Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection, 73542-73543 [2014-28991]

Agencies

• Agricultural Marketing Service
• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 238 (Thursday, December 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73542-73543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28991]


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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 238 / Thursday, December 11, 2014 / 
Notices

[[Page 73542]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. No. TM-15-01]


Notice of Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), this notice announces the Agricultural Marketing 
Service's (AMS) intention to request approval, from the Office of 
Management and Budget, for an extension of and revision to the 
currently approved information collection Specialty Crop Block Grant 
Program (SCBGP).

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by February 9, 2015 to 
be assured of consideration.
    Additional Information or Comments: Interested persons are invited 
to submit comments concerning this information collection document. 
Comments should be submitted online at www.regulations.gov or sent to 
John Miklozek, Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, Marketing Grants and 
Compliance Team, Transportation and Marketing Program Agricultural 
Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Stop 0269, South Building, Washington, DC 20250-0269; by 
phone (202) 720-1403; or by facsimile to (202) 690-4152. All comments 
should reference the docket number (TM-15-01), the date, and the page 
number of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments received 
will be posted without change, including any personal information 
provided, online at http://www.regulations.gov and will be made 
available for public inspection at the above physical address during 
regular business hours.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
    OMB Number: 0581-0248.
    Expiration Date of Approval: 3 years from date of OMB approval.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The information collection requirements in this request 
are applied only to those State departments of agriculture who 
voluntarily participate in the SCBGP. The information collected is 
needed to certify that grant participants are complying with applicable 
program regulations. Data collected is the minimum information 
necessary to effectively carry out the requirements of the program, and 
to fulfill the intent of Section 101 of the Competitiveness Act of 
2004, as amended by Section 10010 of the Agriculture Act of 2014, 
Public Law 113-79, the Farm Bill.
    The overall estimated burden hours for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 3.275 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56 (All 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 560.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,834 hours.
    State departments of agriculture who wish to participate in the 
SCBGP would have to submit the following:
    (a) SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance'', (approved under 
OMB collection number 4040-0004) is required to apply for Federal 
assistance.
    (b) SF-424B, ``Assurances-Non-Construction Programs'', (approved 
under OMB collection number 4040-0007) to assure the Federal government 
of the applicant's legal authority to apply for Federal assistance.
    (c) State Plan Narrative. Completed applications must include a 
State Plan Narrative to show how grant funds will be utilized to 
enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 10 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56 (All 50 States, the District of 
Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 560 hours.
    Before funds are dispersed, State departments of agriculture must 
complete the following forms:
    (a) Grant Agreement. The Grant Agreement (AMS-33) sets forth the 
agreed upon responsibilities of AMS project work. It also indicates the 
agreed upon grant funding dollar amounts and the beginning date and 
ending date of the project work and the Grant Agreement. One copy of 
this Grant Agreement is required to be returned to AMS with the 
recipient's signatures and dated for each grant.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 112 hours.
    (b) SF-270, ``Request for Advance and Reimbursement'' (approved 
under OMB collection number 0348-0004) is required whenever the 
recipients request an advance or reimbursement of Federal grant funds. 
AMS expects that at least three (3) SF-270 forms will be submitted 
during the grant agreement period.
    (c) Annual Performance Report. The Annual Performance Report is 
required if a grant period is more than one year in length. The Annual 
Performance Report is written documentation required to notify AMS 
about the work activities and progress towards completing the 
recipients' and subrecipients' established project activities, goals 
and outcomes. AMS

[[Page 73543]]

expects that at least two (2) Annual Performance Reports will be 
submitted during the grant agreement period.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 3 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 112.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 336 hours.
    (d) Final Performance Report. The Final Performance Report is 
written information required by AMS within 90 days after the ending 
date of the grant agreement. This information is utilized as final 
documentation of completion of the project activities, goals and 
outcomes.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 6 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 336 hours.
    (e) Request for Grant Amendment. A State department of agriculture 
participating in the SCBGP would have to submit a Request for Grant 
Amendment to AMS if there is a change in key personnel, scope or 
objectives of the grant, budget changes that exceed more than 20 
percent of a project's total budget, request to purchase of special 
purpose equipment, request for foreign travel and travel costs for 
government officials, and/or an extension of the grant period not to 
exceed 3 calendar years.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1 hour per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 112 hours.
    (f) SF-425 ``Federal Financial Report'' (approved under OMB 
collection number 0348-0061) is to be completed 90 days after the 
expiration date of the grant period to comply with various legal and 
regulatory requirements as described within the form.
    (g) Audit Report. A State is required to conduct an audit of SCBGP 
expenditures and an audit report is required to be submitted to AMS no 
later than 30 days after completion of the audit.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 3 hours per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 168 hours.
    (h) SF-428 ``Tangible Personal Property Report'' (approved under 
OMB collection number 3090-0289) is to be completed 90 days after the 
expiration date of the grant period to comply with various legal and 
regulatory requirements as described within the form.
    Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 2.75 hour per response.
    Respondents: State departments of agriculture.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 56.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 154 hours.
    Finally, State departments of agriculture are required to retain 
records pertaining to the SCBGP for 3 years after completion of the 
grant period or until final resolution of any audit findings or 
litigation claims relating to the SCBGP. This is a part of normal 
business practice.
    This program would not be maintained by any other Agency, 
therefore, the requested information will not be available from any 
other existing records.
    AMS is committed to compliance with the Government Paperwork 
Elimination Act (GPEA), which requires Government agencies in general 
to provide the public the option of submitting information or 
transacting business electronically to the maximum extent possible. The 
SF-424 and SF-424B forms and State Plan (Narrative) can be completed 
electronically and are required to be submitted electronically through 
www.grants.gov.
    The SF-425, SF-428, and SF-270 forms can be filled out 
electronically and submitted electronically. These forms can be found 
at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_forms/.
    The Annual Performance Report, Final Performance Report, Audit 
Report, and Request for Grant Amendment can be submitted 
electronically. The Grant Agreement requires an original signature and 
can be submitted by mail.
    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. Comments may be sent to John Miklozek at the 
above physical address, by telephone (202) 720-1403, or by email at 
scblockgrants@usda.gov. All comments received will be available for 
public inspection during regular business hours at the same address.
    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: December 5, 2014.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-28991 Filed 12-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P