E9-23492. Proposed Extension of Existing Collection; Comment Request

Upon written request, copies available from: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 20549-0123.

Extension: Rule 17a-25, OMB Control No. 3235-0540, SEC File No. 270-482.

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) is soliciting comments on the existing collection of information provided for in the following rule: Rule 17a-25 (17 CFR 240.17a-25) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.) (“Exchange Act”).

Paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 17a-25 requires registered broker-dealers to electronically submit securities transaction information, including identifiers for prime brokerage arrangements, average price accounts, and depository institutions, in a standardized format when requested by the Commission staff. In addition, paragraph (a)(3)(c) of Rule 17a-25 requires broker-dealers to submit, and keep current, contact person information for electronic blue sheet (“EBS”) requests. The Commission uses the information for enforcement inquiries or investigations and trading reconstructions, as well as for inspections and examinations.

The Commission estimates that it sends approximately 5168 electronic blue sheet requests per year to clearing broker-dealers, who in turn submit an average 79,992 responses.^[1] It is estimated that each broker-dealer who responds electronically will take 8 minutes, and each broker-dealer who responds manually will take 1½ hours to prepare and submit the securities trading data requested by the Commission. The annual aggregate hour burden for electronic and manual response firms is estimated to be 10,786 (79,992 × 8 ÷ 60 = 10,666 hours) + (80 × 1.5 = 120 hours), respectively.^[2] In addition, the Commission estimates that it will request 500 broker-dealers to supply the contact information identified in Rule 17a-25(c) and estimates the total aggregate burden hours to be 125. Thus, the annual aggregate burden for all respondents to the collection of information requirements of Rule 17a-25 is estimated at 10,911 hours (10,786 + 125).

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 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 proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 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.

Comments should be directed to Charles Boucher, Director/Chief Information Officer, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Shirley Martinson, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, Virginia 22312 or send an e-mail to: [e-mail].

September 23, 2009.

Florence E. Harmon,

Deputy Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  A single EBS request has a unique number assigned to each request (e.g., “0900001”). However, the number of broker-dealer responses generated from one EBS request can range from one to several hundred. EBS requests are sent directly to clearing firms, as the clearing firm is the repository for trading data for securities transactions information provided by itself and correspondent firms. Clearing brokers respond for themselves and other firms they clear for.

2.  Few of respondents submit manual EBS responses. The small percentage of respondents that submit manual responses do so by hand, via e-mail, spreadsheet, disk, or other electronic media. Thus, the number of manual submissions (80) has minimal effect on the total annual burden hours.