Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement, 53113 [2011-21695]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 165 (Thursday, August 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 53113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-21695]


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 165 / Thursday, August 25, 2011 / 
Notices

[[Page 53113]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal 
Procurement

AGENCY: Office of Procurement and Property Management, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of request for extension of a currently approved 
information collection.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces that the Department of 
Agriculture, Office of Procurement and Property Management, is hereby 
requesting an extension of a currently approved information collection, 
Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement.

DATES: Comments received by October 24, 2011 will be considered.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods. All 
submissions received must include the agency name. Also, please 
identify submittals as pertaining to the ``Notice of Request for 
Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection.''
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: biopreferred@usda.gov. Include ``Notice of Request 
for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection'' on the 
subject line. Please include your name and address in your message.
     Mail/commercial/hand delivery: Mail or deliver your 
comments to: Ron Buckhalt, USDA, Office of Procurement and Property 
Management, Room 361, Reporters Building, 300 7th St. SW., Washington, 
DC 20024.
     Persons with disabilities who require alternative means 
for communication for regulatory information (Braille, large print, 
audiotape, etc.) should contact the USDA TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 
(voice) and (202) 690-0942 (TTY).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ron Buckhalt, USDA, Office of 
Procurement and Property Management, Room 361, Reporters Building, 300 
7th St., SW., Washington, DC 20024; e-mail: biopreferred@usda.gov; 
phone (202) 205-4008. Information regarding the Federal biobased 
preferred procurement program (one part of the BioPreferred Program) is 
available on the Internet at https://www.biopreferred.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal 
Procurement.
    OMB Control Number: 0503-0011.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The USDA BioPreferred Program provides that qualifying 
biobased products that fall under items (generic groups of biobased 
products) that have been designated for preferred procurement by rule 
making are required to be purchased by Federal agencies in lieu of 
their fossil energy-based counterparts, with certain limited 
exceptions. Further, USDA is required by section 9002 of the Farm 
Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended by the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, to provide certain information on 
qualified biobased products to Federal agencies. To meet these 
statutory requirements, USDA will gather that information from 
manufacturers and vendors of biobased products. To the extent feasible, 
the information sought by USDA can be transmitted electronically using 
the Web site https://www.biopreferred.gov. If electronic transmission of 
information is not practical, USDA will provide technical assistance to 
support the transmission of information to USDA. The information 
collected will enable USDA to meet statutory information requirements 
that then permit USDA to designate items for preferred procurement 
under the BioPreferred Program. Once items are designated, 
manufacturers and vendors of qualifying biobased products that fall 
under these designated items will benefit from preferred procurement by 
Federal agencies.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 104 hours per response.
    Respondents: Manufacturers and vendors of biobased products.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 75
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One per manufacturer 
or vendor.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 7,800 hours, one time 
only. Manufacturers and vendors are asked to respond only once. 
Therefore, there is no ongoing annual paperwork burden on respondents.
    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public 
record.

    Dated: August 17, 2011.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Assistant Secretary for Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2011-21695 Filed 8-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-93-P