03-19181. Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, 450 Fifth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549-0004.

Extension: Rule 27f-1 and Form N-27F-1, SEC File No. 270-487, OMB Control No. 3235-0546.

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 350l et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collections of information under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Act”) summarized below. The Commission plans to submit these collections of information to the Office of Management and Budget for approval.

Rule 27f-1 [17 CFR 270.27f-1] is entitled “Notice of Right of Withdrawal Required to Be Mailed to Periodic Payment Plan Certificate Holders and Exemption from Section 27(f) for Certain Periodic Payment Plan Certificates.” Form N-27F-1 is entitled “Notice to Periodic Payment Plan Certificate Holders of 45 Day Withdrawal Right with Respect to Periodic Payment Plan Certificates.” Form N-27F-1, which is prescribed by rule 27f-1, is used to notify recent purchasers of periodic payment plan certificates, of their right under section 27(f) of the Act to return the certificates within a specified period for a full refund. The Form N-27F-1 notice, which is sent directly to holders of periodic payment plan certificates, serves to alert purchasers of periodic payment plans of their rights in connection with their plan certificates.

Commission staff estimates that there are three issuers of periodic payment plan certificates affected by rule 27f-1. The frequency with which each of these issuers or their representatives must file Form N-27F-1 notices varies with the number of periodic payment plans sold. The Commission estimates, however, that approximately 5,907 Form N-27F-1 notices are sent out annually. The Commission estimates that all the issuers that send Form N-27F-1 notices use outside contractors to print and distribute the notices, and incur no hourly burden. The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules and forms.^[1]

Complying with the collection of information requirements of rule 27f-1 is mandatory for custodian banks of periodic payment plans for which the sales load deducted from any payment exceeds 9 percent of the payment.^[2] The information provided pursuant to rule 27f-1 will be provided to third parties and, therefore, will not be kept confidential. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (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. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this publication.

Please direct your written comments to Kenneth A. Fogash, Acting Associate Executive Director/CIO, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 5th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549-0004.

Dated: July 22, 2003.

Jill M. Peterson,

Assistant Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  This estimate is based on informal conversations between the Commission staff and representatives of periodic payment plan issuers.

2.  The rule also permits the issuer, the principal underwriter for, or the depositor of, the issuer or a record-keeping agent for the issuer to mail the notice if the custodian bank has delegated the mailing of the notice to any of them or if the issuer has been permitted to operate without a custodian bank by Commission order. See 17 CFR 270.27f-1.