02-10849. Financial Management Service; Proposed Collection of Information: Annual Letter (A) and Annual Letter (B), Certification of Authority

AGENCY:

Financial Management Service, Fiscal Service, Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Financial Management Service, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection. By this notice, the Financial Management Service solicits comments concerning “Annual Letter (A) and Annual Letter (B), Certification of Authority.”

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before July 1, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Financial Management Service, 3700 East West Highway, Records and Information Management Branch, Room 135, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the form(s) and instructions should be directed to Dorothy Martin, Manager, Surety Bond Branch, 3700 East West Highway, Room 608A, Hyattsville, MD 20782, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)), the Financial Management Service solicits comments on the collection of information described below.

Title: Annual Letter (A) and Annual Letter (B), Certification of Authority.

OMB Number: 1510-0057.

Form Number: None.

Abstract: This letter is used to collect information from companies to determine their acceptability and solvency to write or reinsure federal surety bonds.

Current Actions: Extension of currently approved collection.

Type of Review: Regular.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 417.

Estimated Time Per Respondents: 62.5 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 26,063.

Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (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 respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance and purchase of services to provide information.

Dated: April 29, 2002.

Judith R. Tillman,

Assistant Commissioner, Financial Operations.