Supporting Statement

Supporting Statement

A. Justification

1. Circumstances

The freight Carrier Registration Program (FCRP) is designed to protect the interest of the Government and to ensure that the Department of Defense (DoD) deals with responsible carriers having the capability to provide quality and dependable service. This system is necessary to ensure that carriers provide consistent dependable transportation services.

This program is consistent with the DoD transportation policy released 22 May 1990 by the Secretary of Defense, which states, “To protect the public safety, the environment and the national defense, its is DoD policy to procure transportation services for personnel, equipment and supplies only from those carriers capable of provided quality, safe, secure and reliable transport in response to identified DoD requirements,” The legal authority for qualification of potential contractors is the defense transportation Regulation, DoD 4500.9-R, Part II, Part 201-26, paragraph Q.

2. Purpose and Procedures

The Freight Carrier Registration Program will be a minimum burden to the carrier industry. The information SDDC collects can now be accessed through the DoD web site. That will expedite the time to approve the carrier to do business with the DoD. The information provided by the carriers is one page on the SDDC Web site. From this information, SDDC and determine whether the carrier has the capability to provide dependable and reliable service to DoD.

If the information request in the FCRP were not collected, the DoD would be unable to properly estimate motor carrier capabilities to provide quality and dependable service; therefore, the DoD would have to continue using carriers regardless of competency. The end result would by many instances of abandoned, frustrated and mishandled freight at a high cost to the DoD and the American taxpayer.

3. The technology available at this time has been considered in the review of this data collection; the burden to the Government and the carrier industry is more efficient due to the development of a Web based system, which will be used to obtain the necessary information.

4. There is no other DoD form that duplicates the FCRP questionnaire. The FCRP is not designed to preclude any carriers, all carriers are required to submit the same documents to become approved to transport Department of Defense freight.

5. The collection of information does not have a significant impact on small business or other entities.

6. To cease the collection of required information would affect the Government’s ability to choose the best service of the least cost.

7. There are no special circumstances. The collection of information will be conducted in a manner consistent with the guidelines in 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2).

8. The 60 day Federal Register Notice was published on December 28, 2007 (72 FR 73787). No comments were received.

9. No payments or gifts will be made to respondents, other than remuneration to contractors.

10. The Freight Carrier Registration Program (FCRP) was established in the mid 1990s as a result of deregulation and closure of the Intrastate commerce Commission (ICC). The program establishes criteria for carriers transporting Department of Defense Freight. Carriers must have a valid Standard Carrier Alpha code (SCAC), be PowerTrack certified for payments and provide a performance bond along with following the requirements of the Department of Transportation. This information is disclosed only to the extent consistent with prudent business practices, current regulations, statutory and FOIA requirements.

11. No sensitive questions are asked.

12. Total annual hour burden to carrier: 108

430 responses * .25 hours = 108

Total annual cost to carrier: $270.00

13. There are no capital or start-up costs associated with the information collection. Only one response per carrier.

14. Total annualized cost to Government: $1,075.00

15. This is a extension of a currently approved collection.

16. Results will not be published for statistical purposes.

17. Approval not to display the expiration date is not being sought.

18. No exceptions to the certification statement are being sought.

B. This collection does not employ statistical methods.