (iv) maintains the records required by
rules 31a-1(b)(1), 31a-1(b)(2)(ii), 31a-1(b)(2)(iv), and 31a-
[[Page 23516]]
1(b)(9); \11\ and (v) preserves permanently, the first two years in an
easily accessible place, all books and records required to be made
under these rules.
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\9\ See 17 CFR 270.2a-7.
\10\ See 15 U.S.C. 80a-17(a), 15 U.S.C. 80a-17(d), 15 U.S.C.
80a-17(e), 15 U.S.C. 80a-18, 15 U.S.C. 80a-22(e).
\11\ See 17 CFR 270.31a-1(b)(1), 17 CFR 270.31a-1(b)(2)(ii), 17
CFR 270.31a-1(b)(2)(iv), 17 CFR 270.31a-1(b)(9).
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Rule 2a-7 contains certain collection of information requirements.
An unregistered money market fund that complies with rule 2a-7 would be
subject to these collection of information requirements. In addition,
the recordkeeping requirements under rule 31a-1 with which the
acquiring fund reasonably believes the unregistered money market fund
complies are collections of information for the unregistered money
market fund. The adoption of procedures by unregistered money market
funds to ensure that they comply with sections 17(a), (d), (e), 18, and
22(e) of the Act also constitute collections of information. By
allowing funds to invest in registered and unregistered money market
funds, rule 12d1-1 is intended to provide funds greater options for
cash management. In order for a registered fund to rely on the
exemption to invest in an unregistered money market fund, the
unregistered money market fund must comply with certain collection of
information requirements for registered money market funds. These
requirements are intended to ensure that the unregistered money market
fund has established procedures for collecting the information
necessary to make adequate credit reviews of securities in its
portfolio, as well as other recordkeeping requirements that will assist
the acquiring fund in overseeing the unregistered money market fund
(and Commission staff in its examination of the unregistered money
market fund's adviser).
The number of unregistered money market funds that would be
affected by the proposal is an estimate based on the number of
Commission exemptive applications that the Commission received in the
past that sought relief for registered funds to purchase shares in an
unregistered money market fund in excess of the section 12(d)(1)
limits. The hour burden estimates for the condition that an
unregistered money market fund comply with rule 2a-7 are based on the
burden hours included in the Commission's 2009 and 2010 PRA submissions
regarding rule 2a-7 (``rule 2a-7 submissions'').\12\ The estimated
average burden hours in this collection of information are made solely
for purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act and are not derived from a
quantitative, comprehensive or even representative survey or study of
the burdens associated with Commission rules and forms.
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\12\ Securities and Exchange Commission, Request for OMB
Approval of Extension for Approved Collection for Rule 2a-7 under
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (OMB Control No. 3235-0268)
(approved October 13, 2009); Securities and Exchange Commission,
Request for OMB Approval of Revision for Approved Collection for
Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (OMB Control No.
3235-0268) (approved April 18, 2010).
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In the rule 2a-7 submissions, Commission staff made the following
estimates with respect to aggregate annual hour and cost burdens for
collections of information for each existing registered money market
fund:
Documentation of credit risk analyses, and determinations regarding
adjustable rate securities, asset backed securities, and securities
subject to a demand feature or guarantee:
81 responses
410 hours of professional time
Cost: $79,130
Public Web site posting of monthly portfolio information:
12 responses
4.4 burden hours of professional time
Cost: $12,584
The staff estimates that registered funds currently invest in 30
unregistered money market funds in excess of the statutory limits under
rule 12d1-1.\13\ Each of these unregistered money market funds engages
in the collections of information described above. Accordingly, the
staff estimates that unregistered money market funds complying with the
collections of information described above engage in a total of 2790
annual responses under rule 12d1-1,\14\ the aggregate annual burden
hours associated with these responses is 12,432,\15\ and the aggregate
annual cost to funds is $2.75 million.\16\
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\13\ This estimate is based on the number of applications
seeking exemptions to invest in unregistered money market funds
filed with the Commission in 2005 (40), adjusted by the percentage
change in registered money market funds from 2005 to November 2011
(870 to 641, according to the Investment Company Institute). This
estimate may be understated because applicants generally did not
identify the name or number of unregistered money market funds in
which registered funds intended to invest, and each application also
applies to unregistered money market funds to be organized in the
future. Because the Commission adopted rule 12d1-1 in June 2006,
2005 is the last full year in which the Commission received
applications seeking an exemption to invest in unregistered money
market funds.
\14\ The estimate is based on the following calculations: (30
funds x 81 responses for documentation of credit analyses and other
determinations) = 2340 responses. (30 funds x 12 responses for
public Web site posting) = 360 responses. 2340 responses + 360
responses = 2790 responses.
\15\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (30
funds x 410 hours for documentation of credit analyses and other
determinations) = 12,300 hours. (30 funds x 4.4 hours for public Web
site posting) = 132 hours. 12,300 hours + 132 hours = 12,432 hours.
\16\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (30
funds x $79,130) = $2,373,900. (30 funds x $12,584) = $377,520.
$2,373,900 + $377,520 = $2,751,420.
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In the rule 2a-7 submissions, Commission staff further estimated
the aggregate annual hour and cost burdens for collections of
information for fund complexes with registered money market funds as
follows:
Review and revise procedures concerning stress testing:
1 response
7 burden hours of professional and director time
Cost: $5650
Draft, compile, and provide stress testing reports to board of
directors:
10 responses
27 burden hours of director, professional, and support staff time
Cost: $69,990
Maintain records of stress testing reports to board of directors:
10 responses
0.2 burden hours of support staff time
Cost: $103
Maintain records of creditworthiness evaluations of repurchase
counterparties:
1 response
2 burden hours of support staff time
Cost: $124
Reporting of rule 17a-9 transactions: \17\
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\17\ See 17 CFR 270.17a-9.
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1 response
1 burden hour of legal time
Cost: $305
In the rule 2a-7 submissions, Commission staff estimated that there
are 163 fund complexes with 719 registered money market funds subject
to rule 2a-7. The staff estimates that there are 30 fund complexes with
unregistered money market funds invested in by mutual funds in excess
of the statutory limits under rule 12d1-1.\18\ Each of these fund
complexes engages in the collections of information described above.
Accordingly, the staff estimates that these fund complexes complying
with the collections of information described above engage in a total
of 690 annual responses under rule 12d1-1,\19\ the aggregate annual
burden
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hours associated with these responses is 1116,\20\ and the aggregate
annual cost to funds is $2,285,160.\21\
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\18\ Given the fact that exemptive applications are generally
filed on behalf of fund complexes rather than individual funds, the
staff estimates that each of the exemptive applications upon which
its estimates of the number of unregistered money market funds is
based represents a separate fund complex. See supra note 13.
\19\ The estimate is based on the following calculations: (30
fund complexes x 1 response for revision of procedures concerning
stress testing) = 30 responses. (30 fund complexes x 10 responses to
provide stress testing reports) = 300 responses. (30 fund complexes
x 10 responses to maintain stress testing reports) = 300 responses.
(30 fund complexes x 1 response to maintain records of
creditworthiness) = 30 responses. (30 fund complexes x 1 response
for reporting of rule 17a-9 transactions) = 30 responses. 30
responses + 300 responses + 300 responses + 30 responses + 30
responses = 690 responses.
\20\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (30
fund complexes x 7 hours for revision of procedures concerning
stress testing) = 210 hours. (30 fund complexes x 27 hours to
provide stress testing reports) = 810 hours. (30 fund complexes x
0.2 hours to maintain stress testing reports) = 6 hours. (30 fund
complexes x 2 hours to maintain records of creditworthiness) = 60
hours. (30 fund complexes x 1 hour for reporting of rule 17a-9
transactions) = 30 hours. 210 hours + 810 hours + 6 hours + 60 hours
+ 30 hours = 1116 hours.
\21\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (30
fund complexes x $5650 for revision of procedures concerning stress
testing) = $169,500. (30 fund complexes x $69,990 to provide stress
testing reports) = $2,099,700. (30 fund complexes x $103 to maintain
stress testing reports) = $3090. (30 fund complexes x $124 to
maintain records of creditworthiness) = $3720. (30 fund complexes x
$305 for reporting of rule 17a-9 transactions) = $9150. $169,500 +
$2,099,700 + $3090 + $3720 + $9150 = $2,285,160.
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In the rule 2a-7 submissions, the staff further estimated the
aggregate annual burdens for registered money market funds that amend
their board procedures as follows:
Amendment of procedures designed to stabilize the fund's net asset
value:
1 response
2.4 burden hours of director time
Cost: $2,340
Consistent with the estimate in the rule 2a-7 submissions,
Commission staff estimates that approximately \1/4\, or 8, unregistered
money market funds review and amend their board procedures each year.
Accordingly, the staff estimates that unregistered money market funds
complying with this collection of information requirement engage in a
total of 8 annual responses under rule 12d1-1,\22\ the aggregate annual
burden hours associated with these responses is 19,\23\ and the
aggregate annual cost to funds to comply with this collection of
information is $18,720.\24\
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\22\ The estimate is based on the following calculation: (8
funds x 1 response for board review and amendment of procedures) = 8
responses.
\23\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: (8
funds x 2.4 hours for review and amendment of procedures) = 19.2
hours.
\24\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: (8
funds x $2,340) = $18,720.
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In the rule 2a-7 submissions, Commission staff further estimated
the aggregate annual burdens for registered money market funds that
experience an event of default or insolvency as follows:
Written record of board determinations and actions related to
failure of a security to meet certain eligibility standards or an event
of default of default or insolvency:
2 responses
1 burden hour of legal time
Cost: $270
Notice to Commission of an event of default or insolvency:
1 response
1.5 burden hours of legal time
Cost: $405
Consistent with the estimate in the rule 2a-7 submissions,
Commission staff estimates that approximately 2 percent, or 1,
unregistered money market fund experiences an event of default or
insolvency each year. Accordingly, the staff estimates that one
unregistered money market fund will comply with these collection of
information requirements and engage in 3 annual responses under rule
12d1-1,\25\ the aggregate annual burden hours associated with these
responses is 2.5,\26\ and the aggregate annual cost to funds is
$675.\27\
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\25\ The estimate is based on the following calculations: (1
fund x 2 responses) + (1 fund x 1 response) = 3 responses.
\26\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (1
fund x 1 hour) + (1 fund x 1.5 hours) = 2.5 hours.
\27\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: (1
fund x $270) + (1 fund x $405) = $675.
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In the rule 2a-7 submissions, Commission staff further estimated
the aggregate annual burdens for newly registered money market funds as
follows:
Establishment of written procedures designed to stabilize the
fund's net asset value and guidelines for delegating board authority
for determinations under the rule:
1 response
15.5 hours of director, legal, and support staff time
Cost: $5,610.
Adopt procedures concerning stress testing:
1 response per fund complex
8.33 burden hours of professional and director time per fund complex
Cost: $6,017 per fund complex
Commission staff estimates that the proportion of unregistered
money market funds that intend to newly undertake the collection of
information burdens of rule 2a-7 will be similar to the proportion of
money market funds that are newly registered. Because of the recent
decrease in registered money market funds and the lack of newly
registered money market funds, the staff believes that there will be no
unregistered money market funds that will undertake the collections of
information required for newly registered money market funds.\28\ As a
result, the staff estimates that there will be no burdens associated
with these collection of information requirements.
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\28\ See supra note 13.
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Accordingly, the estimated total number of annual responses under
rule 12d1-1 for the collections of information described in the rule
2a-7 submissions is 3,491, the aggregate annual burden hours associated
with these responses is 13,570, and the aggregate cost to funds is $5.1
million.\29\
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\29\ These estimates are based upon the following calculations:
2790 + 690 + 8+ 3 = 3,491 annual responses; 12,432 + 1,116 + 19 +
2.5 = 13,569.5 burden hours; and $2,751,420 + $2,285,160 + $18,720 +
675 = $5,055,975.
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Rules 31a-1(b)(1), 31a-1(b)(2)(ii), 31a-1(b)(2)(iv), and 31a-
1(b)(9) require registered funds to keep certain records, which include
journals and general and auxiliary ledgers, including ledgers for each
portfolio security and each shareholder of record of the fund. Most of
the records required to be maintained by the rule are the type that
generally would be maintained as a matter of good business practice and
to prepare the unregistered money market fund's financial statements.
Accordingly, Commission staff estimates that the requirements under
rules 31a-1(b)(1), 31a-1(b)(2)(ii), 31a-1(b)(2)(iv), and 31a-1(b)(9)
would not impose any additional burden because the costs of maintaining
these records would be incurred by unregistered money market funds in
any case to keep books and records that are necessary to prepare
financial statements for shareholders, to prepare the fund's annual
income tax returns, and as a normal business custom.
Rule 12d1-1 also requires unregistered money market funds in which
registered funds invest to adopt procedures designed to ensure that the
unregistered money market funds comply with sections 17(a), (d), (e),
and 22(e) of the Act. This is a one-time collection of information
requirement that applies to unregistered money market funds that intend
to comply with the requirements of rule 12d1-1. As discussed above,
Commission staff estimates that because of the recent decrease in
registered money market funds and the lack of newly registered money
market funds there will be no unregistered money market funds that will
undertake the collections of information required for newly
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registered money market funds.\30\ For similar reasons, the Commission
staff estimates that there will be no registered money market funds
that will adopt procedures designed to ensure that the unregistered
money market funds comply with sections 17(a), (d), (e), and 22(e) of
the Act. The staff concludes that there will be no burdens associated
with these collection of information requirements.
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\30\ See supra text accompanying note 28.
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Commission staff further estimates that unregistered money market
funds will incur costs to preserve records, as required under rule 2a-
7. These costs will vary significantly for individual funds, depending
on the amount of assets under fund management and whether the fund
preserves its records in a storage facility in hard copy or has
developed and maintains a computer system to create and preserve
compliance records. In the rule 2a-7 submissions, Commission staff
estimated that the amount an individual money market fund may spend
ranges from $100 per year to $300,000. We have no reason to believe the
range is different for unregistered money market funds. The Commission
does not have specific information on the amount of assets managed by
unregistered money market funds or the proportion of those assets held
in small, medium-sized, or large unregistered money market funds.
Accordingly, Commission staff estimates that unregistered money market
funds in which registered funds invest in reliance on rule 12d1-1 are
similar to registered money market funds in terms of amount and
distribution of assets under management.\31\ Based on a cost of
$0.0051295 per dollar of assets under management for small funds,
$0.0005041 per dollar of assets under management for medium-sized funds
and $0.0000009 per dollar of assets under management for large funds,
the staff estimates compliance with rule 2-7 for these unregistered
money market funds totals $3.9 million annually.\32\
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\31\ In the rule 2a-7 submissions, the staff estimated that 757
registered money market funds have $3.8 trillion in assets under
management, or $5 billion in assets under management per registered
money market fund. The staff further estimated that 0.2% of those
assets are held in small money market funds (funds with less than
$50 million in assets under management), 3% are held in medium-sized
money market funds (funds with $50 million to $1 billion in assets
under management), and the remaining assets are held in large money
market funds (funds with more than $1 billion in assets under
management).
\32\ This estimate is based on the following calculations: 30
unregistered money market funds x $5 billion = $150 billion. ($150
billion x 0.2% x $0.0051295) = $1.5 million for small funds. ($150
billion x 3% x 0.0005041) = $2.3 million for medium-sized funds.
($150 billion x 96.8% x 0.0000009) = $0.1 million for large funds.
$1.5 million + $2.3 million + $0.1 million = $3.9 million. The
estimate of cost per dollar of assets is the same as that used in
the rule 2a-7 submissions. See supra note 12.
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Consistent with estimates made in the rule 2a-7 submissions,
Commission staff estimates that unregistered money market funds also
incur capital costs to create computer programs for maintaining and
preserving compliance records for rule 2a-7 of $0.0000132 per dollar of
assets under management. Based on the assets under management figures
described above, staff estimates annual capital costs for all
unregistered money market funds of $1.98 million.\33\
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\33\ This estimate is based on the following calculation: $150
billion x 0.0000132 = $1.98 million.
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Commission staff further estimates that, even absent the
requirements of rule 2a-7, money market funds would spend at least half
of the amounts described above for record preservation ($2.0 million)
and for capital costs ($0.99 million). Commission staff concludes that
the aggregate annual costs of compliance with the rule are $2.0 million
for record preservation and $0.99 million for capital costs.
The collections of information required for unregistered money
market funds by rule 12d1-1 are necessary in order for acquiring funds
to be able to obtain the benefits described above. Notices to the
Commission will not be kept confidential. 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 control number.
The public may view the background documentation for this
information collection at the following Web site, www.reginfo.gov.
Comments should be directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office
Building, Washington, DC 20503, or by sending an email to: Shagufta_Ahmed@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief Information
Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon,
6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312 or send an email to: PRA_Mailbox@sec.gov. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of
this notice.
April 13, 2012.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-9413 Filed 4-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P