E6-4200. Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Monthly Progress Reports (Renewal), EPA ICR Number 1039.11, OMB Control Number 2030-0005

AGENCY:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA)(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this document announces that an Information Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. This is a request to renew an existing approved collection. The ICR, which is abstracted below, describes the nature of the information collection and its estimated burden and cost.

DATES:

Additional comments may be submitted on or before April 24, 2006.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your comments, referencing Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OARM-2005-0002 for Monthly Progress Reports, EPA ICR Number 1039.11, OMB Control Number 2030-0005, to (1) EPA online using http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method), by e-mail to [e-mail], or by mail to: EPA Docket Center, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Information Docket (OEI), Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460, and (2) OMB by mail to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nikki Burley, Policy and Oversight Service Center, Office of Acquisition Management, Mail Code 3802R, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: [phone]; fax number: [phone]; e-mail address: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

EPA has submitted the following ICR to OMB for review and approval according to the procedures prescribed in 5 CFR 1320.12. On October 20, 2005 (70 FR 61124), EPA sought comments on this ICR pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.8(d). EPA received no comments. Any additional comments on this ICR should be submitted to EPA and OMB within 30 days of this notice.

EPA has established a public dockets for this ICR under Docket ID number EPA-HQ-OARM-2005-0002, which is available for public viewing at the OEI Docket in the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), EPA West, Room B102, 1301 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC. The EPA/DC Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Reading Room is 202-566-1744, and the telephone number for the OEI Docket is 202-566-1752. An electronic version of the public docket is available for online viewing at http://www.regulations.gov.

Use EPA's electronic docket and comment system at http://www.regulations.gov,, to submit or view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the docket, and to access those documents in the docket that are available electronically. Once in the system, select “docket search,” then key in the docket ID number identified above. Please note that EPA's policy is that public comments, whether submitted electronically or in paper, will be made available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov as EPA receives them and without change, unless the comment contains copyrighted material, CBI, or other information whose public disclosure is restricted by statute. For further information about the electronic docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov.

Title: Monthly Progress Reports (Renewal).

ICR numbers: EPA ICR No. 1039.11, OMB Control No. 2030-0005.

ICR Status: This ICR is scheduled to expire on March 31, 2006. Under OMB regulations, the Agency may continue to conduct or sponsor the collection of information while this submission is pending at OMB. 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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in title 40 of the CFR, after appearing in the Federal Register when approved, are listed in 40 CFR part 9, are displayed either by publication in the Federal Register or by other appropriate means, such as on the related collection instrument or form, if applicable. The display of OMB control numbers in certain EPA regulations is consolidated in 40 CFR part 9.

Abstract: Agency contractors who have cost reimbursable, time and material, labor hour, or indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity fixed rate contracts will report the technical and financial progress of the contract on a monthly basis. EPA will use this information to monitor the contractors' progress under the contract. Responses to the information collection are mandatory for contractors, and are required for the contractors to receive monthly payments. Information submitted is protected from public release in accordance with Agency's confidentiality regulations, 40 CFR 2.201 et seq. An agency many 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. The OMB control numbers for EPA's regulations in 40 CFR are listed in 40 CFR part 9.

Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and recordkeeping burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 28 hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the information.

Respondents/Affected Entities: The majority of respondents fall into one of the following NAICS codes: 511210 for prepackaged computer software, 541511 for computer processing services, 54170 for computer-related services, 541620 for environmental consulting services, and 339 for miscellaneous services.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 363.

Frequency of Response: Monthly.

Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 121,968.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: $8,562,000, which includes $0 annual capital/startup costs, $44,000 annual O&M costs, and, $8,518,000 annual labor costs.

Changes in the Estimates: There is a decrease of 18,972 hours in the total estimated burden currently identified in the OMB Inventory of Approved ICR Burdens. Collection activity hours have decreased since the last clearance due mainly to improved tracking software and increasing familiarity with EPA reporting requirements.

Dated: March 14, 2006.

Oscar Morales,

Director, Collection Strategies Division.