Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s). The information collection requests are FMCS forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424), Request for Advance or Reimbursement SF-270 (LM-6), Project Performance (LM-8), Financial Status Report SF-269a (LM-7), Grants Program Grantee Evaluation Questionnaire (agency form LM-9), and Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (LM-3). The request seeks Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for a three-year expiration date of Forms SF-424, SF-270 (LM-6), (LM-8), SF-269a (LM-7), (LM-9) and (LM- 3) until October 2010. FMCS is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the collection as described below.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) proposes to amend its rules under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) primarily to effectuate various provisions under the 1996 Electronic FOIA Amendments. Previously, FMCS had issued a proposed rule on November 3, 1999. 64 FR 59697, Nov. 3, 1999. FMCS received no comments when the proposed rule was published in 1999. FMCS is now withdrawing that proposed rule and issuing a new revised proposed rule. The proposed revisions include a new response time for FOIA requests, procedures for requesting expedited processing, the availability of certain public information on FMCS's Web site, and express inclusion of electronic records and automated searches along with paper records and manual searches. In addition, FMCS's proposed amendments would update its fee schedule. FMCS is also updating the names and addresses of the various offices within the agency responsible for FOIA related activities.

This notice announces that four information collection requests contained among the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) agency forms have come up for renewal. Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FMCS has submitted to OMB requests for review of these four FMCS forms: Arbitrator's Report and Fee Statement (Agency Form R-19), Arbitrator's Personal Data Questionnaire (Agency Form R- 22), Request for Arbitration Services (Agency Form R-43) and Notice to Mediation Agencies (Agency Form F-7). These requests seek reinstatement of Forms R-19, R-22, and F-7, which expired January 31, 2006, and Form R-43, which expired February 28, 2006, with new expiration dates of three years from the date of OMB approval. FMCS also is soliciting comments on specific aspects of the collections as described below.