1117-0047 Supporting Statement 2022

Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

Application for Import Quota for Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine,

and Phenylpropanolamine (DEA Form 488)

OMB Approval #1117-0047

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeks approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an existing collection of information that was previously approved by OMB – OMB Approval #1117-0047, Application for Import Quota for Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, and Phenylpropanolamine (DEA Form 488).

Part A. Justification

1. Necessity of Information:

Pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 952 and 21 CFR 1315.34, any person who desires to import the List I chemicals Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, or Phenylpropanolamine during the next calendar year must apply on DEA Form 488 for an import quota for each such List I chemicals. The DEA is required to limit the importation of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine to the amounts “necessary to provide for medical, scientific, or other legitimate purposes." 21 U.S.C. 952.

2. Needs and Uses:

DEA uses DEA Form 488 to determine the estimated need for ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine and to establish import quotas for persons importing these List I chemicals. Persons importing ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine must apply on DEA Form 488 each year for an import quota for each such List I chemical. 21 CFR 1315.34.

3. Use of Information Technology:

Since September, 2011, DEA Form 488 has been available to be completed and submitted electronically. DEA Form 488 is also available on the DEA Diversion Control Program web site (http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov) as a blank form that may be printed, completed, signed, and mailed to DEA. Currently, 100% of DEA Form 488 applications are submitted electronically.

4. Efforts to Identify Duplication:

Controlled substance and listed chemical quotas are unique to DEA. Therefore, there is no duplication of information requested as part of this collection.

5. Impact on Small Businesses or Entities:

This is a routine renewal of DEA Form 488. The DEA does not anticipate any additional impact on small businesses or other small entities since the initial approval of this form. The collection will not have a significant economic impact on small businesses or other small entities within the meaning and intent of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601–612).

6. Consequences of Less Frequent Collection:

If the collection were not conducted or conducted less frequently, the DEA would not have sufficient data to set import quotas and would be unable to determine the amounts necessary to meet medical, scientific, and other legitimate needs.

7. Special Circumstances Influencing Collection:

There are no special circumstances applicable to this information collection.

8. Consultation with persons outside the Agency:

Public comment was solicited in the 60-day Federal Register Notice of Information Collection, 87 FR 12984, published on March 8, 2022, and the 30-day Federal Register Notice of Information Collection, 87 FR 32056, published on May 26, 2022. The DEA did not receive any comments concerning this collection.

The DEA meets regularly with the affected industry to discuss policies, programs, and regulations. These meetings provide an open forum to discuss matters of mutual concern with representatives of those entities from whom the information is obtained.

9. Payment or Gift to Claimants:

This collection of information does not propose to provide any payment or gift to respondents.

10. Assurance of Confidentiality:

Information requested in this collection may be considered confidential business information if marked as such in accordance with 28 CFR 16.8(c) and Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Submitters who are required to furnish commercial or financial information to the government are protected from the competitive disadvantages that could result from disclosure of such information. The information is protected by the DEA through secure storage, limited access, and federal regulatory and DEA procedures. In the event a FOIA request is made to obtain information that has been designated as confidential business information per 28 CFR 16.8(c) and Exemption 4 of FOIA, the DEA will give written notice to the submitter to allow an opportunity to object within a reasonable time prior to any disclosure by the DEA.

11. Justification for Sensitive Questions:

This collection of information does not ask any questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Estimate of Hour Burden:

Respondents complete DEA Form 488, Application for Import Quota for Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, and Phenylpropanolamine (including Worksheet A), annually. A respondent may submit multiple responses.

DEA Form 488:

Total number of respondents: 49

Average number of responses per respondant per year: 2.57 (calculated)

Total annual responses: 126

Average burden per response: 0.5 hours

Average burden per respondant: 1.29 hours

Total annual burden hours: 63 hours

Percent of responses received electronically: 100%

Hour burden cost:

Estimate hourly wage ($/hour):1	$61.94
Load for benefits (percent of labor rate):2	43.5%
Loaded labor rate ($/hour):3	$88.88
Average burden per response (hour):	0.5
Burden cost per response:	$44.44
Number of annual responses:	126
Total annual burden dollar:	$5,599

13. Estimate of Cost Burden:

The estimated annual cost burden is zero. Respondents are estimated to not incur any additional start-up costs, capital expenditures, or additional operation and maintenance costs, or to purchase services as a result of this information collection.

14. Estimated Annualized Costs to Federal Government:

Estimated Annual Labor Cost to Government:⁴

1 Section Chief/Supervisory Physical Scientist – GS-1301-15 (10% of time) $24,481

Analysis of quota information:

1 Drug Science Officer – GS-601-14 (29% of time) $60,357

1 Supervisory Physical Scientist – GS-1301-14 (10% of time) $20,813

1 Secretary – GS-318-7 (19% of time) $15,864

Total Cost:⁵ $121,516

All costs are recovered from registrants through registration fees, as required by the CSA. 21 U.S.C. 886a.

15. Reasons for Change in Burden:

There are no changes in estimated burden for this information collection. There have been no statutory or regulatory changes affecting this collection. The table below summarizes the changes since the last renewal of this information collection.

	2019 Approved Burden	New Requested Burden	Difference
Annual responses	126	126	0
Annual burden hours	63	63	0
Annual cost	$5,599	$5,599	$0

16. Plans for Publication:

The DEA will not publish the results of the information collected.

17. Expiration Date Approval:

The DEA does not object to OMB displaying the expiration date.

18. Exceptions to the Certification Statement:

The DEA is not seeking an exception to the certification statement “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions” for this collection of information.

Part B. Statistical Methods

The DEA does not employ statistical methods in this information collection.

1 Hourly median wage, 11-3061 Purchasing Managers for North American Industry Classification System code 325400 – Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational and Employment and Wages, May 2017, https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/naics4_325400.htm.

2 Average benefits for private industry are 30.3% of total compensation. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation – September 2018 (ECEC), https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ecec_12142018.pdf. The 30.3% of total compensation equates to 43.5% (30.3% / 69.7%) load on wages and salaries.

3 $61.94 x (1 + 0.435) = $88.88.

4 All government labor costs are rounded to the nearest dollar. Costs are based on the Office of Personnel Management’s 2018 general schedule locality pay tables for the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington area (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2018/DCB.pdf) for the grade listed, step 5.

5 Figures are rounded. Government salary figures include 60.26% load for benefits based on the ECEC for State and local government. The ECEC does not include figures for the Federal government.

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