OMB_DataWeb_SupportState.wpd

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

FOR

UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION FORMS

ITC DATAWEB: USER REGISTRATION FORM

A. Justification

1&2. Need and Usage.--The forms are for use by the Commission in connection with the ITC DataWeb, previously approved by OMB in 1999 and 2003. The ITC DataWeb provides on-line, rapid and customized retrieval of U.S. trade and tariff data and has been an Internet tool for government users and the general public.. The interagency International Trade Data System (ITDS) board chairman requested in 1999 that the ITC DataWeb be made formally available to the public.

The user registration forms allow the ITC program to keep track of user product and country lists to accurately retrieve data requested during a login and for user reference and use during future logins from anywhere in the world. The user registration forms are also required to accurately analyze usage and data reports generated by user sectors as requested by Hill staff. The forms appear on the ITC DataWeb internet site (http://dataweb.usitc.gov) and need to be filled out only once, when a user first registers to use the DataWeb.

The DataWeb currently has over 90,000 registered users. We estimate current registration of new users (and therefore use of the form) to be about 20,000 new users annually.

3. Technology.--All available information technology has been incorporated into the user registration form design and processing to reduce the reporting burden. There are no technical and legal obstacles to such efforts. The form is on a Website, is filled out electronically, and requires less than two minutes to complete.

4. Non-duplication.-No other industry, government, or academic organizations collect or publish data which are duplicative of the data requested in the forms.

5. Small businesses.--Some of the companies that will use the DataWeb may be "small businesses," as specified under the Small Business Administration Rules (13 CFR Part 121). To minimize the reporting burden, the forms were designed to be as brief as possible, consistent with information requirements. Check-in type questions are used to simplify form response.

6. Frequency.--Not applicable. This is a nonrecurring data collection.

7. Special circumstances.–There are no special circumstances in this data collection.

8. Federal Register Notice and Consultations.- A Federal Register Notice was issued on August 27, 1999 (Vol. 64, No. 166, page 46949) requesting comments from the public to ITC on the forms. No comments were received. Consultations on the project were held with interested trade agencies, the International Trade Data System project staff and Chairman, and Congressional staff including counsel of both the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives and the Finance Committee of the Senate. A Federal Register Notice was issued to announce that the Agency Form was Submitted for OMB Review on March 24, 2003 (Vol.68, No. 56, pages 14259-14260). No comments were received. A Federal Register Notice was issued on May 26, 2006 (Vol. 71, No. 102) to additionally request comments; none were received.

9. Presents and gifts.- No presents or gifts were given to respondents.

10. Confidentiality.- Business confidential material is not being sought. On personal confidentiality, a Privacy Act statement has been posted on the DataWeb, pursuant to the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. Section 552a.

11. Sensitive information.--Information on issues of a sensitive nature involving persons is not being sought.

12. Response burden.--The Commission attempted to reduce burden on respondents by designing the forms so that potential DataWeb users firms can complete them quickly. Some of the requested data being collected are presented as “check” selections. Individuals who are already DataWeb users will be NOT be asked to complete another form; this is required for users only at the time they first register. All information will need to be entered only once and once completed, the forms will not reappear on the users next login.

The Commission estimates that users will be able to respond in less than two minutes. This estimate was based on a small sample. We estimate the overall burden for the estimated 20,000 annual new users to be 666 hours and the cost per user to be negligible.

13. Project cost to respondents.-- We estimate the non-hour burden cost to respondents to be zero. No record keeping is required. No specialized hardware or software is required.

14. Project cost to the Federal Government.--The estimated total cost to the Federal Government of providing this self-service material to government staff and to the general public is estimated at $280,000 annually. This includes hardware upgrades, software licenses, maintenance, DataWeb assistance helpline; DataWeb technical assistance, including development of new functions and additional self-assistance screens.

15. Program Changes.--Not applicable. The program will continue to be made available to the public.

16. Project plan and schedule.--After receiving the completed forms, the Commission's staff will analyze usage and data reports generated by sector. Verification of the user’s sector may be made in some cases as required. Data will be analyzed, compiled in a form that will not reveal the individual operations of any respondent, and prepared for internal analysis by the Commission. This is an extension of existing approval. The forms were first made available on the internet on April 1, 1999. The respondents need to complete the brief form before logging onto the DataWeb. This information will be sought once only.

17. Permission not to display expiration date.-- No such approval being requested.

18. Explanations for certification exceptions.-- Not applicable.