2010-18006. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The OCC, 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 proposed information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Currently, the OCC is soliciting comments concerning an information collection titled “Guidance on Sound Incentive Compensation Practices.”

DATES:

Written comments should be submitted by September 20, 2010.

ADDRESSES:

Communications Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Mailstop 2-3, Attention 1557-0245, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by facsimile transmission to [phone], or by electronic mail to [e-mail]. You may personally inspect and photocopy comments at the OCC, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling [phone]. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued photo identification and to submit to security screening in order to inspect and photocopy comments.

Additionally, you should send a copy of your comments by mail to: OCC Desk Officer, 1557-0245, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, or by fax to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You can request additional information or a copy of the collection from Mary H. Gottlieb, [phone], Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The OCC is requesting regular clearance of a collection for which it received emergency approval.^[1]

Title: Guidance on Sound Incentive Compensation Policies.

OMB Number: 1557-0245.

Abstract: Under the guidance, national banks are required to: (i) Have policies and procedures that identify and describe the role(s) of the personnel and units authorized to be involved in incentive compensation arrangements, identify the source of significant risk-related inputs, establish appropriate controls governing these inputs to help ensure their integrity, and identify the individual(s) and unit(s) whose approval is necessary for the establishment or modification of incentive compensation arrangements; (ii) create and maintain sufficient documentation to permit an audit of the organization's processes for incentive compensation arrangements; (iii) have any material exceptions or adjustments to the incentive compensation arrangements established for senior executives approved and documented by its board of directors; and (iv) have its board of directors receive and review, on an annual or more frequent basis, an assessment by management of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the organization's incentive compensation system in providing risk-taking incentives that are consistent with the organization's safety and soundness.

Type of Review: Regular.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,033 large banks; 617 small banks.

Estimated Burden per Respondent: 480 hours for large banks to modify policies and procedures to monitor incentive compensation. 80 hours for small banks to establish or modify policies and procedures to monitor incentive compensation. 40 hours annually for all banks to maintain policies and procedures to monitor incentive compensation arrangements.

Frequency of Response: Annually.

Total Annual Burden: 611,200 hours.

All comments will be considered in formulating the subsequent submission and 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 OCC, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the OCCs estimate of the information collection burden;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Dated: July 19, 2010.

_____________________________

Michele Meyer,

Assistant Director, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Footnotes

1.  75 FR 36395 (June 25, 2010).