E7-21858. 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Department of State Form DS-1504; Request for Customs Clearance of Merchandise; OMB Control Number 1405-0104

ACTION:

Notice of request for public comments.

SUMMARY:

The Department of State is seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for the information collection described below. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment in the Federal Register preceding submission to OMB. We are conducting this process in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

• Title of Information Collection: Request for Customs Clearance of Merchandise.
• OMB Control Number: 1405-0104.
• Type of Request: Extension of a Currently Approved Collection.
• Originating Office: DS/OFM/VTC/TC.
• Form Number: DS-1504.
• Respondents: Eligible foreign diplomatic or consular missions, certain foreign government organizations, and designated international organizations.
• Estimated Number of Respondents: 350.
• Estimated Number of Responses: 7,800.
• Average Hours Per Response: 30 minutes.
• Total Estimated Burden: 3,900 hours.
• Frequency: On Occasion.
• Obligation to Respond: Required to Obtain or Retain a Benefit.

DATES:

The Department will accept comments from the public up to 60 days from November 7, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

• E-mail: [e-mail].
• Mail (paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): Office of Foreign Missions, International Place, NW., U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20008.
• Fax: [phone].

You must include the DS form number, information collection title, and OMB control number in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Direct requests for additional information regarding the collection listed in this notice, including requests for copies of the proposed information collection and supporting documents, to Ms. Irina Kaufman, DS/OFM/TC, 3507 International Place, NW., U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 2008, who may be reached on 202-895-3683, or by e-mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department to:

• Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper performance of our functions.
• Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used.
• Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected.
• Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of technology.

Abstract of proposed collection: Exemption from customs duties is a privilege enjoyed by foreign diplomatic and consular personnel on assignment in the Unites States under the provision of the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations and the terms of various bilateral agreements. Under the Foreign Missions Act of 1982 (as amended), 22 U.S.C. 4301 et seq., the Department of State's Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) is given the authority to grant privileges and benefits, based on reciprocity. Form DS-1504 “Request for Customs Clearance of Merchandise” provides OFM with the necessary information to provide and administer the benefit effectively and efficiently.

Methodology: Paper copies of the Form DS-1504 are either hand carried or mailed to OFM. Foreign Missions can access this from on the OFM Web site in Portable Document Format (PDF), which provides a data-input and print feature for clean and legible paper copies. An electronic submission option is expected to be made available to respondents in 2008.

Dated: October 3, 2007.

Claude J. Nebel,

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and Deputy Director, Office of Foreign Missions, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Department of State.