05-6933. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 4, 2005.

AGENCY:

The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments regarding (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), [e-mail] or fax [phone] and to Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by calling [phone].

An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information that such persons are not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Rural Housing Service

Title: RD 3550-28, “Authorization Agreement for Preauthorization Payments”; RD 1951-65, “Customer Initiated Payments (CIP)” and RD 1951-66, “Fedwire Worksheet”.

OMB Control Number: 0575-0184.

Summary of Collection: Rural Development (RD) uses electronic methods for receiving and processing loan payments and collections. These electronic collection methods are approved by Treasury and include Preauthorized Debits (PAD), Customer Initiated Payments (CIP), and FedWire. These electronic collection methods provide the borrower the ability to submit their loan payments the day prior to, or the day of their installment due date. To administer these electronic payment methods, RD will use approved agency forms for collecting financial institution routing information. Form RD 3550-28, Authorization Agreement for Preauthorized Payments, is prepared by the borrower to authorized RD to electronically collect regular loan payments from a borrower's account at a financial institution (FI) as preauthorized debits. Form RD 1951-65, is prepared by the borrower to enroll in CIP. CIP is an electronic collection method that enables borrowers to input payment data to a contract bank via telephone (touch tone and voice) or computer terminal. Form RD 1951-66, FedWire Worksheet, is completed by the borrower to establish an electronic FedWire format with their FI.

Need and Use of the Information: RD will request that borrowers make payments electronically via PAD, CIP, or FedWire. The information is collected only once unless the FI routing information changes. If the information were not collected, RD would be unable to collect loan payments electronically.

Description of Respondents: Not-for-profit institutions; business or other for-profit; State, local or tribal government.

Number of Respondents: 22,263.

Frequency of Responses: Reporting: on occasion.

Total Burden Hours: 11,132.

Ruth Brown,

Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer.