03-25115. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549

Extension

Rule 11Ac1-1—SEC File No. 270-404—OMB Control No. 3235-0461.

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 (“Commission”) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below.

Rule 11Ac1-1, Dissemination of Quotations, contains two related collections of information necessary to disseminate market makers' published quotations to buy and sell securities to the public. The first collection of information is found in Rule 11Ac1-1(c) 17 CFR 11Ac1-1(c). This reporting requirement obligates each “responsible broker or dealer,” as defined under the rule, to communicate to its exchange or association its best bids, best offers, and quotation sizes for any subject security, as defined under the rule. The second collection of information is found in Rule 11Ac1-1(b) 17 CFR11Ac1-1(b). This reporting requirement obligates each exchange and association to make available to quotation vendors for dissemination to the public the best bid, best offer, and aggregate quotation size for each subject security.^[1] Brokers, dealers, other market participants, and members of the public rely on published quotation information to determine the best price and market for execution of customer orders.

It is anticipated that 721 respondents, consisting of 180 exchange specialists and 541 OTC market makers, will make 246,788,000 total annual responses pursuant to Rule 11Ac1-1, resulting in an annual aggregate burden of approximately 205,486 hours.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collections of information are necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collections of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of collections of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this publication.

Please direct your written comments to Kenneth A. Fogash, Acting Associate Executive Director/CIO, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549.

Dated: September 24, 2003.

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  A third requirement under the Rule 11Ac1-1, as amended at 17 CFR 11Ac1-1(c)(5), gives electronic communications networks (“ECNs”) the option of reporting to an exchange or association for public dissemination, on behalf of their OTC market maker or exchange specialist customers, the best priced orders and the full size for such orders entered by market makers, to satisfy such market makers' reporting obligation under Rule 11Ac1-1(c). Because this reporting requirement is an alternative method of meeting the market makers' reporting obligation, and because it is directed to nine or fewer persons (ECNs), this collection of information is not subject to OMB review under the Paperwork Reduction Act.