2012-10291. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 20549-0213.

Extension:

Rule 15c2-8; OMB Control No. 3235-0481; SEC File No. 270-421.

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 approval of extension of the existing collection of information provided for in the following rule: Rule 15c2-8 (17 CFR 240.15c2-8), under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).

Rule 15c2-8 requires broker-dealers to deliver preliminary and/or final prospectuses to certain people under certain circumstances. In connection with securities offerings generally, including initial public offerings (IPOs), the rule requires broker-dealers to take reasonable steps to distribute copies of the preliminary or final prospectus to anyone who makes a written request, as well as any broker-dealer who is expected to solicit purchases of the security and who makes a request. In connection with IPOs, the rule requires a broker-dealer to send a copy of the preliminary prospectus to any person who is expected to receive a confirmation of sale (generally, this means any person who is expected actually to purchase the security in the offering) at least 48 hours prior to the sending of such confirmation. This requirement is sometimes referred to as the “48 hour rule.”

Additionally, managing underwriters are required to take reasonable steps to ensure that all broker-dealers participating in the distribution of or trading in the security have sufficient copies of the preliminary or final prospectus, as requested by them, to enable such broker-dealer to satisfy their respective prospectus delivery obligations pursuant to Rule 15c2-8, as well as Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933.

Rule 15c2-8 implicitly requires that broker-dealers collect information, as such; the collection facilitates compliance with the rule. There is no requirement to submit collected information to the Commission. In order to comply with the rule, broker-dealers participating in a securities offering must keep accurate records of persons who have indicated interest in an IPO or requested a prospectus, so that they know to whom they must send a prospectus.

The Commission estimates that broker-dealers will spend a total of 74,010 hours complying with the collection of information required by the rule. The Commission estimates that the total number of responses required by the rule is 6,909. The Commission estimates that the total annualized cost burden (copying and postage costs) is $15,014,400 ($12,300,000 for IPOs + $2,714,400 for other offerings).

The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

The public may view the background documentation for this information collection at the following Web site, www.reginfo.gov. Comments should be directed to: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or by sending an email to: [e-mail]; and (ii) Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, c/o Remi Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, VA 22312 or send an email to: [e-mail]. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice.

Dated: April 24, 2012.

Kevin M. O'Neill,

Deputy Secretary.