Supporting Statement
Harbor Maintenance Fee
1651-0055
Justification
Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection. Attach a copy of the appropriate section of each statue and regulation mandating or authorizing the collection of information.
The Harbor Maintenance Fee (HMF) and Trust Fund is used for the operation and maintenance of certain U.S. channels and harbors by the Army Corps of Engineers. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is required to collect the HMF from importers, domestic shippers, and passenger vessel operators using federal navigation projects. Commercial cargo loaded on or unloaded from a commercial vessel is subject to a port use fee of 0.125 percent of its value if the loading or unloading occurs at a port that has been designated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The HMF also applies to the total ticket value of embarking and disembarking passengers and on cargo admissions into a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ).
.
CBP Form 349, Harbor Maintenance Fee Quarterly Summary Report, and CBP Form 350, Harbor Maintenance Fee Amended Quarterly Summary Report are completed by domestic shippers, foreign trade zone applicants, and passenger vessel operators and submitted with payment to CBP.
CBP uses the information collected on CBP Forms 349 and 350 to verify that the fee collected is timely and accurately submitted. These forms are authorized by the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 4461, et seq.) and provided for by 19 CFR 24.24, which also includes the list of designated ports. CBP Forms 349 and 350 are accessible at http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/publications/forms or they may be completed and filed electronically at www.pay.gov.
2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.
CBP uses the information collected to verify that the fee collected is timely and accurately submitted.
3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g. permitting electronic submission of responses, and the basis for the decision for adopting this means of collection. Also describe any consideration of using information technology to reduce burden.
CBP developed a website for filers to pay the HMF on-line. It is part of the www.pay.gov website. In order to begin filing electronically, filers must first register with pay.gov which is run by the Department of Treasury. Approximately 40 percent are filed electronically.
4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.
This information is not duplicated in any other place or any other form.
5. If the collection of information impacts small businesses or other small entities, describe any methods used to minimize burden.
This information collection does not have an impact on small businesses or other small entities.
Describe consequences to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently.
The consequence to the Federal Government if this collection were conducted less frequently is loss of revenue.
7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:
This information is collected in a manner consistent with the guidelines of 5 CFR 1320.6.
If applicable, provide a copy and identify the date and page number of publication in the Federal Register of the agency's notice, required by 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting comments on the information collection prior to submission to OMB. Summarize public comments received in response to that notice and describe actions taken by the agency in response to these comments. Specifically address comments received on cost and hour burden.
Public comments were solicited through two Federal Register notices including a 60- day notice published on November 24, 2017 (Volume 82, Page 55849) on which no comments were received, and a 30-day notice published on May 25, 2018 (Volume 83, Page 24324) on which no comments have been received.
9. Explain any decision to provide any payment or gift to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.
There is no offer of a monetary or material value for this information collection.
10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for the assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.
A PIA for the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), dated July 31, 2015, and a SORN for IIS, dated July 26, 2016 (Vol. 81, Page 48826) will be included in this ICR. There are no assurances of confidentiality provided to the respondents of this information collection
11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private. This justification should include the reasons why the agency considers the questions necessary, the specific uses to be made of the information, the explanation to be given to persons from whom the information is requested, and any steps to be taken to obtain their consent.
There are no questions of a sensitive nature.
Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.
FORM |
TOTAL ANNUAL BURDEN HOURS |
NO. OF RESPONDENTS |
NO. OF RESPONSES PER RESPONDENT |
TOTAL RESPONSES |
TIME PER RESPONSE |
349 |
1,120 |
560 |
4 |
2,240 |
30 minutes (.5 hours) |
350 |
30 |
15 |
4 |
60 |
30 minutes (.5 hours) |
Recordkeeping |
96 |
575 |
1 |
575 |
10 minutes (.166 hours) |
TOTAL |
1,246 |
|
|
2,875 |
|
Public Cost
The estimated cost to the respondents is $37,430. This is based on the estimated burden hours (1,246) multiplied by (x) the average loaded hourly wage rate for importers ($30.04). CBP calculated this loaded wage rate by first multiplying the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) 2016 median hourly wage rate for Cargo and Freight Agents ($20.15), which CBP assumes best represents the wage for importers, by the ratio of BLS’ average 2016 total compensation to wages and salaries for Office and Administrative Support occupations (1.4762), the assumed occupational group for importers, to account for non-salary employee benefits.1,2 CBP then adjusted this figure, which was in 2015 U.S. dollars, to 2017 U.S. dollars by applying a 1.0 percent annual growth rate to the figure, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s value of travel time guidance.3
13. Provide an estimate of the total annual cost burden to respondents or recordkeepers resulting from the collection of information.
The postage costs associated with this collection is $845.25. This is calculated by the estimated number of responses that are mailed in (1,725) multiplied times the cost of a stamp (.49) = $845.25. There are no other capital or start-up costs associated with this information collection. Recordkeeping is reflected in item #12 above.
Provide estimates of annualized cost to the Federal Government. Also provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.
The estimated annual cost to the Federal Government associated with the review of these records is $44,405. This is based on the number of responses that must be reviewed (2,875) multiplied by (x) the time burden to review and process each response (15 minutes or .25 hours) = 719 hours multiplied by (x) the average hourly loaded rate for a CBP Trade and Revenue employee ($61.76)4 = $44,405.
15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments reported in Items 12 or 13 of this Statement.
There are no increases or decreases in the burden hours and no change to the information collected. There are no changes to the information collected.
16. For collection of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation, and publication.
This information collection will not be published.
17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date, explain the reasons that displaying the expiration date would be inappropriate
CBP will display the expiration date for OMB approval of this information collection.
18. “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.”
CBP does not request an exception to the certification of this information collection.
No statistical methods were employed.
1 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment Statistics, “May 2016 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, United States- Median Hourly Wage by Occupation Code.” Updated March 31, 2017. Available at http://www.bls.gov/oes/2016/may/oes_nat.htm. Accessed June 20, 2017.
2 The total compensation to wages and salaries ratio is equal to the calculated average of the 2016 quarterly estimates (shown under Mar., June, Sep., Dec.) of the total compensation cost per hour worked for Office and Administrative Support occupations ($25.3575) divided by the calculated average of the 2016 quarterly estimates (shown under Mar., June, Sep., Dec.) of wages and salaries cost per hour worked for the same occupation category ($17.1775). Source of total compensation to wages and salaries ratio data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employer Costs for Employee Compensation. Employer Costs for Employee Compensation Historical Listing March 2004 – March 2017, “Table 3. Civilian workers, by occupational group: employer costs per hours worked for employee compensation and costs as a percentage of total compensation, 2004-2017 by respondent type.” June 20, 2017. Available at http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/sp/ececqrtn.pdf. Accessed June 20, 2017.
3 Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Policy. The Value of Travel Time Savings: Departmental Guidance for Conducting Economic Evaluations Revision 2 (2015 Update), “Table 4 (Revision 2-corrected): Recommended Hourly Values of Travel Time Savings.” April 29, 2015. http://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/Revised%20Departmental%20Guidance%20on%20Valuation%20of%20Travel%20Time%20in%20Economic%20Analysis.pdf. Accessed June 20, 2017.
4 CBP bases this wage on the FY 2017 salary and benefits of the national average of CBP Trade and Revenue positions, which is equal to a GS-13, Step 3. Source: Email correspondence with CBP’s Office of Finance on June 14, 2017.
| File Type | application/msword |
| Author | EGHDNI8 |
| Last Modified By | SYSTEM |
| File Modified | 2018-06-12 |
| File Created | 2018-06-12 |