2133-0511 Supporting Statement_9.2022

Department of Transportation

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Effective U.S. Control (EUSC) Parent Company

INTRODUCTION

This is to request the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) three-year approval clearance for the information collection entitled, Effective U.S. Control (EUSC) Parent Company (OMB Control No. 2133-0511), which is currently due to expire on September 30, 2022. This an extension without change of a currently approved collection. No changes or adjustments were reported in items 13 or 14 of OMB Form 83-I.

JUSTIFICATION

1. Circumstances that make collection of information necessary.
   
   

The purpose of the collection is to aid in identifying oceangoing vessels that may be both useful and available to the Department of Defense for deploying U.S. military equipment (such as tanks and other tracked and wheeled vehicles) and the full range of supplies (including petroleum products and fuel) necessary to sustain a force in a foreign theater of operations. In order to identify “militarily useful” vessels, MARAD consults Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (Lloyd’s List), S and P Global’s Market Intelligence Maritime Portal, and other commercial shipping registry sources. These sources represent the principal standard compendium of information on commercial cargo vessels. They describe, classify, and register vessels according to certain criteria of physical structure and equipment as well as ownership. Thus, these sources are principally a list of vessels and the corporate entities that own and operate them, not of persons. MARAD is satisfied that these sources effectively capture all vessels which might be considered “militarily useful.” MARAD is interested in persons to the extent that their nationality is relevant to a determination of the citizenship of the owners of a vessel.

In order for a vessel to be considered available for DOD use (other than a U.S. or foreign flag vessel hired [chartered] by DOD) it must be subject to requisition pursuant to US law, 46 U.S.C. 56301 (2007). This means that if the vessel in question is registered in a foreign country, it must be owned by U.S. citizens to be considered requisitionable. MARAD uses the names of vessel owners (most commonly corporations) identified in vessel registry data as the starting point for a determination of the citizenship of the owners. Ownership (and the nationality of owners) is verified through direct contact with owners identified in vessel registry data.

This collection of information enhances the Department of Transportation’s strategic goal for security, preparedness, and response.

2. How, by whom, and for what purpose is the information used.

The information is used by MARAD's Office of Policy and Plans and the Division of Sealift Operations and Emergency Preparedness for contingency planning for sealift capacity. Each respondent is requested to provide the following elements of information for vessels identified as owned by the respondent.

Vessel name

Flag (country of registry)

Vessel type (e. g., containership, tanker, bulk, roll-on/roll-off, breakbulk, refrigerated)

International Maritime Organization (IMO) number

Call sign

Cargo capacity

Year of launch

Where built

Dimensions (depth, breadth, length)

Names of insurers

Primary fuel type

Speed

Current beneficial owner

Incomplete or inaccurate information as to the ownership, flag, size, age, speed and tonnage could lead to invalid conclusions and faulty analysis.

3. Extent of automated information collection.

MARAD offers a total electronic option for this collection.

4. Efforts to identify duplication.
   
   

We have identified commercial sources of shipping information as the primary source for information on vessel ownership and vessel characteristics. Because relevant information of vessel ownership, characteristics, and country of registry may change between periodic publication of updates to these sources, we verify such information as necessary by direct contact with vessel owners, beginning with owners identified by these sources.

5. Efforts to minimize the burden on small businesses.

This information collection does not impact small businesses.

6. Impact of less frequent collection of information.
   
   

Mobilization plans would lack current information thereby reducing their accuracy.

6. Special Circumstances.
   
   

There are no special circumstances that require the collection of information to be conducted in a manner described above.

6. Compliance with 5 CFR 1320.8:
   
   

MARAD published a 60-day notice and request for comments on this information collection in the Federal Register on August 10, 2022 (87 FR 48751), indicating comments should be submitted on or before September 11, 2022. In addition, a 30-day notice and request for comments was published in the Federal Register (87 FR 57978) on September 22, 2022 indicating comments should be submitted on or before October 21, 2022.

6. Payments or gifts to respondents.
   
   

No payments or gifts are provided to respondents.

6. Assurance of Confidentiality:
   
   

The information requested is not of a confidential nature and, consequently, no assurance of confidentiality need be given.

6. Justification for collection of sensitive information:
   
   

Not applicable. There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

6. Estimate of burden hours for information requested:
   
   

Number of Respondents	Responses Per Respondent	Total Responses Annually		Hours Per Response		Total Hours Annually
60	1	60		1		60
Estimated Annual Cost Per Accountant Response	Hours Per Response	Total Per Response Before Multiplier		Benefits Multiplier of 1.4		Total Cost for 60 Respondents Annually
$40.37	1	$40.37		$56.52		$3,391.20
Estimated Annual Cost Per Clerical Worker Response	Hours Per Response	Total Per Response Before Multiplier		Benefits Multiplier of 1.4		Total Cost for 60 Respondents Annually
$18.98	1	$18.98		$26.57		$1,594.20
			Combined Total		$4,985.40

A determination of the estimated number of hours required per response was made after consultation with several respondents.

In addition, it is estimated that 2 employees in the above listed areas together spend 1 hour each of their time collecting and assimi­lat­ing the information submitted with each response.

* This mean hourly wage rate is based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021 data for Category 13-2011 Accountants and 43-900 Administrative Assistants.

6. Estimate of total annual costs to respondents.

(a) Total Capital and Start-Up Costs Estimate: None

2. Total Operation and Maintenance and Purchase of Services Estimate: None

6. Estimate of cost to the Federal government.
   
   

The total annual cost to the Federal Government for processing the collection is estimated as follows:

One-time Costs: None

Annual Costs: $4,050

One employee (GS-12 step 8) analyzes the primary service, requests the annual statement, receives the annual statement, incorporates the data, and files the statement. Time required for these tasks is 30 minutes.

Number of Employees	Hourly Wage	Project Time	Responses Annually	Total Project Time Annually	Annual Application Cost
1 (GS-12 Step 8)	$48	1 Hours Per Request	60	$2,880	$2,880
			Cost Per Application	Benefits Multiplier of 1.4	Cost with Benefit
			$2,880	$4,032	$4,032
			Letters e-Mailed Annually	Postage	Total Cost
			30	.60	$18
Combined Total Cost to Government					$4,050

Hourly wage was taken from the 2022 Wage table for GS-12 step 8 (rounded up to the nearest dollar); https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/22Tables/html/BN%20(LEO)_h.aspx

6. Explanation of program changes or adjustments.
   
   

No changes or adjustments were reported in items 13 or 14 of OMB Form 83-I.

6. Publication of results of data collection.
   
   

The schedule for collecting and publishing the data is as follows:

Months of the Year (By First Initial)

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Analysis of Commercial Source

X

Interoffice Consultation

X

Preparation and Mailing Of Verification Letters/e-mail

X

Receipt of Responses

X

X

Follow-Up on Delinquent Respondents

X

X

Compilation of Data

X

Preparation of Publication

X

Information collected is used to determine which vessels are to be included in a table that shows the number of ships, gross tonnage, and deadweight tonnage by vessel type and flag. The information is also included in a tabulation that exhibits the parent company, direct owner, vessel name, class of vessel, where built (country), year built, gross tonnage, deadweight tonnage, speed, and flag of registry.

Publication is released annually in May based on survey data as of January 1.

6. Approval for not displaying the expiration date of OMB approval.

No such approval is being sought.

6. Exceptions to certification statement.

There are no exceptions to the certificate statement.