[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 216 (Friday, November 7, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 66351]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26458]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 216 / Friday, November 7, 2014 /
Notices
[[Page 66351]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal
Procurement
AGENCY: Office of Procurement and Property Management, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of request for extension of a currently approved
information collection.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces that the Department of
Agriculture, Office of Procurement and Property Management, is hereby
requesting an extension of a currently approved information collection,
Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement.
DATES: Comments received by January 6, 2015 will be considered.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods. All
submissions received must include the agency name. Also, please
identify submittals as pertaining to the ``Notice of Request for
Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection.''
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Email: [email protected]. Include ``Notice of Request
for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection'' on the
subject line. Please include your name and address in your message.
Mail/commercial/hand delivery: Mail or deliver your
comments to: Ron Buckhalt, USDA, Office of Procurement and Property
Management, Room 361, Reporters Building, 300 7th St. SW., Washington,
DC 20024.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means
for communication for regulatory information (Braille, large print,
audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202)720-2600
(voice) and (202)690-0942 (TTY).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Buckhalt, USDA, Office of
Procurement and Property Management, Room 361, Reporters Building, 300
7th St. SW., Washington, DC 20024; email: [email protected]; phone
(202) 205-4008. Information regarding the Federal biobased preferred
procurement program (one part of the BioPreferred Program) is available
on the Internet at http://www.biopreferred.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal
Procurement.
OMB Control Number: 0503-0011.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information
collection.
Abstract: The USDA BioPreferred Program provides that qualifying
biobased products that fall under product categories (generic groups of
biobased products) that have been designated for preferred procurement
by rule making are required to be purchased by Federal agencies in lieu
of their fossil energy-based counterparts, with certain limited
exceptions. Further, USDA is required by section 9002 of the Farm
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended by the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and the Agricultural Act of 2014,
to provide certain information on qualified biobased products to
Federal agencies. To meet these statutory requirements, USDA will
gather that information from manufacturers and vendors of biobased
products. The information sought by USDA can be transmitted
electronically using the Web site http://www.biopreferred.gov. If for
any reason the requested information cannot be electronically
transmitted, USDA will provide technical assistance to support the
transmission of information to USDA. The information collected will
enable USDA to meet statutory information requirements that will then
permit USDA to designate product categories for preferred procurement
under the BioPreferred Program. Once product categories are designated,
manufacturers and vendors of qualifying biobased products that fall
under these designated product categories will benefit from preferred
procurement by Federal agencies.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 40 hours per response.
Respondents: Manufacturers and vendors of biobased products.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 220.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One per manufacturer
or vendor.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 8,800 hours, one time
only. Manufacturers and vendors are asked to respond only once.
Therefore, there is no ongoing annual paperwork burden on respondents.
Comments are invited on: (1) 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; (2) 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; (3) ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who
are to respond, including 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.
Dated: October 29, 2014.
Gregory L. Parham,
Assistant Secretary For Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2014-26458 Filed 11-6-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-93-P