2023-25478. Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Extension: Form N-6F

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549–2736.

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”) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval.

The title for the collection of information is “Form N–6F (17 CFR 274.15), Notice of Intent to Elect to be Subject to Sections 55 through 65 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.” The purpose of Form N–6F is to notify the Commission of a company's intent to file a notification of election to become subject to Sections 55 through 65 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq. ) (“1940 Act”). Certain companies may have to make a filing with the Commission before they are ready to elect to be regulated as a business development company.^[1] A company that is excluded from the definition of “investment company” by Section 3(c)(1) because it has fewer than one hundred shareholders and is not making a public offering of its securities may lose such an exclusion solely because it proposes to make a public offering of securities as a business development company. Such company, under certain conditions, would not lose its exclusion if it notifies the Commission on Form N–6F of its intent to make an election to be regulated as a business development company. The company only has to file a Form N–6F once.

The Commission estimates that on average approximately 9 companies file these notifications each year. Each of those companies need only make a single filing of Form N–6F. The Commission further estimates that this information collection imposes burden of 0.5 hours, resulting in a total annual PRA burden of 4.5 hours. Based on the estimated wage rate, the total cost to the industry of the hour burden for complying with Form N–6F would be approximately $1,912.50.

The collection of information under Form N–6F is mandatory. The information provided under the form is not 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 OMB control number.

Written comments are invited on: (a) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted by January 16, 2024.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information under the PRA unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Please direct your written comments to: David Bottom, Acting Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o John Pezzullo, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or send an email to: [e-mail].

Dated: November 14, 2023.

Sherry R. Haywood,

Assistant Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  A company might not be prepared to elect to be subject to Sections 55 through 65 of the 1940 Act because its capital structure or management compensation plan is not yet in compliance with the requirements of those sections.