Telecommunications System Construction Policies and Procedures

OMB Control No: 0572-0059	ICR Reference No: 202001-0572-005
Status: Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201706-0572-002
Agency/Subagency: USDA/RUS	Agency Tracking No:
Title: Telecommunications System Construction Policies and Procedures
Type of Information Collection: Revision of a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved with change	Conclusion Date: 01/07/2022
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 11/19/2020
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	01/31/2025	36 Months From Approved	01/31/2022
Responses	3,318	0	6,302
Time Burden (Hours)	6,610	0	8,807
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: In order to facilitate the programmatic interest of the RE act, and, to assure that loans made or guaranteed by RUS are adequately secured, RUS, as a secured lender, has established certain forms for materials, equipment and construction of telecommunications systems. The use of standard forms, construction contracts, and procurement procedures help assure RUS that appropriate standards and specifications are maintained, RUS' loan security is not adversely affected; and the loan and loan guarantee funds are used effectively and for the intended purposes.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 7 USC 901 Name of Law: RE Act

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 38358	06/26/2020
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	85 FR 73670	11/19/2020
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title Form No. Form Name Telecommunications System Construction Policies and Procedures 397g, 282, 281, 157, 158, 159, 216, 217, 242, 245, 270, 274, 284, 375, 390, 506, 515, 521, 724b, 527, 724, 724a, 743, 276, 756, 771, 817, 817b, 787, 817a, 835, 179, 771a, Form 773, 397b, 397c, 397d, 397h Construction Work Plan & Cost Distribution ,   Certification of Contractor or Force Account Proposal Approval ,   Summary of Completed Construction ,   Architects and Engineers Qualifications ,   Construction and Change Order ,   Postloan Engineering Services Contract-Telecommunications Systems ,   Assignment of Engineering Service Contract ,   Engineering Service Contract, Special Services-Telephone ,   Equal Opportunity Addendum ,   Bidder's Qualifications ,   Bidder's Qualifications for Buried Plant Construction ,   Tabulation of Materials Furnished by Borrower ,   Subcontracts-(Under Construction or Equipment Contracts ,   Certificate of Architect ,   Interim Financing Construction ,   Software License Agreement ,   Statement of Engineering Fees- Telecommunications ,   Telephone System Construction Contract(Labor & Materials) ,   BiWeekly Progress Report of Telephone Construciton & Engineering Services ,   Statement of Construction Telephone System-Outside Plant ,   FInal Inventroy, Telephone Construction Contract (Labor& Materials) ,   Final Inventory, Telephone Construction Cpmtract (Labor & Material) ,   Final Inventory, Telephone Construction Contract (Labor & Material) ,   Certificate of Contractor & Indemnity Agreement (Line Extensions) ,   Contract Closeout Certification ,   Summary of Work orders (Inspection by Agency Field Engineer) ,   Supplement A to Construction Contract RUS Form 515 ,   Final Inventory, Telephone Force Account Construction ,   Final Inventory, Telephone Force Account Construction ,   Final Inventory, Telephone Force Account Construction ,   Preloan Engineering Service Contract, Telephone System Design ,   Summary of Work Orders ,   Miscellaneous Construction Work and Maintenance Services Contract ,   Design Specifications for Trunk Carrier Systems ,   Design Specification for Subscriber Carrier Systems ,   Design Specifications for Point to Point Microwave Radio Systems ,   RUS Performance Specification for Line Concentrators ,   Design Specifications for Digital Lightwave Tranmission Systems

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ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	3,318	6,302	0	-2,984	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	6,610	8,807	0	-2,197	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Reduction Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Short Statement: This is a revision and extension with change of a currently approved package. There is a reduction of 574.41 burden hours from the previous collection of 8,807.20 to 8,232.79 hours. The data employed was comprised of the quantity of actual borrower responses during the time period over 2017 through 2019 as included in the Engineering Branch logs of the RUS Telecommunications Program.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $1,459,821

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

Agency Contact: Robin Jones 202 772-1172 [email protected]

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
		(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;
		(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;
		(c) It reduces burden on small entities;
		(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;
		(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;
		(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;
		(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:
			(i) Why the information is being collected;
			(ii) Use of information;
			(iii) Burden estimate;
			(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
			(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
			(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
		(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.
		(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and
		(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.
Certification Date: 11/19/2020

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