05-6229. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

DOC has submitted to the Office for Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.

Agency: International Trade Administration.

Title: Advocacy Questionnaire.

OMB Number: 0625-0220.

Agency Form Number: ITA-4133P.

Type of Request: Regular Submission.

Burden: 205 hours.

Number of Respondents: 200.

Avg. Hours Per Response: 30 minutes.

Needs and Uses: The International Trade Administration's (ITA) Advocacy Center marshals federal resources to assist U.S. firms competing for foreign government procurements worldwide. The Advocacy Center works closely with the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee which is chaired by the Secretary of Commerce and includes 19 Federal agencies involved in export promotion.

Advocacy assistance is wide and varied, but most often is employed to assist U.S. commercial interests that must deal with foreign governments or government-owned corporations to win or maintain business transactions in foreign markets. The Advocacy Center is at the core of the President's National Export Strategy and its goal to ensure opportunities for American companies in the international marketplace.

The purpose of the Advocacy Questionnaire is to collect the necessary information to evaluate whether a firm qualifies for USG advocacy assistance. The Advocacy Center, appropriate ITA officials, officers at U.S. Embassies/Consulates worldwide, and other federal government agencies that provide advocacy support (the Advocacy Network) to U.S. firms, will request firm(s) seeking USG advocacy support to complete the questionnaire. Without this information, we would be unable to determine if a firm is eligible for U.S. government advocacy.

Affected Public: Business community.

Frequency: On occasion.

Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit, voluntary.

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, [phone].

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th & Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; e-mail: [e-mail].

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent to David Rostker, OMB Desk Officer, at [e-mail] or fax [phone], within 30 days of the publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

Dated: March 24, 2005.

Madeleine Clayton,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.