Published 30 Day Notice

[Federal Register: April 24, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 78)]
[Notices]
[Page 18740-18741]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24ap09-84]

[[Page 18740]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary

Notice of Proposed New Information Collection for Donor
Certification Form

AGENCY: Office of Conservation, Partnerships & Management Policy,
Assistant Secretary--Policy, Management and Budget, Interior.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Conservation, Partnerships &
Management Policy announces that it has submitted a request for
approval of a new information collection to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB), and requests public comments on this submission.

DATES: OMB has up to 60 days to approve or disapprove the information
collection request, but may respond after 30 days; therefore, public
comments should be submitted to OMB by May 26, 2009, in order to be
assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send your written comments by facsimile 202-395-5806 or e-
mail ([email protected]) to the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attention:
Department of the Interior Desk Officer (1090-XXXX). Also, please send
a copy of your comments to Beth Duff, Office of Conservation,
Partnerships & Management Policy, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS
5123-MIB, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, or send an e-mail
to [email protected]. Additionally, you may fax them to her at
202-208-7574. Individuals providing comments should reference Donor
Certification Form.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and
associated collection instrument, please write to Beth Duff, Office of
Conservation, Partnerships & Management Policy, U.S. Department of the
Interior, MS 5123-MIB, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240, or
call her at 202-208-5904, or e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Abstract

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 5 CFR 1320,
which implement the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13),
require that interested members of the public and affected agencies
have an opportunity to comment on information collection and
recordkeeping activities (see 5 CFR 1320.8(d)). This notice identifies
an information collection activity that the Office of Conservation,
Partnerships & Management Policy has submitted to OMB for approval for
the Department and its bureaus to collect information from proposed
donors relative to their relationship(s) with the Department. The
Department and its individual bureaus all have gift acceptance
authority. In support of the variety of donation authorities in the
Department and increasing numbers of donations, it is the policy of the
Department to ask those proposing to donate gifts valued at $25,000 or
more to provide information regarding their relationship with the
Department. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the acceptance
of a gift does not create legal or ethical issues for the Department,
its bureaus, or potential donors. The information will be gathered
through the use of a new form.
If this information were not collected from the prospective donor,
the Department will have to collect the information. The information
will be scattered throughout the Department. With eight major bureaus,
2,500 locations and 70,000 employees, it is not possible to collect the
information about a particular donor in a timely manner to respond to a
proposed donation. Having the donor certify his interactions with the
Department gives the staff reviewing the proposed donation basic
information.

II. Method of Collection

Individuals notifying the Department or one of its bureaus of a
proposed offer of a gift valued at $25,000 or higher will be asked to
submit a form listing several items of basic information.
(1) Title: Donor Certification Form.

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Information collected Reason for collection
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Name, and indication whether executing To identify the donor, and
in an individual capacity, or on whether the donor is acting
behalf of an organization. individually or on behalf of
an organization.
Declaration whether the donor is To assist the Department in
involved with litigation or determining whether there are
controversy with the Department. any issues associated with the
proffer of the gift that need
to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether the donor is To assist the Department in
engaged in any financial or business determining whether there are
relationship with the Department. any issues associated with the
proffer of the gift that need
to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether the donor has been To assist the Department in
debarred, excluded or disqualified determining whether there are
from the nonprocurement common rule, any issues associated with the
or otherwise declared ineligible from proffer of the gift that need
doing business with any Federal to be more closely examined.
government agency.
Declaration as to whether the donation To assist the Department in
is expected to be involved with determining whether there are
marketing or advertising. any issues associated with the
proffer of the gift that need
to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether the donor is To assist the Department in
seeking to attach conditions to the determining whether there are
donation. any issues associated with the
proffer of the gift that need
to be more closely examined.
Declaration whether this proposed To assist the Department in
donation is or is not part of a series determining the scope and
of donations to the Department. context of the donation, and
to assist in determining
whether there are any issues
associated with the proffer of
the gift that need to be more
closely examined.
Signature, Printed Name, Date, To establish the contact
Organization, E-mail address, City, information of the potential
State, Zip, and daytime or work phone donor, and have the certifier
number. sign the certification form.
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[[Page 18741]]

The proposed use of the information: The information collected will
be used by the Department and its bureaus to assist them in properly
considering proposed donations to the Department or to its bureaus in
the amount of $25,000 or more. The information on the form, in
conjunction with other information which may be known to one or more
offices in the Department, will assist the Department in its efforts to
maintain its integrity, impartiality, and the confidence of the public,
in accepting donations.

III. Data

(1) Title: Donor Certification Form.
OMB Control Number: 1090-XXXX.
Type of Review: Information Collection: New.
Affected Entities: Individuals or households, Businesses, Not-for-
profit institutions, Units of Government.
Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 552.
Frequency of Response: Upon donation, generally no more than annual
(2) Annual reporting and recordkeeping burden:
Estimated Number of Responses Annually: 552.
Estimated Burden per Response: 20 minutes.
Total Annual Reporting: 184 hours.
(3) Description of the need and use of the information: This
information will provide Department staff with the basis for beginning
the evaluation as to whether the Department will accept the proposed
donation. The authorized employee will receive the donor certification
form with the proposed donation. The employee will then review the
totality of circumstances surrounding the proposed donation to
determine whether the Department can accept the donation and maintain
its integrity, impartiality, and public confidence.
As required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), a Federal Register notice
soliciting comments on the collection of information was published on
September 26, 2008 (73 FR 55862). No comments were received. This
notice provides the public with an additional 30 days in which to
comment on the proposed information collection activity.

IV. Request for Comments

The Department of the Interior invites comments on:
(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information will have practical utility;
(b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
collection and the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
(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
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Burden means the total time, effort, or financial resources
expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, disclose or provide
information to or for a Federal agency. This includes the time needed
to review instructions; to develop, acquire, install and utilize
technology and systems for the purpose of collecting, validating and
verifying information, processing and maintaining information, and
disclosing and providing information; to train personnel and to be able
to respond to a collection of information, to search data sources, to
complete and review the collection of information; and to transmit or
otherwise disclose the information.
All written comments, with names and addresses, will be available
for public inspection. If you wish us to withhold your personal
information, you must prominently state at the beginning of your
comment what personal information you want us to withhold. We will
honor your request to the extent allowable by law. If you wish to view
any comments received, you may do so by scheduling an appointment with
the Office of Conservation, Partnerships & Management Policy at the
above address. A valid picture identification is required for entry
into the Department of the Interior.
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 Office of Management and Budget control number.

Dated: April 17, 2009.
Beth L. Duff,
Office of Conservation, Partnerships and Management Policy.
[FR Doc. E9-9384 Filed 4-23-09; 8:45 am]
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