E6-8213. Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

The Department of Commerce has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

Title: NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Management Information Reporting.

Form Number(s): None.

OMB Approval Number: 0693-0032.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Burden Hours: 7,493.

Number of Respondents: 59.

Average Hours per Response: 127.

Needs and Uses: NIST MEP offers technical and business assistance to small- and medium-sized manufacturers. This is a major program which links all 50 states and Puerto Rico and the manufacturers through more than 400 affiliated MEP Centers and Field Offices. NIST MEP has a number of legislative and contractual requirements for collecting data and information from the MEP Centers. This information is used for the following purposes: (1) Program Accountability, (2) Reports to Stakeholders, (3) Continuous Improvement; and (4) Identification of Distinctive Practices.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Frequency: Annually.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

OMB Desk Officer: Jasmeet Seehra, [phone].

Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, [phone], Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at [e-mail]).

Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to Jasmeet Seehra, OMB Desk Officer, FAX number [phone], or [e-mail].

Dated: May 22, 2006.

Gwellnar Banks,

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.