The voluntary Survey of Terms of
Lending (STL) is currently comprised of the following three
reports: Survey of Terms of Business Lending (FR 2028A) Survey of
Terms of Bank Lending to Farmers (FR 2028B) Prime Rate Supplement
of the Survey of Terms of Lending (FR 2028S) The STL collects
unique information concerning price and certain nonprice terms of
loans made to businesses and farmers during the first full business
week of the mid-month of each quarter (February, May, August, and
November). The FR 2028A and FR 2028B collect detailed data on
individual loans made during the survey week, and the FR 2028S
collects the prime interest rate for each day of the survey from
both FR 2028A and FR 2028B respondents. From these sample STL data,
estimates of the terms of business loans and farm loans extended
during the reporting week are constructed. The aggregate estimates
for business loans are published in the quarterly E.2 statistical
release, Survey of Terms of Business Lending, and aggregate
estimates for farm loans are published in the E.15 statistical
release, Agricultural Finance Databook.
The current annual reporting
burden for the STL reports is estimated to be 7,358 hours. The
estimated average hours per response for the FR 2028B is unchanged
at 1.4 hours and the proposed annual burden would be 1,400 hours.
Based on feedback received from senior officers at the six banks
that provided comments on the FR 2028D survey instrument, the
estimated average hours per response for the FR 2028D would be 1.5
hours. With the exception of the first survey year, the proposed
annual burden would be 2,388 hours. The estimated burden for the
first survey of the data collection is 3.0 hours. Allowing the
additional 1.5 hours for first-time respondent implementation cost
would increase the proposed annual burden for the first survey year
by 597 hours. As a result, the net reporting burden would decline
2,873 hours, from the current burden of 7,358 hours to 4,485.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.