Export Trading Companies Contact Facilitation Service, 20527 [05-7918]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• International Trade Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 20527]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-7918]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Export Trading Companies Contact Facilitation Service

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the 
continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(C)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 20, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6612, 14th & 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 or via the Internet at 
dHynek@doc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to: Chris Rasmussen, Export Trading Company Affairs; 
Industry Analysis; Room 1104; 14th St. & Constitution Ave, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 482-5131; and fax: (202) 482-1790.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Contact Facilitation Service (CFS) is a U.S. Department of 
Commerce database, designed to put U.S. producers together with export 
service providers. Many U.S. firms have never exported because of a 
fear of the risks involved in exporting and a lack of knowledge of the 
international marketplace. New-to-export firms need the assistance of 
export service firms offering export trade services. One of the 
purposes of the Export Trading Company (ETC) Act of 1982 is to increase 
United States exports of goods and services by encouraging more 
efficient provision of export trade services to U.S. producers and 
suppliers. Section 104 of the Act directs Commerce to provide a service 
to facilitate contact between producers of exportable goods and 
services and firms offering export trade services.
    The International Trade Administration (ITA) maintains the CFS 
database of U.S. manufacturers, export trading and management 
companies, wholesalers/distributors, and international service firms. 
The CFS is designed to help promote exports and enable U.S. producers 
to locate export service providers. Export Service firms registered in 
the CFS database are listed in annual print editions of the U.S. Trade 
Assistance Directory, distributed throughout the United States. U.S. 
producers of goods and services registered in the CFS database are 
listed in the annual print editions of the U.S. Department of Commerce 
Exporters' Yellow Pages\TM\, distributed worldwide. These directories 
also are accessible online at https://www.myexports.com. The print and 
electronic produced and made available through ITA's ``MyExports'' `` 
program. Without the information collected by the form, the CFS 
database and the resulting directories would be unreliable and 
ineffective, because users of this kind of data need current 
information about the listed companies.

II. Method of Collection

    Form ITA-4094P is sent by request to U.S. firms.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0625-0120.
    Form Number: ITA-4094P.
    Type of Review: Regular Submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit; not-for-profit 
institutions and State, local or tribal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 3,000.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: $95,500 ($10,000 government and 
$85,500 respondents.)

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and costs) of the proposed collection of information; 
(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 respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: April 15, 2005.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-7918 Filed 4-19-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P