[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 193 (Thursday, October 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51673-51674]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25365]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Extension of Currently Approved Information Collection for Bid
Form for National Forest System Timber for Sale
AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Forest Service announces its intent to request an extension of a
currently approved information collection. The information is necessary
to determine if a bidder, submitting a bid to the National Forest
System timber sale program, meets the requirements for the program.
DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before December 2,
1996.
ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to: Director, Timber
Management (2430), Forest Service, USDA, P.O. Box 96090, Washington,
D.C. 20090-6090.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Naylor, Timber Management Staff,
at (202) 205-0858.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Description of Information Collection
The following describes the information collection to be extended:
Title: FS-2400-42a--Bid Form for Advertised National Forest System
Timber.
OMB Number: 0596-0066.
Expiration Date of Approval: February 28, 1997.
Type of Request: Extension of a previously approved information
collection.
Abstract: The data collected are used by the agency to ensure that
National Forest System timber is sold at not less than appraised value,
that bidders meet specific criteria when submitting a bid, and that
anti-trust violations do not occur during the bidding process.
Respondents are bidders on National Forest System timber sales. Forest
Service Sale Officers mail bid forms to potential bidders, and bidders
return the completed forms, dated and signed, to the Forest Service
Sale Officer. Each bidder must include the following: the price bid for
the timber, an address, and a tax identification number. The tax
identification number of each bidder is entered into an automated bid
monitoring system, which is used to determine if speculative bidding or
bid collusion is occurring. The tax identification number is also used
to facilitate electronic payments to the purchaser. Data gathered in
this information collection is not available from other sources.
Estimate of Burden: 10 minutes.
Type of Respondents: Individuals, large and small businesses, and
corporations bidding on National Forest timber sales.
[[Page 51674]]
Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,000.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.5.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,250 hours.
The agency invites comments on the following: (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, 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 respondents, including the use of
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology.
Use of Comments
All comments received in response 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: September 26, 1996.
David G. Unger,
Associate Chief.
[FR Doc. 96-25365 Filed 10-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P
